New Delhi. The Congress party has strongly appealed to the government to ensure that civil servants and soldiers stay away from political activities. The plea came from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge through a letter to the Prime Minister, saying the message underlines the importance of maintaining a non-partisan approach to these essential pillars of our society. Kharge said that various agencies, institutions, arms and departments of the government are now playing the role of official “enforcers” for the Modi administration. They claim that this change in functioning not only raises questions about the democratic integrity of our country, but also risks politicizing our armed forces, a move that should be avoided in the interest of protecting our democracy and the Constitution.
violation of established norms
Kharge stressed that such actions violate the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules of 1964, which clearly prohibit any government servant from participating in political activities. While public servants have started disseminating information, celebrating achievements and counting achievements, these actions are considered inappropriate.
Expressing concern over the possible appointment of senior officials in various departments for marketing activities of the current government, Kharge cautioned that this could lead to disruption of governance of our country for the next six months. Kharge cited an order passed by the Defense Ministry on October 9, 2023, directing soldiers on annual leave to spend their time in government publicity campaigns. He emphasized that the Army Training Command should give priority to preparing our soldiers to defend our country rather than focusing on ways to promote government initiatives.