Tag: Indian Opposition

‘By Raising Questions on Op Sindoor, Oppn is Playing Into the Hands of Pakistan’

By Lokmarg

Vardika Singh, a research scholar in Allahabad University, says the Opposition must behave sensibly and not waste Parliament’s time on non-issues. Her views:

The Union government has categorically stated that Operation Sindoor was concluded based on an internal assessment and intel by the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and there was no international mediation on India for agreeing to a ceasefire. However, Opposition parties continue to cast doubt and even raise questions on Indian security establishment in the current Monsoon Session of Parliament. In my opinion, the Opposition is acting naively and not realising that there are some red lines in politics when it comes to country’s safety and security.

I find it shameful that the Opposition has been asking for evidence on incident leading to and halt in the military operation. They are lending credence more to Donald Trump and Pakistan instead of Indian political and defence leadership. They are asking for the details of the planes lost by India and Trump’s claims on ceasefire. What kind of hypocrisy is this where your primary aim appears to be to let your country and your armed forces down in order to score brownie points in Parliament!

I saw Congress Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram asking proof of Pahalgam terrorists being from Pakistan. And when Home Minister Amit Shah gave the proof in Parliament, CPM MP John Brittas ridiculed him for giving proof! It appears that the INDI Alliance is trying to defend Pakistan position and acting on behalf of India’s enemies.

I, like every other nation loving Indian, have strong reasons to believe that my country holds the upper hand when it comes to defending our boundaries. India’s strategic autonomy has been consistently proven and India has historically maintained independent strategic decision-making, especially under high stakes military situations.

From surgical strikes in 2016 to Balakot airstrikes in 2019, Indian leadership has shown readiness to act decisively without coming under foreign interference or pressure. If the government and DGMO assert that Operation Sindoor was concluded on internal grounds such as completion of objectives, troop safety, or geopolitical timing, this is consistent with India’s past behaviour. The opposition has no moral right to suggest otherwise.

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DGMO is a professional, apolitical institution. It is part of the Indian Army’s highest leadership and is known for making tactical and operational decisions based on ground realities, not political agendas. To imply that such a senior military body acted under U.S. pressure without credible proof undermines the integrity of the armed forces. Besides, there is no evidence linking Trump to any kind of decision regarding Operation Sindoor – no document, no diplomatic cable, nor intelligence leak.

Political mudslinging undermines national security discourse. By continuing to push the theory of foreign interference, the Opposition is turning critical military decisions into a political football. This damages public trust and can demoralise the armed forces, which operate in secrecy for national interest. It is vital for opposition parties in a democracy to question the government but not at the cost of national unity in matters of security.

The government has issued a clear and formal clarification over Operation Sindoor. Demanding further disclosures may infringe on the confidentiality of sensitive operations, which are not meant for political theatre

As told to Rajat Rai

Weekly Update: Why Agnipath is A Good Path; How Oppn is BJP’s Strongest Suit

By Lehnga Singh

In the first four days after registration opened for recruitment to the Indian armed services, the Indian Air Force (IAF) alone received 94,281 applications. That volume of applications will, in all probability, grow manifold as the days go by and as the other services, the Indian Army and the Indian Navy, tot up the applications they receive.

The announcement of the number of applications that the air force received has done two things. First, it has almost instantly silenced critics of the scheme who were calling it discriminatory and undemocratic. And second, more importantly, it has highlighted what is probably the Indian economy’s toughest challenge: frighteningly large levels of unemployment among the country’s youth.

The Indian government introduced the Agnipath Scheme as a new way of recruiting youth into the armed services at ranks lower than that of commissioned officers. Inducted cadets will get a four-year tenure with a stipend paid to them and at the end of the tenure, 25% of them will be inducted into the services while the rest will get a golden handshake–a sum of ₹12 lakh to start entrepreneurial ventures as well as preference if they want to join police or other state security services.

The background to the scheme is important. The armed services incur a huge outflow of money that goes to pay pensions, salaries and other personnel-related expenses. By some estimates they account for a quarter of India’s defence budget. The Agnipath scheme would alleviate some of those recurring expenses and allow the defence ministry to deploy more funds into critical areas like augmenting defence equipment and modernisation.

However, opposition parties, including the Congress and some other regional parties vehemently opposed the scheme, mainly on the grounds that they felt a more consensual approach ought to have been adopted but also that it discriminated and curbed the rights of new recruits, 75% of whom would leave service after the four-year tenure. But as initial data show, the scheme could turn out to be a hit.

The reason for its appeal is simple and stark. Youth unemployment in India has reached staggering proportions. According to the Times of India, “Youth unemployment in urban areas across India rose sharply to 25.5% in the April-June quarter of 2021 and remained in the double digits thereafter as the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic battered economic activities and dealt a severe impact on jobs.”

Do the maths. Nearly 40% of the Indian population is aged 13 to 35 years (defined as youth in the National Youth Policy). Forty per cent of the population is roughly 560 million people. If we look at the minimum employment age in India, which is 14, we are still talking about at least 500 million employable youth. If 25% of them are unemployed, how serious do you think the problem is?

It is small wonder that the Agnipath Scheme has found growing appeal among young Indians. Jobs in the public sector have not been growing; and in the private sector the emphasis is on automation and leaner workforce with lower wage costs. In scenario such as that if young people have an opportunity to earn and get training for four years and then have a shot at either becoming soldiers, airmen or sailors or, if they aren’t inducted, entrepreneurs, is that not an appealing alternative, say, to driving an auto rickshaw or delivering food from restaurants to people’s homes?

Some more numbers to mull. In the first year, an Agnipath recruit would earn (in-hand) ₹21,000 a month and by the fourth year that would go up to ₹28,000. Not really a bad deal, is it?

India’s Opposition Needs a Plan

Some years ago when the Congress party had started what has now become its free-fall journey into oblivion, one newspaper had written that Rahul Gandhi was the Bharatiya Janata Party’s strongest trump card. Gandhi was then messing up in all possible ways: losing election after election for his party; lacking coherent strategies about any issue that he addressed; and losing the support and respect of his party’s other leaders and functionaries.

Now, one could expand on that cheeky comment and probably say that the BJP’s strongest suit is the Opposition. Besides opposing anything that is proposed or done by the government–the misplaced opposition to Agnipath is a case in point–India’s Opposition parties have little else to get active about. The situation is the same in the states as it is in the Centre.

When was the last time we heard a constructive critique of the Union Budget from any Opposition party? When was the last time an Opposition party leader appraised India’s handling of the Covid pandemic (which, considering the number of people that live in India, has been quite commendable)? Have we ever seen a whitepaper from the Opposition on how India’s unemployment problem ought to be tackled? Or a strategy that addresses our government’s bewildering stance when it comes to international issues such as the Russian aggression in Ukraine? Sadly, India’s Opposition is bankrupt of ideas. And that is why it is the strongest suit in BJP’s hand.