Congress questions PM Modi on Agnipath, railway projects, and flood relief in Himachal

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday voiced that the people of Himachal Pradesh have consistently opposed the Agnipath scheme, questioning if Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pledge to scrap the “ill-conceived” military recruitment program.

Ahead of Modi’s rallies in Himachal Pradesh, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posed several questions to the prime minister.

“How much did the attempt to topple the state government cost the BJP? Will the outgoing prime minister commit to scrapping the Agnipath scheme? Why has the Modi sarkar not delivered on railway projects? Why did the outgoing prime minister not declare the July 2023 floods a national calamity?” Ramesh inquired.

Ramesh accused the BJP of blatant disregard for democratic values in Himachal Pradesh. He noted that the six MLAs disqualified for defecting to the BJP during the Rajya Sabha elections have shamelessly been named candidates for the seats they vacated.

“After ten years in power, it is clear that for the BJP, dirty politics is not the exception but the rule. From Goa to Sikkim, Maharashtra to Karnataka, and now Himachal Pradesh, no state is safe from their manipulations,” Ramesh asserted.

Ramesh alleged that the BJP has toppled or attempted to topple governments nationwide using “ill-gotten Electoral Bonds gains.”

He also questioned the cost of the attempt to topple the Himachal Pradesh government, asking: “How much did each MLA get for defecting? The outgoing prime minister has called India the ‘Mother of Democracy.’ Does he really believe that Mother India would tolerate his duplicity and deception?”

The Congress has promised to abolish the Agnipath program and resume normal recruitment to the Armed Forces, Ramesh pointed out, asking if the “outgoing prime minister” has any plans to reconsider his government’s “ill-conceived scheme.”

Ramesh also highlighted that two railway lines sanctioned during the first United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government are yet to be completed in Himachal Pradesh.

“The Bhanupali-Bilapsur-Beri line from Punjab to Himachal Pradesh was sanctioned in 2008-09, and the Chandigarh-Baddi Line to connect the state’s industrial hub to Chandigarh was sanctioned in 2007-08. More than 15 years later, both projects are still in progress,” he said.

He stressed that railway projects like these are crucial as they open up new educational and employment opportunities for locals.

Ramesh further mentioned that in July 2023, Himachal Pradesh suffered devastating floods, with at least 330 people losing their lives and damages amounting to at least Rs 10,000 crore.