Centre Defends 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra' Scheme Before Delhi High Court, Says Its Neutral Without Any Political Insignia

The Central Government on Tuesday defended before the Delhi High Court its “Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra” scheme, calling it a “neutral government scheme” without any political insignia or political reference.

ASG Chetan Sharma told a division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan that the Yatra is an omnibus across the board scheme meant for the benefit of the people. He said that Viksit Bharat is not one or two schemes but an amalgamation of schemes “to reach out to the unreached.”

“All these are government schemes. They are neutral government schemes for one and all. There is no categorisation or no portfolio. It is omnibus across the border scheme to benefit everybody who comes under the scheme. It is a government scheme for government achievements only and does not carry any political insignia, does not carry any political name or political reference. These are purely netural schemes of the government for the benefit of people,” he told the bench also comprising of Justice Manmeet PS Arora.

The bench was hearing a PIL against propagation of the schemes of the government launched in the last 9 years, by using Defence officers and civil servants, alleging it is a “political propaganda.”

At the outset of the hearing, the bench asked the petitioners' counsel to take the court through the submissions made earlier in the matter. It then remarked orally:

“If someone says he wants to make India great, it may he his slogan…. Every Prime Minister of any political party will say that India should be great…”

The petitioners' counsel said that using large scale public funds and deploying army officials to conduct programmes and road shows at public cost and purpose is a political campaign in the garb of saying that the government's achievements are being highlighted.

“9 years is also an indication of that political purpose…,” the counsel said, adding that using army officials and installing selfie points to highlight government achievements affects the level playing field and falls foul of various settled judgments.

Opposing the PIL, ASG said that the purpose of Viksit Bharat scheme is to reach out to the vulnerable and unreached with an objective to reach to the last man.

“That is the saturation point… when the last man standing knows,” he said adding that the Yatra ended in March.

The matter will now be heard on May 21.

Earlier, the bench had remarked that one cannot have a grievance with the use of Defence officers and Civil Servants to highlight the schemes and achievements of the ruling government, if there is no political insignia or no name of political party is used.

The plea has been filed by former civil servant EAS Sarma and President of Association of Democratic Reforms, Jagdeep S Chhokar. They are represented by Advocate Prashant Bhushan.

The petitioners have challenged an order issued by the Controller General of Defence Accounts on October 09regarding deployment of defence officers at “selfie points” to show case good works done by MoD.

They have also challenged the OM issued by Union Government's Department of Personnel and Training on October 17 to deploy Joint Secretaries, Directors and Deputy Secretaries as “District Rath Prabharis” for showcasing achievements of last 9 years of the Government of India.

The petitioners have sought a direction that no political party, either at Centre or State, can use any public servant for any campaign or promotion of its schemes which is intended for benefit of the ruling party.

Earlier, Advocate Prashant Bhushan had appeared for the petitioners and submitted that the use of Defence officers and civil servants is prohibited under the rules governing conduct of government servants and also amounts to using them for promoting interest of a political party.

He had added that the act is a blatant use of defence officers and civil servants for “propaganda agenda” of the government and is against the letter and spirit of the Representation of Peoples Act which makes it a corrupt practice to use any government official for political purposes.

Title: EAS Sarma & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors.