NEW DELHI: With the election scene moving towards Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, Congress stepped up its attack on the Agnipath scheme and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of hiding behind Election Commission “by getting it to issue a direction” that matters concerning the armed forces should be kept out of the political campaign.
AICC ex-serviceman department chairman Rohit Chaudhary (retd Col) told a press conference that Congress will disband the Agnipath scheme and restore the old full-time recruitment policy of the armed forces, as the four-year recruitment has impaired the fighting abilities of the forces while compromising the training and status of the soldiers.
Chaudhary said the model code of conduct allows political parties to talk about policies and Congress is sticking to it by promising to disband the scheme. “We are challenging the scheme which is not in the interest of the country, the Army and the soldiers,” he said.
At the press meet, Congress played the videos of PM Modi’s speeches during the 2019 election campaign, when he said first-time voters should vote for BJP as a tribute to the Pulwama martyrs.
“Whenever PM Modi gets into trouble, he looks for some support. Earlier, he used to hide behind the defence forces. Now, he is taking the support of EC,” the Congressman said.
Chaudhary said in the times of two-and-half front war, India cannot afford to weaken the armed forces.
Stating that Agnipath scheme was brought in to cut the expenditure on armed forces, Chaudhary said it is ironical that the Modi govt cannot find enough money for defence despite India being economically strong, in contrast to how the country, when it was much weaker financially, fought four wars and maintained its forces, modernised it and acquired new weapons.
AICC ex-serviceman department chairman Rohit Chaudhary (retd Col) told a press conference that Congress will disband the Agnipath scheme and restore the old full-time recruitment policy of the armed forces, as the four-year recruitment has impaired the fighting abilities of the forces while compromising the training and status of the soldiers.
Chaudhary said the model code of conduct allows political parties to talk about policies and Congress is sticking to it by promising to disband the scheme. “We are challenging the scheme which is not in the interest of the country, the Army and the soldiers,” he said.
At the press meet, Congress played the videos of PM Modi’s speeches during the 2019 election campaign, when he said first-time voters should vote for BJP as a tribute to the Pulwama martyrs.
“Whenever PM Modi gets into trouble, he looks for some support. Earlier, he used to hide behind the defence forces. Now, he is taking the support of EC,” the Congressman said.
Chaudhary said in the times of two-and-half front war, India cannot afford to weaken the armed forces.
Stating that Agnipath scheme was brought in to cut the expenditure on armed forces, Chaudhary said it is ironical that the Modi govt cannot find enough money for defence despite India being economically strong, in contrast to how the country, when it was much weaker financially, fought four wars and maintained its forces, modernised it and acquired new weapons.
