NEW DELHI: The nation-wide stir against the Agnipath scheme heated up the political weather in the national capital on Sunday with Opposition Congress holding a satyagraha against the scheme while the ruling BJP defending it tooth and nail.
Participating in the protest near the Jantar Mantar here, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urged the youth to recognise “fake nationalists” and ensure that a new government is formed in the country which shows “real patriotism”. She alleged the new military recruitment scheme would be destructive for the youth and the Army.
Top Congress leaders including AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, party’s leader in Lok Sabha Adir Ranjan Chowdhury, Harish Rawat, Communications department head Jairam Ramesh, Salman Khurshid, Sachin Pilot, Deepender Hooda and Ajay Maken participated in the satyagraha.
“I want to tell you, open your eyes and recognise the fake nationalists and fake patriots. The entire country and the Congress are with you in your struggle,” Priyanka said in her remarks aimed at the youths protesting the scheme.
Meanwhile, the BJP hurriedly called a media briefing to counter the Congress and flayed it for “politicising” the issue. “I heard the speech of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was speaking at the so-called satyagraha. She was not concerned for the youth but was asking the youth to dislodge the Modi government. The Congress party’s aim is neither to do well to the army nor do have care or concern for the youth. The Gandhi family has only one objective to bring down the government by misleading the nation,” said BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra. He said the Opposition has “gone astray” in pursuit of “vested politics” even on national issue like Agnipath.
“They (opposition leaders) have made the situation so volatile that officials of the three service wings were forced to come forward and make an appeal to people not to get involved in arson,” said Patra. Similarly, Union minister and former Army chief General V K Singh (retd) on Sunday alleged that the grand old party is “finding fault with even the best work” of the Modi government as it is “upset” with Rahul Gandhi’s questioning by the ED.
Tejashwi poses 20 questions to govt
Bihar opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday posed 20 questions to the Centre over the Agnipath scheme. He also wanted the government to answer if the scheme is a “MGNREGA-like” programme for educated youth or a “hidden agenda of RSS”. Alleging that the Centre made the scheme without considering its pros and cons and proper consultation, Yadav demanded its immediate roll-back