Rahul Gandhi, says PM will have to take back the Agnipath scheme.
What is Agnipath scheme?
The Agnipath Scheme is a new scheme launched by the Indian government on June 14, 2022, to recruit soldiers below the rank of commissioned officers into the three-armed military services. The Agnipath Scheme will be the sole means of military recruiting. Agniveers, a new military rank, will be assigned to those recruited under this system. The lack of consultation and public discourse surrounding the scheme’s implementation has been criticized. The scheme is set to go into effect in September 2022.
What did Rahul Gandhi say?
On Saturday, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi continued his attack on the government over the controversial ‘Agnipath’ armed forces recruitment scheme, this time slamming ‘Mafiveer’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi and trying to warn the government that it will be forced to scrap the new military policy, just as it was forced to scrap the three farm laws.
“The BJP government has disrespected the values of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ for the past eight years. I had previously stated that the Prime Minister would be forced to remove the Black Agriculture Act. Similarly, he will have to obey the country’s young by becoming a ‘Mafiveer,’ and ‘Agnipath’ will have to be returned. Tweet by ” the Lok Sabha MP from Kerala’s Wayanad”
The ‘mafiveer’ remark was in response to Prime Minister Modi’s ‘apology’ to farmers in November of last year after the three farm rules were repealed.
Rahul Gandhi has tweeted four times this week regarding the Agnipath scheme-
He criticized Modi for only listening to his “friends” and dismissing the views of hundreds of people who had organized violent rallies against the “Agnipath” scheme across multiple states. “The PM does not comprehend what the people of the country want, since he cannot hear anything but the voice of his ‘friends,” he said, mentioning demonetization and farm legislation as examples. On Friday.
He urged the government on Thursday not to conduct an ‘agnipareeksha’ of armed forces hopefuls, and on Wednesday he demanded that the government ‘stop compromising the dignity, traditions, courage, and discipline of our forces.’
Meanwhile, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, who is presently hospitalized due to COVID-19-related ailments, has issued an appeal to the youth who are opposing the Agnipath plan.
“You want to join the Indian defence forces because you want to make a significant contribution to the country. I understand the frustration of not being hired despite the fact that there have been multiple openings for the past three years. I’m disappointed that the government has launched a new ad hoc army recruitment strategy, dismissing your concerns. INC stands strongly behind you and pledges to safeguard your interests. I also urge you to agitate for your demands in a nonviolent, peaceful manner.”
Sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, as well as significant opposition figures Akhilesh Yadav, AAP commander and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, and CPIM leader Sitaram Yechury, have joined Rahul Gandhi in his ‘Agnipath’ attacks.
Over the last two-three days, protests against ‘Agnipath’ have erupted across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan, with trains and buses burned or vandalised, and roads and railway tracks blocked.
Instability was also reported in Bengal and Odisha, and at the Secunderabad Railway Station in Telangana, a person was killed when police began firing in the air. Hundreds of people have been arrested, and police have registered various cases in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and other states. In Bihar, a student group has called for a bandh.
The government has defended the strategy, claiming that recruits, known as ‘Agniveers,’ who would be released after four years without a pension or other benefits will be offered financial assistance. The maximum age has been lowered from 21 to 23.
The Agnipath scheme is positive for few people and negative for few people, the government should take a decision which makes everyone understand the need of Agnipath scheme in the country as well as make sure that Agnipath will not affect the young youth in any means.
