Launching an offensive towards the Centre over the Agnipath scheme, the Congress on Monday cited late Gen Bipin Rawat’s 2020 proposal to boost troopers and officers’ retirement age to ask if the brand new recruitment plan was not an insult to the method of India’s first chief of defence employees.
Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken mentioned Gen Rawat had advocated elevating the retirement age of troopers to 58 years.
“A circular dated October 2020 of the time of late CDS Gen Bipan Rawat is there and also his interview where he says soldiers retire after 17 years, but their retirement age should be raised to 58 years.
“He says raising this age will help jawans serve the country better. Is Agnipath not an insult to the thoughts of Gen Rawat?” Maken requested the federal government.
The Congress chief mentioned, “When Gen Bipin Rawat is saying this, and no one is more qualified than him, are all service chiefs going against the approach of Gen Rawat?” “Has the government tried to follow the proposal of Gen Rawat?” The Congress mentioned that whereas India’s first CDS wished the retirement age raised to 58 years, the BJP-led authorities “wants to retire soldiers after four years”.
“This is shameful. At least do not insult the CDS, his thought and approach,” Maken mentioned.
The Congress chief additionally questioned the style wherein the brand new recruitment scheme was introduced and mentioned, “Bureaucrats sitting in AC rooms drafted the plan and asked political leaders to defend it.” Maken alleged that each one main selections of the federal government had been riddled with infirmities as a result of lack of democratic consultations with elected members and the dearth of discussions in Parliament.
“Note ban saw 60 changes in 50 days, GST saw 376 changes in 10 months, three farm laws were fully withdrawn, CAA rules have not been notified in 2.5 years and Agnipath has already seen 11 changes in five days.
“All major decisions have been taken without thought, without public discussion and public discourse, only by officers sitting in AC rooms,” alleged Maken.
He mentioned in a democracy crucial enter for a coverage is that of the individuals and their elected consultant and never of some officers who cross an examination and draft insurance policies.
“Why waste money on elections if elected MPs are not to be consulted, if Parliament is not to take up important matters, and if select committees are not to review major issues?,” Maken posed.
Later, Congress leaders proceeded to Jantar Mantar for the second day of Satyagraha towards the Agnipath scheme and likewise the alleged political vendetta within the ED case towards Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress will even petition President Ram Nath Kovind at 5 pm on Monday and lift the difficulty of alleged assault on its MPs by the Delhi Police and the alleged misuse of probe businesses to “muzzle the voice of the opposition”.
The Congress is staging a Satyagraha at Jantar Mantar demanding withdrawal of the Agnipath scheme for recruitment within the defence providers, with all its senior leaders current there.
Also, Rahul Gandhi’s questioning by the ED resumed on Monday after a break of some days.
The Congress mentioned Gandhi had been questioned for over 30 hours already and requested the federal government to “stop selective media leaks that can influence the probe”.
“Media leaks are illegal and must stop. These are attempts to conduct a public trial and set false narratives,” Maken mentioned citing the authorized discover Congress authorized cell head Vivek Tankha despatched to the Union finance minister, dwelling minister and Law minister asking them to cease the selective leaks.
On the Agnipath plan, the Congress reiterated its demand for a rollback saying, “The government must listen to the youth and immediately roll back the scheme. A detailed discussion must be held with the stakeholders before any scheme affecting the youth is rolled out.” Maken made gentle of presidency allegations that the anti-Agnipath protesters had been being misled.
“This is what the prime minister said during the farmers’ agitation also… The farmers were called Khalistanis and then later the prime minister apologised,” mentioned the Congress chief.
He additionally requested if even one reform the federal government introduced had been profitable.
Source: www.financialexpress.com”