Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concerns over two orders asking civil servants and the armed forces to promote government schemes. In his letter, Kharge demanded that the orders be withdrawn.

The Congress chief cited an order dated October 18 in which officers of the rank of joint secretary, director and deputy secretary were asked to act as “rath prabharis [chariot in-charge]” to “showcase achievements of the last nine years” of the central government.

Kharge wrote that the order violated the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, which directs that no government servant shall take part in any political activity.

“It is no coincidence that the last nine years correspond to your tenure in office. This is of grave concern for multiple reasons,” Kharge said, alleging that senior government officers are being deputed for “marketing activity” of the Modi regime.

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The Congress president, in his letter, mentioned another order issued by the defence ministry on October 9, directing soldiers to promote government schemes during their annual leaves.

“The loyalty of every jawan is to the nation and the Constitution,” Kharge wrote. “To force our soldiers to become marketing agents of government schemes is a dangerous step towards politicisation of the armed forces.”

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Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party President JP Nadda defended the two orders saying that the basic tenet of governance was to ensure that schemes reached the grassroot levels.

In a separate tweet he wrote: “It maybe an alien concept to the Congress Party, but public service delivery is the duty of a government.”