Ranchi: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress on Friday afternoon criticised the Centre’s newly announced Agnipath scheme which has triggered violent protests by defence service aspirants across the country.
JMM called the scheme a conscious attempt by the ruling BJP to militarise Indian society. The party also claimed that the scheme intends to demean the pride which youngsters take in joining the armed forces and serving the country.
“What will the 75% of all those recruited soldiers do after they are forced to retire? Will they work as security guards in cafetarias and restaurants? Is it not insulting this great profession of soldiering?” JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said.
“The BJP government has stalled recruitment in armed forces for three years now. Thousands of aspirants have cleared their medical tests and waiting for their exams. The Centre must resume the examinations immediately,” he added.
The state unit of the Congress also criticised the scheme. “This is an insult to the lakhs of young men who are waiting for more than two years to get into the armed forces. This scheme is also against the ethos and the time tested traditions of the country’s armed forces,” the party said in a statement.
JMM and Congress also questioned the efficiency of the new recruits under the scheme.
“It takes three years for a soldier to get battle ready. Forget the army, even the junior level NCC training lasts three years. How does the government expect these young men to man our international borders with just six months of inadequate training?” Bhattacharya said.
The BJP leaders in the state toed the party line and heaped praises on the scheme. In a series of tweets, former CM Raghubar Das, state BJP president Deepak Prakash hailed the scheme. “Under PM Modi’s leadership, the Agnipath scheme will strengthen the country’s defence and provide the youth of the nation a golden opportunity,” Das tweeted on Thursday.
