New Delhi: Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleging gross misuse of presidency equipment within the nation. Expressing concern over the misuse of presidency equipment by the ruling get together, Kharge stated, “This has to do with the gross misuse of government machinery taking place in the country today in service of the ruling political party. They are to be deployed as “Rath Prabharis” to “showcase the achievements of the final 9 years of Government of India. It is not any coincidence that the final 9 years correspond to your tenure in workplace. This is of grave concern for a number of causes.”
The Congress President referred to a latest letter dated October 18, which states that senior officers of ranks as excessive as Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary are to be deployed to all 765 districts of India. Kharge identified that it’s a clear violation of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, which directs that no authorities servant shall participate in any political exercise.
Moreover highlighting that the transfer by central authorities that the bureaucrats showcasing the achievements of the BJP authorities is a transparent violation of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, Kharge stated, “it is acceptable for government officers to disseminate information, to make them celebrate and showcase achievements blatantly turns them into political workers of the ruling party”.
The undeniable fact that solely “achievements” of the final 9 years are being thought of, provides away the truth that it is a transparently political order within the run-up to the 5 state elections and the overall elections of 2024,” acknowledged the letter.
Kharge expressed concern in his letter that if senior officers of departments are deputed for the advertising and marketing actions of the present authorities, “The governance of our country will grind to a halt for the next six months”.
He additionally referred to an order handed by the Ministry of Defence on October 9, directing troopers on annual go away to spend time selling authorities schemes, making them “soldier-ambassadors.”
“The Army Training Command, which should be focused on preparing our jawans to defend the nation, is busy preparing scripts and training manuals on how to promote government schemes,” Kharge alleged in his letter.
“It is of utmost importance in a democracy that the Armed Forces are kept out of politics. The loyalty of every jawan is to the nation and to the Constitution. To force our soldiers to become marketing agents of government schemes is a dangerous step towards politicisation of the Armed Forces,” Kharge additional stated in his letter.
The Congress Chief burdened that after many months or years of adverse service to our nation, our jawans deserve full freedom on their annual go away to spend time with their households and restore power for continued service. “Their leave must not be hijacked for political purposes.”.
“In both cases, of civil servants and soldiers, it is essential that government machinery be kept out of politics, especially in the months leading up to an election,” learn the letter.
Kharge claimed that along with the Enforcement Directorate, the Income Tax Department, and the CBI already appearing as election departments of the BJP, “the orders mentioned above put the entire government machinery to work as if they were agents of the ruling party”.
“All agencies, institutions, arms, wings, and departments are now officially ‘Pracharaks’,” Kharge alleged in his letter. “In view of protecting our democracy and our Constitution, it is imperative that the above orders are withdrawn immediately,” Kharge requested PM Modi in his letter.
