Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has rebuked the Election Commission’s instruction to his party regarding the Agniveer scheme, asserting that it is the right of the Opposition to criticize government policies.
In response to the Election Commission’s directive to refrain from politicizing the Agniveer scheme, Chidambaram argued that it is within the bounds of democracy for an Opposition party to critique governmental initiatives.
“Agniveer is a scheme, a product of the government’s policy. It is the right of an Opposition political party to criticize a policy of the government and declare that, if voted to power, the scheme will be scrapped,” remarked the former Union minister in a post on X.
Chidambaram highlighted perceived flaws within the Agniveer scheme, criticizing its impact on soldiers and the decisions surrounding its implementation. He emphasized the importance of scrapping the scheme due to its contentious aspects.
Asserting his stance, Chidambaram stated, “ECI was egregiously wrong in giving direction to the Congress party, and as a citizen, it is my right to say that ECI was egregiously wrong.”
The Election Commission’s reprimand came amidst ongoing political debates surrounding the Agniveer scheme, with both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress being cautioned against campaigning along divisive lines.
