Agnipath: Oppn steps up attack on govt amid protests

New Delhi: The Opposition on Thursday stepped up its attack on the government over the Agnipath scheme amid protests against it in several parts of the country and demanded that it be scrapped, even as official sources asserted that no change is being done to the Army's regimental system under the new initiative.

While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to listen to the voice of unemployed youths and not take 'agnipareeksha (trial by fire)' of their patience by making them walk on Agnipath, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav called the move "negligent" and potentially "fatal" for the country's future. Trains were set afire, window panes of buses smashed and passersby, including a ruling BJP MLA, pelted with stones in Bihar by Army job aspirants whose protest against the short-term recruitment scheme continued for the second consecutive day.

Amid the protests, government sources said no change is being done to the Army's regimental system under it and the numbers of personnel to be recruited in the first year of its roll out would only make up three per cent of armed forces. The Opposition came down heavily on the government over the scheme and demanded a rollback. "No rank, no pension, no direct recruitment for 2 years, no stable future after four years, no respect shown by the government for the army," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, attacking the Centre over the scheme.

"Listen to the voice of unemployed youths of the country, don't take 'agnipareeksha' of their patience by making them walk on 'Agnipath', Mr. prime minister," the former Congress chief said.

In a tweet in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi said there are many dreams for the future in the eyes of those preparing for recruitment in the armed forces such as serving the country and their parents. "What will the new army recruitment scheme give them? After 4 years, no job guarantee, no pension facility = no rank, no pension. @narendramodi ji don't crush the dreams of the youth," she said.

Questioning various provisions of Agnipath, BJP MP Varun Gandhi said it will give rise to more disaffection among the youths and asked the government to make its stand clear.

In a letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Varun Gandhi said the young population has shared their questions and doubts with him about the radical changes in the soldiers' recruitment process which also proposes that the 75 per cent of the recruits under the scheme will retire after four years of service without pension.

The Left parties demanded that the scheme be scrapped and be taken up in Parliament for discussion, alleging that it does a "disservice" to India's national interests.

"The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly disapproves the 'Agnipath' scheme that does disservice to India's national interests. Professional armed forces cannot be raised by recruiting 'soldiers on contract' for a period of four years. This scheme, to save pension money, severely compromises the quality and efficiency of our professional armed forces," CPIM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said in a tweet.

CPI general secretary D Raja tweeted, "Finding jobs has become literally a 'Path of Fire' under Modi. Govt is trying to hoodwink the restive youth by #AgnipathScheme. It'll make our army contract based & jeopardise the future of our youth. It should be withdrawn immediately! Youth deserve proper, secure jobs!"

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the central government to give the youth the chance to serve the country throughout their life, not just four years.

BSP supremo Mayawati termed the scheme "unfair towards rural youth."

"Today, the recruitment of the army starts from the age of 18 and, after 15 years of service, he comes back home after retirement with the pension. But the jawan admitted at the age of 17 under the Agneepath scheme will retire at the age of 21 without pension. Similarly, a jawan recruited at the age of 21 will retire by the age of 25. But what will he do after that, the government has no answer," Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said.

Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala accused the Modi government of playing with country's security and future of the youth.