Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition of Lok Sabha. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi addressed two public meetings in Uttarakhand over phone and video call after bad weather prevented him from reaching the venues in Almora and Pauri Garhwal. The Congress leader accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of pursuing policies that he claimed benefited foreign interests, while weakening key socio-economic safeguards at home.Mr. Gandhi was visiting the hill State to launch the Congress’s campaign for the Uttarakhand Assembly election, scheduled early next year. Addressing an ex-servicemen’s gathering in Pauri Garhwal via video link, he apologised for his absence and praised Uttarakhand’s long tradition of military service.Soldiers join the Army, Navy, and Air Force driven by patriotism and a willingness to sacrifice for the nation, Mr. Gandhi said. He described an “unwritten contract” between soldiers and the government, under which personnel dedicated their lives to defending the country while the State guaranteed protection and support for them and their families.“The Agniveer scheme has broken this sacred understanding by weakening long-term security and benefits for soldiers...This scheme undermines the foundational relationship between the armed forces and the government and fails to provide adequate protection to soldiers’ families in the event of sacrifice,” he said, reiterating the Congress party’s Opposition to the scheme. The scheme would be reviewed and scrapped if the Congress came to power, he said.The Agniveer scheme was linked to the government’s efforts to divert defence resources towards a handful of large corporate groups, he alleged. He also criticised the government over issues related to disability pensions and veterans’ welfare.The Congress leader warned of what he described as an impending economic crisis and attacked a recent India-U.S. agreement, claiming it had compromised India’s energy security, agriculture sector, data sovereignty and small and medium enterprises. He alleged that the deal favoured U.S. President Donald Trump and his interests while exposing Indian farmers and businesses to unfair competition.Mr. Gandhi also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of concentrating economic and strategic assets in the hands of a few corporate groups, arguing that such concentration posed risks to national security.Apart from a video call in Pauri, Mr. Gandhi also addressed a public gathering via a telephonic call in Almora. He also spoke over a video call to the parents of 18-year-old Ankita Bhandari, who was assaulted and murdered in 2022, and assured them of full support in the fight for justice for their daughter.Mr. Gandhi was also scheduled to meet party workers in Dehradun on Friday (June 5, 2026), which was also cancelled. He headed back to Delhi, saying that he would return soon. Published - June 04, 2026 08:59 pm IST
