Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticizes the ‘Agnipath’ scheme: ‘Armed troops a laboratory for BJP?’

Taking to Twitter, the Congress general secretary termed the initiative as a ‘fraud’ done with armed forces aspirants.

A day after the Union government launched out its ambitious ‘Agnipath’ project for recruitment to the armed services, Congress politician Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday questioned the plan, adding to a chorus of voices that has expressed apprehensions over the effort.

“Why is the BJP government making recruiting to the armed forces its laboratory for experiments? Soldiers serving the army for several years, does the government consider this as a burden?” the Congress general secretary’s Twitter post, posted in Hindi, read.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s tweet came in response to a news report of army applicants holding protests in Bihar against the ‘Agnipath’ plan. “Youngsters are calling this four-year rule a scam. Our veterans, too, have objected to it,” she continued.

“On a matter as delicate as recruitment to military forces, there was neither any discussion nor serious deliberation. Why this stubbornness?” the tweet also read.

Under the initiative, which was introduced by defense minister Rajnath Singh and the three service chiefs, youngsters in the age bracket of 17.5 and 21 years, will join a service of their choosing – army, air force, navy – for a length of four years. After this, 25 percent the recruits will be retained, while the remaining 75 percent would be discharged back to civilian life.

The Centre and three services have indicated that the new model strives to lower the age profile of the three services, assure a fitter military, and produce a trained and energetic workforce for employment in other sectors.

On the other side, veterans and military specialists have raised concerns, especially over the presence of warfare-trained teenagers in the civil society which, according to them, may lead to a law and order problem. They have also questioned the need for recruitment on a short-term, contractual basis.

 

The candidates who join military forces under this program will be called as ‘Agniveers.’