The Congress on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of playing "petty politics" while paying tribute to martyrs on Kargil Vijay Diwas and said his remarks that his government implemented the Agnipath scheme at the behest of the Army was a "blatant lie".

The Congress' attack came after Modi said the Agnipath military recruitment scheme was an example of necessary reforms undertaken by the Army and accused the opposition of playing politics over the recruitment process aimed at keeping the average age in the armed forces low.

During his address on Kargil Vijay Diwas in Dras to mark the 25th anniversary of victory in the Kargil War, Modi said some people were playing politics over a sensitive issue related to national security and rubbished claims that the Agnipath scheme was launched to save pension money.

Hitting back at Modi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "It is very unfortunate and deplorable that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji is doing petty politics even on occasions like paying tribute to martyrs on Kargil Vijay Diwas. No Prime Minister has ever done this before." "Modi ji is saying that his government implemented the Agnipath scheme at the behest of the Army, this is a blatant lie and an unforgivable insult to our valiant Armed Forces. Modi ji, it is you who are spreading lies!" he said in a post on X.

Former Army chief General (Retd) MM Naravane has said on record that 75 per cent of recruits were to be taken for permanency in the Agnipath scheme and the rest were to be let go after four years, he said.

But the Modi government did the opposite and forcibly implemented this scheme for all three armed forces, Kharge said.

"According to news reports, former Army Chief General (Retd) MM Naravane in his book, which the Modi government has stalled from being published, has also said that the 'Agnipath Scheme' was shocking for the Army, and for the Navy and the Air Force, it came like a 'bolt out of the blue'!" he said.

"Are we creating professional soldiers, only by six months of training?" Kharge asked.

Soldiers join the Army out of patriotism, not to earn a living, he asserted.

The Congress chief pointed out that many retired officers had strongly criticised the scheme, saying it was endangering national security and the aspirations of the rural youth and demanded that it be completely scrapped. All this is on record, he added.

"Agniveers do not get any pension, no gratuity, no family pension, no liberalised family pension and no education allowance for their children," he said. "Modi ji, 15 Agniveers have been martyred so far. At least respect their martyrdom. There is a lot of anger and strong opposition among the youth of the country regarding Agniveer! The Congress party's demand is consistent -- the Agnipath Scheme should be scrapped!" Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh accused the prime minister of "lying even on Kargil Vijay Diwas".

"He (Modi) says that the Agnipath/Agniveer scheme was introduced by the Army. General MM Naravane, who was Army chief at that time, has written that the scheme came as a complete surprise to the Army and as 'a bolt from the blue' to the Navy and Air Force. Mr Modi is now trying to evade his responsibility for this disastrous scheme," Ramesh said in a post on X.

"He (Modi) says that managing the pension bill has nothing to do with the introduction of Agnipath. This is contrary to all that government spokespersons, military experts, and defence commentators have been pointing out for the last two years," he said.

"There has been unanimity that managing the pension bill of the Government of India was the primary motivation for Agnipath/Agniveer. Now Mr Modi says that this is not true," he said.

It is absolutely amazing what the "self-proclaimed divinity" tries to get away with, Ramesh said.

"But the people of India found him out on June 4th, 2024 and it is clear that he’s getting even more self-delusional," the Congress leader said.

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