Youth across the country are protesting against the new scheme of recruitment in the Indian Army ‘Agneepath Yojana’. In many places this protest has taken a violent form and in many places the protesters have set the trains on fire. According to reports, one person has died in a violent demonstration at Secunderabad railway station. On the other hand, the opposition parties have targeted the Center regarding the Agneepath scheme.
The Congress termed the scheme as a hastily prepared scheme and asked the government to keep the recruitment scheme ‘postponed’. At the same time, the party said that the government should hold extensive discussions with serving and retired officers on this issue. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, “No rank, no pension, no direct recruitment for 2 years, no stable future after 4 years, no government’s respect for the army, listen to the voice of the unemployed youth of the country, Don’t take the ‘fire test’ of their restraint by walking on ‘Agneepath’, Prime Minister.
At the same time, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav also targeted the central government and said that the irresponsible attitude which is being adopted regarding military recruitment will prove fatal for protecting the future of the country and the youth of the country. While the Left parties demanded the government to cancel this scheme.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said that the Center had promised 80 crore jobs by 2022 and now the government has come up with a scheme like MNREGA for the educated youth in Defense Services. At the same time, Delhi CM and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the government and said that youth should be given a chance to serve the country for life and not just for four years.
BSP chief Mayawati said on Agneepath scheme that this scheme is an open play with the future of rural youth and their families. The BSP supremo said that people in the country are already suffering from rising poverty, inflation, unemployment and wrong policies and arrogant working style of the government. In such a situation, the uneasiness spread among the youth regarding the new recruitment in the army is now generating disappointment. He said that the government should immediately reconsider its decision.