New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday objected to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks in Lok Sabha on the Agniveer scheme and said financial assistance of one crore rupees is given to the family of the Agniveer who sacrifices his life while protecting the country's borders or during a war.
Rajnath Singh accused Rahul Gandhi of trying to mislead the Lok Sabha by making wrong statements.
"He Rahul Gandhi) should not try to mislead the House by making wrong statements. Financial assistance of Rs one crore is given to the family of the Agniveer who sacrifices his life while protecting our borders or during war," the Defence Minister said.
Rahul Gandhi claimed that Agniveer is not called a 'jawan' and said that Agniveers serving for a period of four years will not get a pension.
"One Agniveer lost his life in a landmine blast but he is not called a 'martyr'... 'Agniveer' is a use and throw labourer," Rahul Gandhi alleged, attacking the BJP-led NDA government over the scheme," he said.
"On one side, you give him training for six months and on the other side, the Chinese soldiers receive training for five years. You give the rifle to our jawan and make him stand in front of them. You strike fear into his heart. You create a rift between two jawans. One gets a pension and the other does not. And then you call yourself 'deshbhakt'. 'Ye kaise deshbhakt hai?" he asked.
Rahul Gandhi, who was participating in the debate on the motion of thanks on the President's Address, made his maiden speech as Leader of Opposition and said if the INDIA alliance comes to power, they will scrap the Agniveer scheme.
The Congress leader's remarks pertaining to Hindu community drew a sharp response from BJP leaders.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at Rahul Gandhi and said that calling "the entire Hindu community violent is a very serious matter".
Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP-led government and alleged there has been a systematic and a full-scale assault on the idea of India.
"There has been a systematic and a full-scale assault on the idea of India, the Constitution and on the people who resisted the attack on Constitution. Many of us were personally attacked. Some of the leaders are still in jail. Anyone who resisted the idea of concentration of power & wealth, aggression on poor & Dalits and minorities was crushed. ..I was attacked by the order of Govt of India, by the order of the Prime Minister of India...The most enjoyable part of it was the 55 hours of interrogation by ED..." PM Modi is present in Lok Sabha.
"Abhayamudra is the symbol of Congress...The Abhayamudra is the gesture of fearlessness, is the gesture of reassurance and safety, which dispels fear and accords divine protection and bliss in Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and other Indian religions....All our great men have spoken about non-violence and finishing fear...But, those who call themselves Hindu only talk about violence, hatred, untruth...Aap Hindu ho hi nahi," he added.
Home Minister Amit Shah hit back at Rahul Gandhi and said connecting violence with any religion is wrong.
"The Leader of Opposition has categorically said that those who call themselves Hindu talk of violence and do violence. He doesn't know that crores of people proudly call themselves Hindu. Connecting violence with any religion is wrong. He should apologise," Amit Shah said.
Rahul Gandhi also said BJP is not the entire Hindu society.
"Narendra Modi is not the entire Hindu society. BJP is not the entire Hindu society, RSS is not the entire society, this is not BJP's contract," Rahul Gandhi said.
—ANI