CHANDIGARH: In what appears to be a desperate move of towing the lines of the high command, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal has announced guaranteed government jobs to Agniveers.
While addressing those present in the state-level function organized to mark 8th International Yoga Day in Bhiwani, Khattar said youths who would come after serving the Army under the Agnipath scheme would be given Group C or Haryana Police jobs.
“It is a matter of pride to get a job in the Army. Therefore, 75% of the youth who will retire under the Agnipath scheme will be given guaranteed jobs in Haryana. This is a unique gift for Agniveers. This will increase the interest of the youth in the Army,’’ the CM said.
“Now the Army will be further equipped on technical grounds. This will give opportunities to the youth of classes X-XII. Thus, Agnipath is a better scheme not only for the youth, but also for the Army,” he added.
Notably, CM Khattar has invited severe back lash from the opposition as well as the farmer groups. While intensifying attack on the BJP government at the Centre as well as state, the opposition leaders said that Khattar’s announcement is an extension to “jumlas” thrown by the BJP, especially, PM Modi and his team before and after the elections.
Rajya Sabha MP and AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala was the first to react. He said, “Respected Khattar ji, how would you make an additional category for the reservation of 50% jobs for Agniveer? And in case somebody challenges this in the court, the young boys will come on roads. Hence, tell PM to ensure regular employment.’’
Bharatiya Kisan Union Charuni hit back at Khattar’s statement and termed his assurance as “false”. Charuni also released a video and gave a call to representatives of different bodies to gather at Sampla on June 22, to decide on future course of plan and action to continue “this andolan (agitation) peacefully”.
Yogendera Yadav, founder of Swaraj Abhiyan, also questioned Khattar about the number of jobs given to ex-servicemen. “Stop making mockery of the youth as well as the Army recruitment. There are around 2.90lakh ex-servicemen in Haryana out of which 29,000 are registered and only 530 could get the government and private jobs through government,’’ said Yadav.
