10 lakh jobs in automobile sector in danger: Priyanka

New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday claimed that jobs of 10 la-kh people in the automobile sector were in danger and said the government’s “silence on job losses was most dangerous”.

The Congress General Secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh (east) cited a media report on jobs in the automobile sector in a tweet in the morning. Her remarks came after industry body Auto-motive Component Manu-facturers Association of India (ACMA) on Wednes-day said around one million jobs could be on the line if the prolonged slowdown in the automobile industry continues. “Jobs of 10 lakh people working in the auto sector are in danger. People working in this sector will have to search for new job avenues,” she said adding “the silence of the BJP government on job losses, weakening trade and policies damaging the economy is most dangerous”.

ACMA president Ram Venkataraman had said considering the fact that the auto component industry grows on the back of the vehicle industry, a current 15-20 per cent cut in vehicle production has led to a crisis-like situation. “If the trend continues, the layoffs are inevitable and an estimated 10 lakh people could be laid off”.

The leader also paid tribute to the soldiers who fought in the 1999 Kargil war, as the nation observed the 20th anniversary of the conflict. “Those who hold up our flag through sacrifice and hardship, those who fight for freedom, for our sovereignty and all that India stands for, can never be forgotten,” she tweeted.