Ex CM Kumaraswamy insults Armed Forces, says Agnipath ‘hidden agenda’ of RSS to control Army

New Delhi: Former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Monday sparked off major controversy with his abominable & offensive remarks against the Armed Forces. While making aversion to the Agnipath scheme, the former CM made an insulting reference to the Agniveers and compared them to the Nazis.

He also said that Agnipath scheme is hidden agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the latter will take control of the prestigious institution by recruiting their men as ‘Agniveers’. He said that it was a ‘design’ brought in to facilitate RSS men entry in the Army and in turn control the Armed Forces, the way Nazis captured the German forces during Adolf Hitler’s regime.

The former CM said that RSS may have a role in the recruitment of Agniveers and those coming out of Armed forces after 4 years will have allegiance with the Sangh and therefore will work as its B team.

HD Kumaraswamy remarked, “Who will appoint 10 lakh Agniveers? RSS leaders will select them or Army will select them? In the selected 10 lakh, there’ll be an RSS team. 2.5 lakh who are retained in Agnipath they’ll be RSS workers while those 75% bowing out after 4 years will spread them to the rest of India.”

Drawing parallels between the RSS and Hitler’s Nazi rule, he said that the Sangh was found when Nazi rule germinated in Germany.

He went on to allege that RSS intention was to bring a nazi movement in India, hence they have come out with Agnipath scheme and want to recruit lakhs of Agniveers.

BJP tears into Kumaraswamy

The BJP was quick to mount a strong counter to Kumaraswamy’s wild allegations. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, questioning the JD(S) leader said that these are the same men who questioned the surgical and Balakot airstrikes.

“This is a shocking and disgusting comment. It is not aimed at the RSS or BJP, but at the army and the armed forces,” said Poonawala.