PM Modi confronts Congress: Whose agenda benefits from weakening armed forces?

New Delhi, July 2: In his response to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his government’s commitment to reforming the Indian military.

The Prime Minister underscored initiatives such as the upcoming introduction of theatre commands within the Indian military framework and efforts to enhance reliance on domestically produced arms, weapons, and other military technology.

He also highlighted crucial aspects of India’s defence forces and outlined the government’s efforts to streamline and bolster the effectiveness of the armed forces in confronting contemporary warfare challenges.

Addressing the issue of 'One Rank, One Pension' (OROP), the Prime Minister said, "There have been attempts to mislead our courageous soldiers regarding OROP. The OROP system was abolished by Indira Gandhi. For decades, the Congress did not allow its implementation, but during elections, they tried to mislead army commanders by promising Rs 500 crore.

"In contrast, the NDA government successfully implemented OROP. Despite India's limited resources and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Rs 1.20 lakh crore was allocated for One Rank, One Pension."

PM Modi also criticised the Congress on the Agnipath scheme for recruitment of Agniveers into the armed forces, saying, "Congress opposes every reform aimed at strengthening our armed forces. They have now realised the significance of youth energy as a vital asset for our military.

"Falsehoods are being spread about army recruitment to dissuade our youth from joining. I ask this House: For whom does the Congress wish to weaken our armed forces? Whose interests are served by spreading such misinformation? We are committed to modernising our armed forces to ensure they are prepared to face any challenge and respond effectively. Our reforms are designed to enhance our troops' readiness for combat."

The Prime Minister also delivered a scathing critique of the opposition Congress for challenging the military reforms undertaken by his government.

"Consider the mindset of these individuals -- they once mocked the armed forces by playing with small toy models of Rafale jets. However, in recent years, substantial changes have taken place. The establishment of the Chief of Defence Staff's (CDS) post has significantly enhanced integration among our armed forces.

"Today, Congress is spreading misinformation and actively seeking to undermine our efforts towards defence reform. It is evident that Congress members are unwilling to witness the strengthening of the Indian armed forces," Prime Minister Modi said.

Sharpening his attack on the Congress, the Prime Minister said the army was weakened during Jawaharlal Nehru's tenure.

He pointed to numerous 'scams' worth lakhs of rupees that occurred under Congress regimes, citing examples such as the Jeep, submarine, and Bofors scams.

The Prime Minister also highlighted deficiencies like the absence of bulletproof jackets during Congress rule.

Accusing the Congress of consistently undermining the military, both during its tenure and now as the opposition, PM Modi alleged that it neglected the purchase of fighter jets. Furthermore, he claimed that when his government attempted to procure fighter jets, Congress obstructed the efforts.