Congress with you, protest peacefully, says Sonia Gandhi

Appealing the youth to carry out protests in a peaceful and non-violent manner, Sonia, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital for a lower respiratory tract infection, said she shared the anguish of the youth over the halt in recruitment in the armed forces despite “lakhs of vacancies”.

The Congress has also announced that its MPs and other leaders would sit on a “Satyagraha” against the scheme at Jantar Mantar on Sunday.

In a written statement in Hindi, Sonia said: “It is unfortunate that the government has announced a new armed forces’ recruitment policy, which is completely
directionless, while disregarding your voices. Many Army veterans and defence experts have also raised questions over the scheme. The Congress stands firmly with you, promises to safeguard your interests and fight to get this scheme withdrawn.”

देश के युवाओं के नाम कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी जी का संदेश: pic.twitter.com/1Opq35phdn

— Congress (@INCIndia) June 18, 2022

Addressing his first press conference at the AICC headquarters since joining the party, Kanhaiya Kumar said BJP leaders, including ministers, are listing the benefits of the scheme like they are “selling a product”. He said: “When the country already has a recruitment process, why are they ending it? The government claims this will generate employment. Had it been serious, it would have filled 28 lakh posts that are vacant only in the Union Government. Did they take the Opposition into confidence? Did they hold any meeting of any parliamentary committee? Did they even ask the youth of this country?”

8 सालों से लगातार भाजपा सरकार ने ‘जय जवान, जय किसान' के मूल्यों का अपमान किया है।

मैंने पहले भी कहा था कि प्रधानमंत्री जी को काले कृषि कानून वापस लेने पड़ेंगे।

ठीक उसी तरह उन्हें ‘माफ़ीवीर' बनकर देश के युवाओं की बात माननी पड़ेगी और 'अग्निपथ' को वापस लेना ही पड़ेगा।

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 18, 2022

Pawan Khera said the Agnipath scheme would lead to “militarisation of society”.

In a tweet, Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at PM Narendra Modi, saying he would have to roll back the scheme by becoming a “maafiveer”. “Just like I had previously said the PM will have to repeal the farm laws,” he tweeted.

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