The Aryavarth Express
Agency(Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh): Amid ongoing debates over wealth redistribution, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh leveled serious allegations against the Congress, claiming it had attempted to introduce a religion-based census within India’s armed forces. Speaking at an election rally in Visakhapatnam, Singh cited the 2006 Sachar Committee’s recommendations as evidence of Congress’s efforts to divide the military along religious lines.
According to Singh, the Congress’s current manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections subtly reintroduces the idea of religion-based reservations, potentially extending these to the armed forces, which he argued could harm national unity and integrity. He linked these actions to what he described as “appeasement politics,” accusing the Congress of trying to secure electoral gains through divisive tactics.
Singh further criticized the Congress for its historical approach to minority welfare, referring to the Rangnath Mishra Commission and Sachar Commission, which he claimed were established to provide special treatment to certain communities under the guise of minority welfare. He recounted a statement by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which he claimed prioritized minorities for the country’s resources, as indicative of Congress’s appeasement strategy.
Moreover, Singh brought up the contentious issue of Muslim reservations in government jobs, which he claimed were attempted by the Congress government in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, describing it as a violation of constitutional ideals. He noted that the Supreme Court had thwarted previous attempts by the Congress to implement Muslim reservations.
The discussion also touched on the topic of an inheritance tax, recently mentioned by Sam Pitroda, head of the Congress’s overseas chapter, drawing parallels to similar taxes in the U.S. Singh challenged the Congress to clarify its stance on this tax proposal, highlighting it as another potential area of contention in the party’s policy platform.
These allegations come at a critical time as India heads into another phase of its national elections, with parties sharpening their attacks and defending their records and proposals amid intense public and political scrutiny.