Drawing a binary between the “real nationalist” and “fake nationalists”, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra exhorted the young to wake up to the reality of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. She was speaking at a “satyagraha” organised by the Congress against the Agnipath scheme for short-term recruitment to the defence services, and in solidarity with nationwide protests against the scheme at the national capital’s Jantar Mantar on Sunday.
Addressing the youth, she said, “You dream about getting recruited in the army. A job that will help you take care of your family and the country. There is no bigger patriot than you. And I would say that you must keep your eyes open to recognise the fake nationalists and fake patriots.”
She said it was wrong to say that Agnipath scheme was an impulsive decision. Ms. Vadra added that this scheme, like many others, was a pre-meditated plan of the BJP government that will “kill the youth” of the country and “finish the army”. The BJP government is not working for the people, she said, alleging that all its schemes were aimed to benefit a select few “friends” of the party.
Recognise this government and their intentions, Ms. Gandhi said. “Use the democratic, peaceful, non-violent truth to demolish this government. Your aim must be to install a government that is made up of real nationalists, who keeps the country’s wealth intact and takes it forward,” she added.
Over 60 Congress leaders are functionaries participated in the protest. Heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces was seen at the protest site. The entry and exit points to Jantar Mantar were blocked. No Congress workers were allowed at the site, leaving the leaders speaking to cameras rather than an audience.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was not present at the protest. In a tweet in Hindi, he said that the government had promised 16 crore jobs in eight years, but the youth had only got knowledge on "frying pakoras". "By repeatedly giving the false hope of jobs, the Prime Minister has forced the youth of the country to walk on the 'Agnipath' of unemployment," he said.
Earlier in the day, a host of Congress leaders spoke about the scheme. Rajya Sabha MP Digvijay Singh said that the Modi model of governance is actually a model of governance through “contract”. He said that in Gujarat even the police was employed on contract basis and this is exactly want Prime Minister Narendra Modi was extending to the Indian armed forces.
Congress leader from Rajasthan Sachin Pilot rejected the BJP's allegation that the countrywide protests had been prompted by the Opposition. He instead blamed the government for keeping the country on a permanent boil. The various amendments that the government was forced to bring in the face of countrywide protests, Mr. Pilot said, clearly showed, that the government did not think things through. “I am confident that just like the government had to roll back the three farm laws, this recruitment policy too will have to scrapped,” Mr. Pilot added.
Congress leader from Haryana Deepender Hooda said that when a young boy trains early in the morning, his dream is to become an army jawan not an ‘Agniveer’.
Odisha MP Saptagiri Ulaka accused the Prime Minister of taking a unilateral decision. “I am sure that Mr. Modi did not speak to the army chief or Defence Minister Rajnath Singh before announcing such a policy,” Mr. Ulaka said.
