Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi with her elder child and party MP Rahul Gandhi arrives for the concluding session of the Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir in Udaipur, May 15, 2022. Photograph: @INCIndia/Twitter
New Delhi, June 18 (PTI) Congress president Sonia Gandhi Saturday termed "directionless" the Centre's 'Agnipath' scheme for recruitment in the armed forces, and said her party will work for its withdrawal.
She also appealed to the youths protesting against the scheme to adopt peaceful and non-violent means to fight for their demands.
"It is unfortunate that the government has announced a new armed forces' recruitment policy, which is completely directionless and it has done so while ignoring your voices," she said in a statement in Hindi, addressed to the youths.
Declaring her party's support for them, the Congress president said along with the youths, several ex-soldiers and defence experts have questioned the scheme.
Gandhi, who is being treated at a hospital here for a lower respiratory tract infection and post-Covid symptoms, said she can understand the pain of the youths over the "three-year delay" in recruitment despite lakhs of vacancies in the Army.
Gandhi said she also empathises with the youths who are awaiting results and appointments after taking the test for induction in the Air Force. "The Congress stands with you with full force and promises to struggle for your interests and for the withdrawal of this scheme."
"Like true patriots, we will articulate your voices following the path of truth, non-violence, resilience and peace," she told the youths in her letter.
"I appeal to you to use peaceful and non-violent means to protest for your rightful demands. The Indian National Congress is with you," the Congress chief said.
Youths across the country have taken to the streets and are protesting against the new short-term recruitment scheme for entry in the armed forces. There have been violent protests in several places and irate youths have torched trains and damaged public property at various places.
Sonia Gandhi stable, recovering well: Hospital sources
Congress president Sonia Gandhi is stable and recovering well, sources at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here said on Saturday, nearly a week after she was admitted to the facility owing to post-Covid issues.
She was detected with a lower respiratory tract infection after her admission to the hospital, according to the Congress.
Hospital sources said Sonia Gandhi's "condition is currently stable" and she is "recovering well".
Sonia Gandhi, 75, had tested positive for COVID-19 on June 2 and was recuperating. She was admitted to the hospital on Sunday.
Her son and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had visited her at the hospital on June 13.
Jairam Ramesh, general secretary in-charge of the Congress' communications department, on Friday said a fungal infection had been detected in the party president's lower respiratory tract upon admission to the hospital.
"She is currently being treated for it along with other post-Covid symptoms. She continues to be under close observation and treatment," he said.
Sonia Gandhi has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate on June 23 in a money laundering case.
Rahul Gandhi is already being questioned by the probe agency and his next deposition before the ED is scheduled on Monday.
