New Delhi: While the nation turns into warpath over recently announced 4-year service ‘Agnipath’ scheme in the Armed Forces, the government has gone all out to pacify the enraged agitators, however, it continues to receive bitter barbs from political rivals as well as some of its coalition partners.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took a sharp jibe at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he will be forced to withdraw the Agnipath scheme, much like what happened with the three Farm laws.
Slamming the Centre for its ‘faulty & ill-thought’ policies, the Congress MP said that for 8 consecutive years, the BJP government has been insulting the values of the Jan Jawan, Jai Kisan.
In a tweet in Hindi, Rahul Gandhi said which roughly meant in English, “I had said earlier also that the prime minister will have to withdraw the black farm laws.”
8 सालों से लगातार भाजपा सरकार ने ‘जय जवान, जय किसान’ के मूल्यों का अपमान किया है।
मैंने पहले भी कहा था कि प्रधानमंत्री जी को काले कृषि कानून वापस लेने पड़ेंगे।
ठीक उसी तरह उन्हें ‘माफ़ीवीर’ बनकर देश के युवाओं की बात माननी पड़ेगी और ‘अग्निपथ’ को वापस लेना ही पड़ेगा।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 18, 2022
“In the same manner, he will have to accept the demand of youth of the country by becoming ‘maafiveer’ and take back the ‘Agnipath’ scheme,” he said taking jibe at the Centre.
The Agnipath scheme was launched by BJP-led NDA government for bringing in long-pending reforms and do a complete overhaul of the selection process in Armed Forces, as it would not only enhance the lower age profile of the forces and would also pare down the yearly expenses.
Under the scheme, the youth between 17.5 years to 21 years will get entry in the Armed Forces for a 4-year term and once completed, 75% of them will be relieved and 25% Agniveers retained for regular service.
However, the government’s reformative scheme met with bitter criticism and protest. The youths, up in arms against government’s short-term military service, protested at many places. Hooligans & ruffians took advantage of the situation and resorted to violence & vandalism of public properties.
