Cong flays cutting of 1.5 lakh jobs in Indian Army

Amid reports that the Army may cut 1.5 lakh jobs, the Congress on Wednesday came down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his extravagance on self promotion but keeping the Army cash starved.

Questioning if the proposal was true, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it was in "BJP's DNA to seek political mileage from martyrdom of soldiers".

Singhvi told a Press conference here that this is another blow of the Modi government that has been guilty of destroying large number of jobs over the years.

He said 1.5 lakh families will be severely hit by the decision by the Modi government which is so insensitive, arrogant with abject apathy to the pressing issue of unemployment.

"Instead of creating 2 crore jobs per year, the government is hell bent on destroying more jobs. Why?"

Singhvi said if the Modi government can spend Rs 5,000 crore in the last four and a half years on the Prime Minister's publicity, Rs 60 crore monthly on updating his pictures on the petrol pumps, Rs 2,000 crore on his foreign travels and Rs 1100 crore on the BJP headquarters, why can't it find funds for weaponry and ammunition for the Army instead of cutting down its work force.

"Modi Govt squandered Rs 41,000 crore by overpaying in the Rafale Purchase, but it cannot spend Rs 7000 crore on the Indian Army. Why?," Singhvi asked.

Accusing the Modi regime of "systematically compromising" national security, the Congress leader blamed the government for the killing of 410 soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir (since 2014) and 243 troopers in Maoist attacks (since 2015).

He also cited excerpts from testimony of former Army Vice Chief Lt Gen. Sarath Chand to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence wherein it was stated that the Army doesn't have sufficient funds to pay for ongoing schemes, emergency procurement, weaponry for 10 days of intense war and future acquisitions among other issues.