Dhillon: Congress to make Agniveer a poll issue

On sensing resentment against the BJP over ‘Agniveer’ in the state, the Punjab Congress has chalked out a strategy to make it one of the poll issues.

Former ADGP Gurinder Singh Dhillon, who has been appointed as chairman of the ex-servicemen cell of the Punjab Congress, said as the state sent youths to the armed forces, the issue of Agniveer was close to the heart of the people.

“There is resentment among people against the scheme”, he said.

Dhillon, who has been attending party meetings in different constituencies, said it was one of the main issues being touched by the party. “When we were fighting terrorism in Punjab. We had recruited special police officers (SPOs). Later, we regularised their services in the police. We cannot have divisions in the armed forces for the sake of the defence of the country,” he said.

Since scrapping the scheme was already in the manifesto, the Congress would address the concerns of the ex-servicemen and their families, who wish to send their children to defence forces.

Party leader and candidate from Ananpur Sahib Vijay Inder Singla said, “The BJP is endangering the foundation of our Constitution.