new delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi Saturday termed "directionless" the Centre's 'Agnipath' scheme for recruitment in the armed forces, and said her party will work for its withdrawal.
She also appealed to the youths protesting against the scheme to adopt peaceful and non-violent means to fight for their demands.
"It is unfortunate that the government has announced a new armed forces' recruitment policy, which is completely directionless and it has done so while ignoring your voices," she said in a statement in Hindi, addressed to the youths.
Declaring her party's support for them, the Congress president said along with the youths, several ex-soldiers and defence experts have also questioned the scheme. Gandhi, who is being treated at a hospital here for a lower respiratory tract infection and post-Covid symptoms, said she can understand the pain of the youths over the "three-year delay" in recruitment despite lakhs of vacancies in the Army. Gandhi said she also empathises with the youths who are awaiting results and appointments after taking the test for induction in the Air Force. "The Congress stands with you with full force and promises to struggle for your interests and for the withdrawal of this scheme."
"Like true patriots, we will articulate your voices following the path of truth, non-violence, resilience and peace," she told the youths in her letter. "I appeal to you to use peaceful and non-violent means to protest for your rightful demands. The Indian National Congress is with you," the Congress chief said. Youths across the country have taken to the streets and are protesting against the new short-term recruitment scheme for entry in the armed forces. There have been violent protests in several places and irate youths have torched trains and damaged public property at various places.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to withdraw the farm laws, he will have to accept the demand of the youth and rollback the Agnipath defence recruitment scheme. The former Congress chief also said that for eight consecutive years, the BJP government has "insulted" the values of 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan.'
In a tweet in Hindi, Rahul Gandhi said, "I had said earlier also that the prime minister will have to withdraw the black farm laws." "In the same manner, he will have to accept the demand of the youth of the country by becoming 'maafiveer' and take back the 'Agnipath' scheme," he said. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also stepped up her attack on the government over the scheme and urged the Centre to understand the pain of the rural youth preparing for recruitment in the armed forces.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also demanded a rollback of the Agnipath for defence services and said those who cleared physical tests in the last two years must get a chance to appear in written exams for joining the Army. "This is a grave injustice for the youth of the country who want to serve their motherland by joining the Indian Army," he said. He said the Union government must take back this scheme and allow the youth, who had cleared their physical test in the last two years, to sit in the written exam. "This will give them a fair chance to join the armed forces."