Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of indulging in wasteful expenditure even as the safety of Indian soldiers was being compromised.

Rahul posted a video on Twitter that showed jawans discussing among themselves the dangerous decision of forcing them to travel in vehicles that are not bulletproof. “Our soldiers are being sent in nonbulletproof trucks to sacrifice their lives and aircraft worth Rs 8,400 crore for the Prime Minister! Is this justice?” Rahul tweeted.

It is not clear where the video has been shot but the soldiers are acutely worried about being attacked. In the twominute video, one of the men in uniform can be heard saying: “We are forced to travel in such vehicles while officers travel in bulletproof vehicles. They are playing with our lives.” Other jawans agree with him, insisting that it is the duty of the officers to ensure bulletproof trucks for them.

The parliamentary election last year was dominated by patriotic emotions as Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the Pulwama tragedy — in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed after an explosiveladen car rammed into their vehicle — and the subsequent Balakot air strike the main issue. The BJP hugely benefited from that discourse as all other issues got pushed aside even as the Opposition kept harping on lax security and increased terror at¬tacks under the Modi regime.

The Congress has constantly attacked the Modi govern¬ment for cutting the defence budget and paying inadequate attention to the basic needs and welfare of the soldiers. The party has also consistently attacked the government for its wasteful expenditure in these times of unprecedented eco¬nomic crisis, asking it to scrap vanity projects such as the Central Vista in which a new Parliament building will be built along with offices and res¬idences for top functionaries.

Barely a few days ago, Rahul had questioned the Prime Minister for buying two aircraft worth over Rs 8,000 crore when the BJP leaders taunted him for using a cushioned chair on the tractor during his protest against the farm bills in Punjab.

Rahul said Modi ordered the fancy planes only because his friend, US President Donald Trump, had it. The two planes will be used by the President and the Prime Minister of India.

The Congress on Saturday held kisan (farmer) conferences in every state to demand withdrawal of the new farm laws.