Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday lashed out at a Bihar minister for his controversial remark on the Agniveer scheme, calling it “shameful and offensive.” Prasad said Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar should “at least save the credibility” of the Indian Army by sacking the minister.
On Thursday, Bihar co-operative minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Surendra Yadav said that the 'Agniveer' scheme will create a “Hijdon Ki Fauj (army of eunuchs).”
“Nitish Kumar’s minister has given a shameful and offensive statement about Army. Does Bihar chief minister think that the country will be silent about after this comment?” Ravi Shankar Prasad asked rhetorically.
“The minister has no right to be in his position. Nitish Kumar should at least save the credibility of the army,” he said, adding that the people of Bihar want a change and BJP will win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2025 assembly elections.
Criticising the short-term recruitment scheme, Surendra Yadav said, "Exactly 8.5 years from now, the country's name will be included among 'Hijdon Ki Fauj' (Army of eunuchs), I am telling this. After 8.5 years, the current Army men will retire and the training of these Agniveers won't even be complete," he added.
Under the Agnipath scheme, the three services are recruiting youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years and 21 years for four years, with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years.
{{/usCountry}}Under the Agnipath scheme, the three services are recruiting youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years and 21 years for four years, with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years.
{{/usCountry}}"Why has this idea been brought up when our Army is the strongest in the world? What kind of Army will be prepared in 4.5 years?" Yadav said.
He further claimed that no one will marry those who will retire as Agniveer at the age of 25-26 years.
The minister also demanded that whoever gave the idea of Agniveer "should be hanged, as he deserves no lesser punishment than that."
"When they (Agniveers) will be 25-26 years old, people will come with marriage proposals. What will they say? I am a retired soldier? Who will marry them?" he added.