'Completely condemnable,' says CPI(M) on Centre's 'Rath Prabharis'

New Delhi [India], October 23 (ANI): Following Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's objection to the Centre's decision to rope in senior bureaucrats to showcase achievements and schemes of the BJP government, the CPI(M) has now sought the directive to be withdrawn terming it as a "gross misuse of the governmental machinery."
"This sort of gross misuse of the governmental machinery has not been seen in India ever. Every department is being asked to propagate what has been achieved under the Narendra Modi government," CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury told ANI.
"This propaganda, the whole government including the armed forces and the railways have all been mobilised to actually conduct the election campaign for PM Modi. This is completely condemnable...We think that immediately these orders must be withdrawn," Yechury said.
Earlier, Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge took strong exception to an order of Finance Ministry's Department of Revenue dated October 18 that was shared by Congress media head Pawan Khera on social media app X.
The order stated that senior officers of ranks as high as Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary are to be deployed as 'Rath Prabharis' to all 765 districts of India.
Kharge on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating, "This has to do with the gross misuse of government machinery taking place in the country today in service of the ruling political party. They are to be deployed as "Rath Prabharis" to "showcase the achievements of the last nine years of Government of India. It is no coincidence that the last nine years correspond to your tenure in office. This is of grave concern for multiple reasons."
The Congress leader pointed out, "If senior officers of departments are deputed for the marketing activities of the current government, the governance of our country will grind to a halt for the next six months".
He also referred to an order passed by the Ministry of Defence on October 9, directing soldiers on annual leave to spend time promoting government schemes, making them "soldier ambassadors."
"The Army Training Command, which should be focused on preparing our jawans to defend the nation, is busy preparing scripts and training manuals on how to promote government schemes," Kharge alleged in his letter.
The BJP President JP Nadda hit back at Kharge's letter stating that it might be an "alien concept" for the Congress but public service is the "duty of a Government".
He said that Modi government is ensuring saturation of all schemes but the grand old party is only interested in keeping the "poor in poverty".
"It maybe an alien concept to the Congress Party, but public service delivery is the duty of a Government. If the Modi Govt wants to ensure saturation of all schemes and ensure all beneficiaries are reached, nobody who has the interest of the poor in his mind can have a problem. But Congress only has an interest in keeping the poor in poverty and hence their opposition to the saturation drive," Nadda posted on X.
"It baffles me to see the Congress Party have an issue with public servants reaching the grassroots to ensure saturation of schemes. If this not the basic tenet of governance, what is? Regarding opposition to a 'Rath' it is a fit use of public resources unlike using warships as personal yachts," the BJP President tweeted. (ANI)