Almora/Pauri Garhwal (UTTARAKHAND)/New Delhi: The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi addressed two public meetings in Uttarakhand over phone and video call after bad weather prevented him from reaching the venues in Almora and Pauri Garhwal. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi on June 4, 2026, addressed mammoth ex-servicemen’s meeting in Pauri Garhwal through video conferencing, and apologised for his absence and said that adverse flying conditions had forced his helicopter to return despite several attempts to proceed. He reiterated the Congress Party’s opposition to the ‘Agniveer’ recruitment scheme, saying it had weakened the traditional bond between soldiers and the government, and promised that the scheme would be scrapped once Congress came to power at the Centre.

Welcoming ex-servicemen and senior leaders present at the gathering, Shri Gandhi praised Uttarakhand’s long-standing contribution to the armed forces, saying that the state had historically supplied soldiers who had served the nation in wars, border conflicts and military operations across diverse terrains. Soldiers join the Army, Navy, and Air Force driven by patriotism and a willingness to sacrifice for the nation, Shri Rahul Gandhi said. He described an “unwritten contract” between soldiers and the government, under which personnel dedicated their lives to defending the country while the State guaranteed protection and support for them and their families. He said that the BJP government had violated this understanding through the implementation of the Agniveer scheme. “Congress believes that young people who aspire to join the armed forces and dedicate themselves to national service deserve security, dignity and a guaranteed future. Their families must also be protected,” he said, adding that the Party remained committed to cancelling the scheme if voted to power.

Shri Rahul Gandhi observed that the scheme had been introduced to reduce expenditure on soldiers’ welfare and pensions and redirect resources towards large corporate interests. He accused the government of weakening public sector defence enterprises and favouring a handful of industrial groups in defence procurement and contracts. Referring to a recent interaction with representatives of ex-servicemen, Shri Rahul Gandhi said that concerns had been raised over the withdrawal of disability pension-related benefits, particularly tax exemptions, and other issues affecting veterans.

He also criticised the government over the flawed and unsatisfactory implementation of ‘One Rank, One Pension’ (OROP), and alleged that the interests of serving and retired personnel had not been adequately protected.

Describing the relationship between the armed forces and the government as “sacred”, Shri Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress would continue to stand with soldiers, veterans and their families. The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha alleged that the recent agreement between India and the United States had compromised several strategic interests of the country. He said that the agreement had weakened India’s energy security by restricting its ability to independently purchase oil and gas from countries of its choice. He said that India’s energy policy should remain free from external influence and be guided solely by national interest.

He also expressed concern over the impact of the agreement on agriculture. He warned that opening India’s agricultural market to American products would place Indian farmers at a disadvantage because of the vast differences in scale, mechanisation and technological capabilities between the two countries.

He argued that small and marginal Indian farmers would struggle to compete with large-scale American agricultural producers and warned that such a development could adversely affect rural livelihoods and food security.

He further alleged that provisions relating to data management under the agreement could permit sensitive Indian data, including medical and commercial information, to be stored overseas. The Congress leader also criticised the government’s economic policies, alleging that small and medium enterprises had already suffered due to demonetisation and the flawed implementation of the GST. He claimed that commitments to increase imports from the United States would further weaken domestic manufacturing and hamper employment generation. The senior Congress leader noted that India’s network of small and medium enterprises had traditionally served as a major source of jobs and economic resilience. He said that sectors such as textiles, handicrafts, footwear, auto components and small-scale manufacturing could face additional pressure if domestic industries were unable to compete with increased imports. Questioning the benefits India had received from the agreement, Shri Rahul Gandhi said that the government had made significant concessions without securing corresponding gains for the country.

He also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over foreign policy and national security issues, alleging that the government had compromised India’s strategic autonomy. Referring to remarks made by US President Donald Trump regarding India-Pakistan tensions and ‘Operation Sindoor’, he claimed that external pressure had influenced the government’s decisions. The Congress leader further alleged that excessive concentration of strategic assets, including ports, airports and defence-related contracts, in the hands of a few business groups posed risks to national security. He accused the government of promoting policies that disproportionately benefited a limited number of industrialists while neglecting broader public and economic interests. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi said that Uttarakhand possessed immense potential in tourism, entrepreneurship and local industries, and argued that greater support should be provided to small and medium enterprises to generate employment opportunities in the state.

Addressing the Almora rally over a phone call facilitated by Congress General Secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge Kumari Selja, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha alleged that the vision behind the creation of Uttarakhand was being undermined.

Shri Rahul Gandhi apologised to the gathering for his absence and targeted the ruling dispensation. “The Constitution states that India, that is ‘Bharat’, is a Union of States. You made immense sacrifices to form this state. Regrettably, Uttarakhand is not being managed by its own people today; it is being operated via remote control from Delhi,” he said.

He further alleged that outsiders are exploiting the natural resources of the state, depriving the local population of the benefits. Shri Rahul Gandhi also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the central government of “systematically dismantling” critical socio-economic protections. He highlighted four specific areas where he claimed these protections had eroded.

Firstly, he alleged that household savings and gold held by the public had been diminished. Secondly, he stated that small and medium enterprises, particularly in the textile and food processing sectors, had been devastated by the flawed implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Thirdly, the Congress leader criticised the current foreign policy alignment, claiming that India’s energy security is now constrained by external geopolitical pressures. “Today, we can only purchase oil from countries approved by America. This crucial protection has been dismantled by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah,” he alleged. Shri Rahul Gandhi cited geopolitical tensions, noting that during the conflict between Iran and the United States, the Strait of Hormuz was subsequently closed. Lastly, he claimed that the agricultural protection system for farmers had been weakened, alleging that the Prime Minister is “working to further external interests rather than national priorities.” Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi was also scheduled to meet Party workers in Dehradun on Friday (June 5, 2026), which was also cancelled. He headed back to Delhi, saying that he would return soon.