Shri Mallikarjun Kharge writes to President of India against ‘Privatisation’ of Sainik Schools

New Delhi: Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge on April 10, 2024, wrote two-page letter to President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu and said - Indian democracy has conventionally kept armed forces away from any partisan politics, but the central government has “broken” this well-enshrined convention. Congress Party opposes the Centre’s move to “privatise” Sainik Schools, and demanded a complete rollback of the policy and the annulment of MoUs signed in this regard.

Shri Mallikarjun Kharge said that there are 33 Sainik Schools in the country and they were fully government-funded institutions operated under the aegis of Sainik Schools Society (SSS), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

“Having undermined institutions after institutions, in the grand plan of RSS to hurriedly thrust its ideology, they have dealt a body blow to the very nature and ethos of the Armed Forces. Imparting ideologically slanted knowledge in such institutions shall not only destroy inclusiveness but also damage the national character of the Sainik Schools, by influencing their character through partisan religious/corporate/family/social/cultural credos.”

“Therefore, in national interest, the Indian National Congress demands the complete rollback of this privatisation policy and annulment of these MoUs, so that children studying at Armed Forces Schools retain desired character, vision and honour required for the service of the nation,” Shri Kharge wrote.

An investigative report based on an RTI reply, which claimed that Sainik Schools are being privatised using a new PPP model introduced by the government, and “now 62 percent of these schools are said to be owned by the BJP-RSS leaders”.

Kharge Ji claimed that the report also found that out of the 40 MoUs that have been signed, 62 percent have been signed with individuals and organisations belonging to the RSS-BJP-Sangh Parivar. This includes a Chief Minister’s family, several MLAs, BJP office-bearers and RSS leaders, the Congress President alleged.

“This is a blatant step to politicize the independent Sainik Schools. Sainik Schools were established by India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Nehru in 1961 and they have been the beacon of military leadership and excellence since then.”