Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | Congress responds to EC’s letter, says Agnipath, criticizing politics, not forces

New Delhi: Days after the Election Commission asked the Congress not to “politicize” the armed forces, the Friday party said its criticism of the Agnipath military recruitment program falls within the Model Code of Conduct and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ” given the support of the “poll watchdog.”

Former head of the Congress Service Department, Colonel (retd.) Rohit Chaudhry, said the model code states that “criticism of other political parties, if expressed, should be limited to their policies, programs, past achievements and work.”

The armed forces are doing a great job in protecting the country and the Congress was only speaking on the government’s policies by making statements on the Agnipath plan, Chaudhry told a press conference at the AICC headquarters here.

He said the Modi government had weakened the army by introducing the Agnipath programme. “We question a plan that is not in the interest of the country, the army and the soldiers.”

Chaudhry said the Election Commission has written to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge that top party workers should not discuss operational issues of the defense forces.

“When Modiji gets into trouble, he seeks support. Previously, he hid behind the defense forces. Now he is enjoying the support of the Election Commission,” the Congress leader said. “If our government is formed, the Agnipatha plan will be rejected.”

Chaudhry said the program caused discrimination in the military and also undermined the country’s security.

The EC asked the party not to politicize the defense forces and not to make statements that could be divisive regarding the socio-economic composition of the armed forces.

The committee referred to remarks made by top Congress leaders on the Agnipath programme.

In June 2022, the government launched the Agnipath recruitment program for short-term staffing to lower the age profile of the three services. It envisages recruiting young people aged 17.5 to 21 over a four-year period, with plans to retain 25 per cent of them for a further 15 years.