'Won't Tolerate Such Attacks On Our Soldiers': BJP Urges Poll Panel To Take 'Strict Action' Against Rahul Gandhi Over Army Remarks

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday (15 May) urged the Election Commission to take stringent action against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks alleging that the Modi government has created two categories of soldiers.

Gandhi's comments suggested a division between soldiers from poor and reserved class families, and those from rich families, according to the BJP.

A senior BJP delegation, including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni, approached the Election Commission to lodge a formal complaint.

"A few days ago, Rahul Gandhi said that Narendra Modi has created two types of soldiers, one comprising sons of those who are poor and belong to dalit, adivasi, backwards, economically weaker sections in the general category and minorities, while the other comprising those who are sons of rich," Jaishankar told reporters after meeting the poll panel officials.

"This is a lie. This is an attack on our armed forces. They want to make it a controversial topic and lower the morale of the armed forces. This is not a topic of elections. This is a matter of national security," he added.

Gandhi reportedly made these remarks during a recent rally in Rae Bareli while criticising the Modi government’s Agnipath recruitment scheme for soldiers.

Jaishankar described Gandhi's remarks as "very serious" and stated that the BJP delegation urged the Election Commission to take "very strict action" against the Congress leader and compel him to retract his comments.

"If, during elections, such attacks are carried out at the Army, which, deployed at our borders, is using its all might to keep the country safe from Chinese forces and also standing firm against terrorism at the Pakistan border… If you you attack them in such a way without any reason and by spreading lies and say that if they martyr, the government will not do anything for them, then we take serious exception to it," he added.

He further emphasised that such attacks against the armed forces are "very dangerous" for the country.

"We should never tolerate it. Today we came before the Election Commission seeking action against Rahul Gandhi, and we want to place it before the country also that this country will not tolerate such attacks on our soldiers for political reasons," he added.

Jaishankar noted that this is not the first time Congress and Rahul Gandhi have attacked soldiers.

"A few years ago, when our soldiers in Arunachal gave a push back to Chinese forces, then Rahul Gandhi said in Parliament that our soldiers were beaten up. We saw this insult when the Balakot surgical strike was carried out; questions were raised. When we took successful action in Uri, on that also these people raised questions. Many things are said against Gen (Bipin) Rawat," he added.

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