1.25 lakh posts vacant, Centre doing politics in name of soldiers: Sachin Pilot

Chandigarh, January 28

Senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot has accused the Narendra Modi government at the Centre of doing politics in the name of soldiers, saying instead of fulfilling the promises made to them, it is working against their interests.

Addressing mediapersons after the release of booklet ‘Vote in the name of bravery, hurt the interests of the Army’, Pilot flanked by Congress media incharge Pawan Khera said soldiers fought the enemies on the country’s border, terrorism and separatism within, but it was a pity that the Centre did politics in their name.

He alleged the government, which talked of nationalism, hadn’t filled posts of around 1.25 lakh soldiers lying vacant.

He said the Congress-led UPA government had implemented the “one rank, one pension” scheme in 2014, but the NDA government, which promised to implement this scheme in Rewari, Haryana, had not yet taken any steps.

He also condemned the Centre for reducing the ECHS amount by Rs 2,000. Similarly, the government imposed a 50 per cent GST on products available at the canteen and put a cap on these too, he lamented. —