NewzVille Desk
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi today reiterated the Congress party’s opposition to the ‘Agnipath’ recruitment scheme, saying it had weakened the traditional bond between soldiers and the government, and promised that the scheme would be scrapped once Congress came to power at the Centre.
Addressing an ex-servicemen’s meeting in Pauri Garhwal through video conferencing after bad weather prevented him from reaching the venue, Gandhi apologised for his absence and said adverse flying conditions had forced his helicopter to return despite several attempts to proceed.
Welcoming ex-servicemen and senior leaders present at the gathering, Gandhi praised Uttarakhand’s long-standing contribution to the armed forces, saying the state had historically supplied soldiers who had served the nation in wars, border conflicts and military operations across diverse terrains.
Rahul Gandhi said service in the armed forces was rooted in patriotism and sacrifice and was governed by an “unwritten contract” between soldiers and the government. He noted, soldiers dedicate their lives to protecting the country, its Constitution and borders, while the government is expected to provide security and support to them and their families in return.
The senior Congress leader said that the BJP government had violated this understanding through the implementation of the Agniveer scheme.
“Congress believes that young people who aspire to join the armed forces and dedicate themselves to national service deserve security, dignity and a guaranteed future. Their families must also be protected,” he said, adding that the party remained committed to cancelling the scheme if voted to power.
Gandhi observed that the scheme had been introduced to reduce expenditure on soldiers’ welfare and pensions and redirect resources towards large corporate interests. He accused the government of weakening public sector defence enterprises and favouring a handful of industrial groups in defence procurement and contracts.
Referring to a recent interaction with representatives of ex-servicemen, Gandhi said that concerns had been raised over the withdrawal of disability pension-related benefits, particularly tax exemptions, and other issues affecting veterans.
He also criticised the government over the flawed and unsatisfactory implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP), and alleged that the interests of serving and retired personnel had not been adequately protected.
Describing the relationship between the armed forces and the government as “sacred”, Gandhi said Congress would continue to stand with soldiers, veterans and their families.
The Leader of Opposition alleged that the recent agreement between India and the United States had compromised several strategic interests of the country.
He said the agreement had weakened India’s energy security by restricting its ability to independently purchase oil and gas from countries of its choice. He said, India’s energy policy should remain free from external influence and be guided solely by national interest.
Gandhi also expressed concern over the impact of the agreement on agriculture. He warned that opening India’s agricultural market to American products would place Indian farmers at a disadvantage because of the vast differences in scale, mechanisation and technological capabilities between the two countries.
He argued that small and marginal Indian farmers would struggle to compete with large-scale American agricultural producers and warned that such a development could adversely affect rural livelihoods and food security.
He further alleged that provisions relating to data management under the agreement could permit sensitive Indian data, including medical and commercial information, to be stored overseas.
Gandhi also criticised the government’s economic policies, alleging that small and medium enterprises had already suffered due to demonetisation and the flawed implementation of the GST. He claimed that commitments to increase imports from the United States would further weaken domestic manufacturing and hamper employment generation.
The Congress leader noted that India’s network of small and medium enterprises had traditionally served as a major source of jobs and economic resilience. He said sectors such as textiles, handicrafts, footwear, auto components and small-scale manufacturing could face additional pressure if domestic industries were unable to compete with increased imports.
Questioning the benefits India had received from the agreement, Gandhi said that the government had made significant concessions without securing corresponding gains for the country.
He also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over foreign policy and national security issues, alleging that the government had compromised India’s strategic autonomy. Referring to remarks made by US President Donald Trump regarding India-Pakistan tensions and Operation Sindoor, Gandhi claimed that external pressure had influenced the government’s decisions.
The Congress leader further alleged that excessive concentration of strategic assets, including ports, airports and defence-related contracts, in the hands of a few business groups posed risks to national security. He accused the government of promoting policies that disproportionately benefited a limited number of industrialists while neglecting broader public and economic interests.
Gandhi said Uttarakhand possessed immense potential in tourism, entrepreneurship and local industries, and argued that greater support should be provided to small and medium enterprises to generate employment opportunities in the state.
