Former Haryana chief minister and Leader of Opposition (LoP), Bhupinder Singh Hooda, on Thursday, said the proposed two-year extension of service for Agniveers was inadequate and demanded that they be regularised without any conditions.
Talking to reporters at his residence, Hooda said the Congress had opposed the Agnipath scheme from the beginning, arguing that it was neither in the interest of the country nor the army. “Several former Army officers had also raised objections to the scheme,” he said.
“Granting Agniveers an additional two years of service and then imposing conditions for their regularisation is not right. What further criteria can be required from a young person who has already served in the army for six years? Such personnel are fully prepared to continue serving. Why should they not be recruited as regular soldiers, as was the practice earlier?” he asked.
“Every person joining the army should get a full service tenure, permanent employment, regular salary, allowances, facilities and pension,” Hooda said.
On the issue of guest teachers, the Congress leader demanded their immediate regularisation, alleging that the BJP government was going back on its promises to the teaching community.
{{/usCountry}}On the issue of guest teachers, the Congress leader demanded their immediate regularisation, alleging that the BJP government was going back on its promises to the teaching community.
{{/usCountry}}Hooda said the policy framed by the previous Congress government for regularising contractual employees had been upheld by the Punjab and Haryana high court and the Supreme Court.
He accused the BJP leadership in Haryana of reneging on its 2014 promise to regularise guest teachers, saying the party had secured the support of thousands of their families during the elections but failed to fulfil the assurance after coming to power.