Haryana, May 22:
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Wednesday the Agniveer military recruitment scheme will be scrapped and thrown in the dustbin if the INDIA bloc comes to power, as he slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “turning Hindustan ke jawan into labourers”.
In his first election meeting in Haryana for the Lok Sabha polls, Gandhi also attacked Modi over the issue of farmers. He claimed that the Modi government waived loans amounting to Rs 16 lakh crore for 22 “arabpatis (top industrialists)” but openly says it “won’t waive farmers’ debts as it will spoil them”.
“We had brought the land acquisition bill to protect farmers and give them due compensation, but the Modi government scrapped it. They brought three black farm laws and farmers had to take to the streets,” the former Congress president said.
Slamming the BJP government over the Agniveer scheme, he said, “This is Modi’s scheme, not the Army’s scheme. The Army does not want it. This scheme has been framed by the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office).”
“When the INDIA bloc forms the government, we will chuck the Agniveer scheme in the dustbin, we will tear it up,” he said at the rally held in the Mahendragarh-Bhiwani Lok Sabha constituency.
India’s borders, Gandhi said, are secured by the youths of Haryana and the country.
“There is patriotism in the DNA of our youth,” he said, adding, “Modi has converted Hindustan ke jawan into labourers.”
Sharpening his attack on the BJP government, the Congress leader said, “They say there will be two types of martyrs — normal jawans and officers who will get a pension, martyr status and facilities and those from poor families who have been named Agniveer. Agniveers will neither get martyr status nor pension or canteen facility.”
Army doesn’t want
The Centre in 2022 rolled out the Agnipath recruitment scheme for short-term induction of personnel into the armed forces with an aim to bring down the age profile of the three services.
The scheme provides for recruiting youngsters in the age bracket of 17 years and a half to 21 years for a four-year period with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 years.
Gandhi also said when the INDIA bloc comes to power on June 4, debts of farmers in Haryana and other states will be waived, adding, “We will bring a ‘karza maafi’ commission.”
“Whenever Haryana farmers need their debts waived, the commission will tell the government and it will be done. When they can waive Rs 16 lakh crore for industrialists, why can we not help farmers, labourers and the poor,” he asked.
Gandhi also asked why the Modi government did not have a probe agency inquire if the Congress took tempo-loads of money from Adani-Ambani.
“For 10 years, you did not name Adani-Ambani and now you took their name in one of your speeches. Modi said that Adani-Ambani was giving money to the Congress. How could you know they were giving money in a tempo,” he asked.
Gandhi also claimed that the whole nation knew “Modi ji and Ambani’s partnership was running” the Government.
Referring to the schemes proposed in the Congress’ poll manifesto, he said, “One woman will be selected from each family. On June 4, the INDIA (alliance) government will be formed. On July 4, work will start. Rs 8,500 will be transferred into the bank account of one woman from each family.”
He said Haryana showed the path of development to the country.
“A storm is brewing here. Congress ka toofan araha hai. Congress and INDIA alliance will get all seats here,” Gandhi added.
He also alleged that the BJP was “openly” saying it would “finish” the Constitution and scrap reservation.
“Leave aside BJP, there is no power in the world that can finish this book,” Gandhi said, holding a copy of the Constitution in his hand.
Congress general secretary Deepak Babaria, former chief minister B S Hooda, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan, party leader Kiran Choudhary and Shruti Choudhary, and Bhiwani-Mahendragarh LS candidate Rao Dan Singh were also present at the rally.
Voting for 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will be held on May 25 in the sixth phase of the general election.
The Congress has consciously contested on a lesser number of seats in this Lok Sabha election as part of a strategy to keep the INDIA bloc together and defeat the BJP, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has said.
In an interview with PTI, he said this does not exhibit “under-confidence” on the part of the party as the “compromise was struck to ensure victory of the united opposition while giving space to other parties which have strengths in different parts of the country”.
Kharge also termed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra an “asset” and a star campaigner and justified her decision to not contest the elections.
Asked which seat Rahul Gandhi should leave, in case he wins both Wayanad and Rae Bareli, Kharge said it is his personal choice.
“We have taken a conscious decision to contest on a lesser number of seats. This is being done to keep the alliance partners together and that’s why we have made this compromise,” he said.
Kharge said the Congress had formed a committee to forge coalitions in every state after holding consultations with other like-minded parties.
“The party high command approved this strategy. We have held consultations in every state,” he said.
The Congress is contesting 328 seats, its lowest-ever, leaving more than 200 seats for the other opposition parties in the INDIA bloc.
On many alliance partners fighting against each other in states like Kerala, Bengal, and Punjab, he said, “There is no disunity in fighting against the central government. In states, we are fighting as both INDIA parties are key in some states, otherwise it will benefit the BJP.”
The Congress chief said every state has a different alliance, “but we are all fighting against the BJP’s and Modi ji’s ideology.” “The parties have taken a well-thought out line which is in the interest of the nation,” he asserted.
To a question that opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Arvind Kejriwal are not even united in predicting the NDA numbers, he said, every leader has a different assessment.
“I can do proper assessment in Karnataka as I know the state well and know everything. Different feedback comes from different states.
But, as I have said, the numbers required for stopping the BJP from coming to power, we in the INDIA alliance have those numbers and we will stop the BJP from assuming power,” he said.
Kharge, however, did not give a definite reply on SP’s Akhilesh Yadav saying there is no need for ED, CBI and they should be banned.
“If our government comes, we will review all the laws. Whatever that is being done to harass people, we will oppose it. No one has adopted such a procedure of misusing probe agencies as has been done by the BJP. There should be probes and proper inquiries, but the BJP is itself creating evidence, cases and putting people behind bars,” he alleged.
He also questioned why the opposition leaders were being put behind bars ahead of the elections.
“Why did they not arrest them earlier when they were in power for the last 10 years? Elections are going on and here leaders are being threatened and harassed and put behind bars, not leaving them even to campaign.
“There is no level playing field being maintained by the BJP, as opposition leaders are being threatened. These things are not good for a democracy and an authoritarian rule is being implemented,” the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha asserted.
He justified Priyanka Gandhi not contesting the election, saying it was a decision taken by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and her.
Sonia Gandhi has been in politics for 30 years and she knows who should contest from where, he said.
“She (Priyanka) is also our star campaigner, along with Rahul Gandhi, as Sonia Gandhi ji is not keeping very good health. They are in demand and thousands come to listen to them.
“Both of them are our assets and if we invest all our assets at one place, then what about others as they have to help others too. We welcome whatever decision they have taken,” the Congress chief said.
He also justified several party stalwarts deciding to keep themselves away from contesting, saying some had fought assembly elections and it is their strategy to make their own people contest in their place.
“Besides, we also need senior leaders to do campaigning for the party across the country in the national election. We cannot ask everyone to contest. We are strengthening those who are contesting, but equally important are those who make the party’s strategy in elections,” he noted.
The Congress president accused the BJP of “suppressing democracy and opposing the Constitution” and said this is the reason why this election is very significant for everyone – from children to the old, and from print media to television and even social media users.
