'Like CAA, Agnipath launched without consultation'
kolkata: Claiming that like demonetisation and the CAA, Centre's Agnipath scheme was announced "without consultation" and had demeaned the armed forces, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said that there could be nothing more "shameless than this" and demanded BJP leaders who want to appoint the Agniveers as electricians and guards in saffron camp office should be sacked from party.
Banerjee said it was the Modi government's tradition to announce schemes like demonetisation, CAA and farm laws, without consultation.
He was addressing a press conference in Tripura on Tuesday morning.
"They (BJP) use the sentiment of the armed forces to fight elections and after the elections are over, the Modi government says that Agniveers will be released after four years of service only to work as a security guard in BJP offices. There is nothing more shameful than this," Banerjee said.
He was commenting on a tweet by Kailash Vijarvargiya which stated that the Agniveers would be given priority in engaging them as security personnel in BJP offices.
Condemning Union minister G Kishan Reddy's statement that Agniveers would be trained to become electricians and plumbers, Banerjee said: "Is this the way the government is creating Agniveers? We condemn this. These leaders should be expelled from the party if they hold such thoughts."
Stating that BJP uses even the armed forces he said: "BJP had used the Balakot strike during the election and then forgot about them. They need the army three months before the 2024 polls."
The TMC leader demanded that such leaders "should be sacked from the party as they have insulted the armed forces".
Banerjee said though everyone had the right to protest it should be peaceful and there should not be any anarchy.
Meanwhile, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Trinamool Rajya Sabha member condemned the statement made by the RSS that its volunteers would be sent for recruitment as Agniveers.
He tweeted: "RSS has openly declared that it will send its volunteers for recruitment as Agniveers. Effect: Military training equipped with arms; 11 lakh after 4 years; further recruitment in Central Forces. Result: Saffronisation of military and para military forces—a new avtar of Militia?"
