Can Figurehead President Address Congress Complaints on Agnipath and Delhi Police?
In the past, Kovind has ignored all the representations given to him by opposition political leaders.
By Rakesh Raman
The directionless Congress party which has lost its relevance in the Indian political arena today (June 20) met the President of India Ram Nath Kovind to complain against the government’s Agnipath scheme.
Congress also submitted a memorandum to Kovind about the alleged attack on Congress workers by Delhi Police. The party claims that Delhi Police personnel forcibly entered its Delhi office and unleashed brutality on party workers.
Since the ill-conceived Agnipath recruitment scheme has been introduced by President’s employer Narendra Modi who is the prime minister of India, President Kovind cannot dare to take any decision that can displease his supreme leader Modi.
During the past 5 years of his tenure, Kovind failed to take any action against the despotic decisions of Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
2. To register strongest possible protest against the vicious and unprovoked attack unleashed on Congress MPs by Delhi Police, which comes under the direct purview of Union Home Ministry, and ensure a time-bound enquiry by the Privileges Committee on the breach of privilege.
2/2 pic.twitter.com/K6f1vGZnTs
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 20, 2022
While the President is supposed to be an unbiased official who should safeguard the principles of the Indian Constitution to ensure that citizens’ rights are protected. But the BJP man Kovind acted like the puppet of the government instead of a representative of the citizens in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
A 7 member delegation of @INCIndia led by @LoPIndia including 2 CMs met Hon’ble President to submit 2 memoranda:
1.Urge govt to withdraw Agnipath scheme, hold wide consultations, & address issues of quality, efficiency & economy,without compromising on welfare of Armed Forces 1/2 pic.twitter.com/b59skWwgwx— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 20, 2022
In the past, Kovind has ignored all the representations given to him by opposition political leaders. Led by Harsimrat Kaur Badal, 7 opposition political parties met Kovind in July last year about the contentious farm laws and the Pegasus spyware scandal.
Ms Badal – who is a former India minister and leader of Punjab-based party Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) – along with other leaders complained to Kovind about Modi government’s failure to address farmers grievances and the Pegasus spyware issue.
She said that the Modi government is not willing to discuss the issues of contentious farm laws being imposed on Indian farmers. Similarly, the Modi government is avoiding a debate on the Pegasus spyware issue, as the opposition parties are accusing the government of spying on opposition leaders, journalists, court judges, and others. But Kovind did not help the delegation led by Ms Badal.
‘सेना का अपमान बंद करो’ के नारों के साथ कांग्रेस प्रतिनिधिमंडल भाजपा की बदले की कार्रवाई के खिलाफ और अग्निपथ योजना के खिलाफ महामहिम राष्ट्रपति जी को ज्ञापन सौंपने जाते हुए।#SatyagrahaNahinRukega pic.twitter.com/1glCoF05EH
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 20, 2022
Earlier, a 15-party opposition delegation led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi submitted a letter to Kovind, seeking an investigation into judge Loya’s death.
The letter signed by 114 MPs from 15 political parties demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the death of CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) judge B.H. Loya who had died in mysterious circumstances. But Kovind turned a blind eye to the request.
In 2020, a group of opposition leaders met the President and handed over a memorandum to him about Delhi violence and the flawed investigation by complicit Delhi Police.
They urged him to call upon the Modi government to institute an independent inquiry through a sitting / retired judge(s). But Kovind kept sitting like a careless bureaucrat and did not take action as leaders had demanded.
A 7-member delegation of the Indian National Congress marched to the Rashtrapati Bhawan and submitted 2 memoranda.
One to highlight our demand for the withdrawal of the Agnipath scheme and the other to register our protest against the attacks on Congress MPs by the Delhi police. pic.twitter.com/l69ZRoBQc2— Congress (@INCIndia) June 20, 2022
Congress knows that Kovind is a mere mouthpiece of the Modi government which has kept him to perform a figurehead role in the position of the President.
Still, Congress is repeatedly wasting time in meeting Kovind to get the public issues resolved. As in the past, this time again Kovind will throw the complaints received from opposition leaders in the dustbin.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.
He has also launched the “Power Play: Lok Sabha Election 2024 in India” editorial section to cover the news, events, and other developments related to the 2024 election.
