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Mahua Moitra's 'villain for Agnipath' dig at BJP's Kailash Vijayvargiya
BJP's Kailash Vijayvargiya blamed the toolkit gang for distorting his comments.
Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra on Sunday joined the list of opposition leaders who lashed out at the BJP's Kailash Vijayvargiya over his remarks that Agniveers - recruits of the government's special military scheme - can be hired as guards. In a sharply worded post, the 47-year-old leader wrote: “BJP Nat’l Gen Secy: 'If I have to choose security guard for BJP office I will choose Agniveer.' Yes, if India had to choose villain for Agnipath am sure they’d choose you too (sic)”.
At an event in Madhya Pradesh's Indore on Saturday, the BJP leader made the comment, and the opposition leaders later latched on it. “When an Agniveer will take training and come out after serving in the defence sector for 4 years at the age of 21 to 25 years, he will have ₹11 lakh. He will have the tag of an Agniveer. If I want to hire security for the BJP office, I will give priority to Agniveer,” the BJP national general secretary said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, his party colleague Jairam Ramesh and even BJP leader Varun Gandhi were among those who tweeted after Vijayvargiya's remarks sparked row.
“Those who did not hoist the tricolour for 52 years after independence, they cannot be expected to respect our soldiers. The youth have the zeal to join the army, not to protect the BJP offices by becoming a watchman, but to protect the country. The silence of the Prime Minister is a stamp on this humiliation," Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.
“An entire dictionary falls short when it comes to finding words to describe the army valour… If a soldier of this military gets an invitation to do 'chowkidaari' (security guard’s duty) of a political office, best wishes to the person who sent out the invitation in the first place,” read Varun Gandhi’s tweet, loosely translated from Hindi.
But Vijayvargiya blamed those linked with "toolkit gang" for distorting his comments. “After graduating under the Agnipath scheme, the Aginveers will be well-trained and dedicated to their duty. After completing their tenure with the army, wherever they go, their excellence would be utilised there. That is exactly what I meant."
Meanwhile, protests are further set to escalate on Monday as states prepare for Bharat Bandh.
