The Congress Party on Sunday organised a ‘Satyagraha’ agitation led by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra against the Centre’s Agnipath Scheme at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Gandhi claimed that the scheme would ‘kill our youth, and army, that protects the nation’ during her speech at the protest venue.
This scheme will kill the youth of the country, will finish Army… Please see the intent of this govt and topple it. Bring a govt that is true to the nation, protects country’s assets. I urge you to do peaceful protest but don’t stop: Congress’s Priyanka GV on Agnipath scheme pic.twitter.com/rNoYtlqLgK
— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2022
With Congress protesting against the Agnipath scheme announced by the Central Government, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday gave calls to topple the Modi Government. Protesting against the scheme, Gandhi said, “This scheme will kill the youth and the army which protects the country. The Armed forces which protect our nation, will be vanquished if this scheme comes into the foray.”
“Look in through this Government. Look into the intention of this Government, I urge you. Through Democracy, with peace non-violence and truth, put an end to this government. Your goal should be to topple this government,” Priyanka Gandhi declared.
“(Your goal should be) to form a government which will be truly patriotic, that will protect the exchequer, that will pave way forward to the progress of the poor and the youth,” Gandhi urged the gathering to protest with peaceful means. “Don’t stop. This is about your rights. The responsibility for the safety of this nation lies in your hands. The Congress party and its leaders are with you in this,” she added.
She also urged the youths to identify ‘fake nationalists’. “There is no bigger patriot than you. I want to tell you, open your eyes and recognise the fake nationalists and fake patriots. The entire country and the Congress are with you in your struggle,” the Congress general secretary said in her speech.
AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi was joined by other party leaders including N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Deepender Hooda and others on its ‘Satyagraha’ against the Agnipath scheme, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Sunday.
It may be noted that despite the protests and violence against the Agnipath scheme, the defence top brass has affirmed that the scheme will not be rolled back. At a joint tri-service press conference in Delhi today, the defence officials said that the Agnipath scheme is needed to bring down the average age of soldiers to achieve a fir and young defence force. It was said that the current average age of soldiers is 32 years, which needs to come down per the recommendations of the Kargil review committee and Arun Singh committee report.
