Indian opposition party holds street protest demanding jobs

By RISHI LEKHI
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — Youth members of India’s main opposition Congress party have clashed with police during a street protest demanding jobs as the country’s economy recovers from a coronavirus lockdown last year that triggered massive unemployment. They also urged people not to celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 71st birthday on Friday. About 150 Congress supporters tried to jump police barricades blocking them from marching to government offices in New Delhi. A massive 23.9% economic contraction in the April-June quarter last year due to the pandemic lockdown caused millions of people to lose their jobs in small and medium-size businesses and pushed the country into a recession.