Congress pledges to stand with protesting youths and work for the withdrawal of the ‘Agnipath’ scheme, vows Sonia Gandhi from the hospital.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been hospitalized after she contracted a coronavirus infection and is being treated for a fungal infection. She makes an appeal for the protestors to adopt peaceful, non-violent means to fight for their demands: and the Congress pledges to stand with protesting youths and work for the withdrawal of the ‘Agnipath’ scheme.
Congress calls the scheme “controversial, carries multiple risks, subverts the long-standing traditions”, and may turn out to be a case of “penny wise and security foolish”.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi appeals to youths to PTI reports
Jairam Ramesh shared her message on Twitter:
“I am disappointed that the government ignored your voices and announced the “new military recruitment scheme”, which is directionless. Many ex-servicemen have also raised questions about the new scheme,” the statement, which was shared by party leader Jairam Ramesh on Twitter, said.
“The Indian National Congress strongly stand with our promise to protect your interests against the scheme. As a true patriot, we will raise our voice against the scheme without violence, patience and peace,” she said.
देश के युवाओं के नाम @INCIndia अध्यक्ष श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी की तरफ से संदेश। pic.twitter.com/K7BYcnNODw
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 18, 2022
One person has died in police firing in the protests that have now extended to eight states.
Nearly 600 protesters have been arrested – 325 people in Uttar Pradesh and 250 in Uttar Pradesh – in the protests, which have seen enraged youth, attacking police, burning trains and vehicles, pelting the police with stones, and blocking roads.
Earlier, senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi’s son, had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have to accept the demand of the youth and roll back the defense recruitment scheme just like the farm laws.
In a tweet in Hindi, Mr Gandhi said, “I had said earlier also that the prime minister will have to withdraw the black farm laws.” “In the same manner, he will have to accept the demand of the youth of the country by becoming ‘maafiveer’ and take back the ‘Agnipath’ scheme,” he said.
In an update, the Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh approves a 10% reservation for Agniveers in defense posts.