HYDERABAD: The Congress has termed the Agnipath scheme of the BJP government as detrimental to the nation's security and also the future of the youth.
Nalgonda MP and former air force fighter pilot N Uttam Kumar Reddy, A Revanth Reddy, T Jayaprakash Reddy, Madhu Yashki Goud and V Hanumanth Rao among others demanded immediate withdrawal of Agnipath.
“Is this the respect Modi-led BJP government is giving to the youth willing to sacrifice their lives for the country. Modi has lost the moral right to continue in the PM's post," Hanumanth Rao said, who was later arrested when he visited Gandhi hospital to see the injured from the Secunderabad Railway station incident.
Former MP Madhu Yashki Goud said Agnipath is a move towards privatisation of the army and that the BJP government should be held responsible for the death of Rakesh, and ex-gratia of Rs one crore should be given to his family.
Uttam accused the Modi-government of compromising on national security by introducing a flawed scheme Agnipath. “As a former fighter pilot, I can say that six months training and three-and-a-half years of service will not inculcate the spirit a full-time soldier has. The BJP government is trying to reduce the pension bill through Agnipath," he said.
The part- soldiers 'Agniveers' will lack dedication as they will not be certain about their continuance in the army, navy or air force after four years. The armed forces should not be treated as skill development centres. Their only job should be to defend the nation from external and internal threats, said Uttam, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence.
The ongoing protests in the country are spontaneous and not a conspiracy as being told by the BJP. "Of the 1.40 lakh vacancies in the armed forces, the BJP government wants to fill 46,000. There has been no regular recruitment for two years. Lakhs of candidates have been waiting for recruitment in the armed forces,” he said.
