Rahul raises questions on Agnipath scheme, asks why life of one soldier is not same as another
New Delhi, Oct 13: After the death of two Agniveers in Nashik during training, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Sunday demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on why the life of one soldier is more valuable than the other.
He asked why the families of the two soldiers, who died as 'Agniveers' would not get the same pension and benefits as other martyred soldiers and said that he would keep fighting against this "injustice".
"The death of two Agniveers - Gohil Vishwaraj Singh and Saifat Sheet - during training in Nashik is very tragic. My deepest condolences to their families.
"This incident once again raises serious questions on the Agniveer scheme, which the BJP government has failed to answer. Will the families of Gohil and Saifat receive timely compensation that is equivalent to the compensation for any other martyred soldier?" Gandhi asked in a post in Hindi on X.
"Why will the families of Agniveers not get the benefits of pension and other government facilities? When the responsibilities and sacrifices of both the soldiers are the same, then why this discrimination after their martyrdom?" he asked.
The Congress leader said the Agneepath scheme is an "injustice" to the army and an "insult "to the martyrdom of our brave soldiers.
"The prime minister and the defence minister should answer why the life of one soldier is more valuable than that of another soldier," Gandhi said.
"Let's stand together against this injustice. Join our 'Jai Jawan' movement today to remove the BJP government's 'Agniveer' scheme and secure the future of the country's youth and army," he said.
Agniveers Gohil and Saifat died during a field firing exercise in Maharashtra's Nashik district.
Several people paid their last respects to Agniveer Vishvarajsinh Gohil, whose mortal remains were received at his native Anchvad village in Gujarat's Rajkot district.
नासिक में ट्रेनिंग के दौरान दो अग्निवीर - गोहिल विश्वराजसिंह और सैफत शित - का निधन एक दर्दनाक घटना है। उनके परिवारों के प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं हैं।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 13, 2024
यह घटना एक बार फिर अग्निवीर योजना पर गंभीर सवाल उठाती है, जिनका जवाब देने में BJP सरकार असफल रही है।
- क्या गोहिल और सैफत के…
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
