National

EC egregiously wrong in directing Congress not to ‘politicise’ Agnipath scheme: Chidambaram

News On Time Desk 23 May 2024

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday said the Election Commission was “egregiously wrong” in directing his party not to ‘politicise’ the Agnipath scheme, asserting that it is the right of an Opposition party to criticise a policy of the government.

The Election Commission Wednesday came down heavily on the ruling BJP and opposition Congress, asking them to desist from campaigning along caste, community, language, and religious lines.

The EC also asked the Congress not to politicise defence forces and make potentially divisive statements regarding the socio-economic composition of the armed forces. The Commission was referring to remarks made by top Congress leaders on the Agnipath scheme.

In a post on X, Chidambaram said the ECI is wrong in directing the Congress party not to ‘politicise’ the Agnipath scheme.

“What does ‘politicize’ mean? Does the ECI mean ‘criticise’? Agniveer is a scheme, a product of the policy of the government. It is the right of an Opposition political party to criticise a policy of the government and declare that, if voted to power, the scheme will be scrapped,” the former Union minister said.