Congress will repeal 'discriminatory' CAPF legislation when it comes to power: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the government is bent on legally perpetuating the injustice of discrimination against Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) jawans through a bill, and asserted that his party will repeal such a "discriminatory law" when it comes to power.

The Leader of Opposition said he wanted to speak on the bill in Lok Sabha and had requested the government to make adjustments as he was touring Assam but it refused as it "does not want me to speak on this in Parliament".

"But I want to tell all the paramilitary forces -- CRPF, BSF, CISF and ITBP -- that the Congress is standing with them and will protect them," Gandhi said in a video statement.

Gandhi' remarks came a day after the Rajya Sabha passed the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026, with a voice vote amid an Opposition walkout. The bill is listed for being taken up in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

In his video statement, Gandhi recalled that he recently met Assistant Commandant Ajay Malik, who had lost one leg in an IED blast during a Naxalite encounter.

Gandhi said Malik had staked everything for the nation's defense and asked what did he get in return for this sacrifice.

"Despite over 15 years of loyal service -- no promotion, not even the right to lead his own force. Because all top positions are reserved for IPS officers. This is not just one officer's pain -- it is institutional injustice happening to millions of CAPF personnel," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said.

Gandhi pointed out that no paramilitary force in India has been led by someone who has risen up the ranks of the paramilitary force. "The top leadership is imposed upon them," he claimed.

"I have worked with paramilitary forces for over 20 years, they look after my security. They have specific skills which are valuable and the leadership should be given to a person who has those skills," Gandhi said.

He accused the government of "overriding" the Supreme Court in the matter and claimed that what the government had done was "unfair".

"I don't understand why they are doing it, there might be other considerations, there might be considerations of elections these days but they are doing it. I wanted to make a speech in Parliament. They have brought this bill on a day I am touring Assam. I sent a message to the government that I want to speak on this and please make adjustments but they refused. They do not want that I speak on this in Parliament," Gandhi alleged.

In his post in Hindi on X along with the video, Gandhi said CAPF jawans are deployed on the borders, they take on terrorism and Naxalism, they secure the festivals of democracy -- our elections, but when it comes to their rights and respect, the system turns its face away, he claimed.

"Even the CAPF jawans themselves are against this discrimination. The Supreme Court has questioned this system. Yet, the current government is bent on legally perpetuating this injustice," Gandhi said.

This bill is not just an attempt to halt one's career but it is an effort to break the morale of those who form the country's first line of defense, Gandhi said, adding that when their morale breaks, the foundation of national security shakes.

"We honour CAPF jawans not just in words, but in policies. Congress' clear promise is -- as soon as our government comes to power, this discriminatory law will be repealed. Because those who fight for the country must have the right to leadership," the former Congress chief asserted.

Earlier, in the day, Congress' whip in the Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore said a crucial bill affecting the rights and dignity of our CAPF personnel is being hurried into Lok Sabha, timed exactly when the Leader of Opposition is scheduled to be in Assam for pre-planned election rallies.

"Rallies that were announced well in advance. Preparations already completed. Public meetings lined up. And suddenly, the Bill is listed for Today. Why this rush? Why avoid a full and fair debate? Why deny the Leader of Opposition the opportunity to speak on an issue impacting our jawans?" Tagore said.

"This is not coincidence. This is calculated parliamentary management. A government confident of its decisions does not fear debate. A government committed to justice does not rush legislation in the absence of dissenting voices," he said on X.

The Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026, provides that to appoint officers from the Indian Police Service in CAPFs, 50 per cent of the posts will be filled by deputation in the rank of inspector general and a minimum of 67 per cent of the posts by deputation in the rank of additional director general.

The proposed legislation comes after the Supreme Court in October last year dismissed the Centre's plea seeking a review of its 2025 verdict that directed that IPS officers' deputation in CAPFs up to the level of Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) should be "progressively reduced" and asked for a cadre review to be carried out in six months.