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Agniveer extension: Congress takes ‘U-turn’ dig at BJP; SP says make posts permanent
Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP-led government of making a political “U-turn” on the Agnipath scheme, saying the latest revision of the Agniveers’ service tenure by two years reflected Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s repeated criticism of the recruitment policy
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Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP-led government of making a political “U-turn” on the Agnipath scheme, saying the latest revision of the Agniveers’ service tenure by two years reflected Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s repeated criticism of the recruitment policy.
“This government is a ‘U-turn’ government. First Rahul Gandhi says, they don’t agree to it. Later they correct,” Congress leader Pawan Khera said in a post on X.
Chief of defence staff General NS Raja Subramani announced on Wednesday that the Union cabinet has decided to give Agniveers an option to continue in service for two more years beyond their four-year tenure and apply for absorption into the armed forces at the end of this extended period. Under the revised arrangement, the 25 per cent eligible for retention under the existing scheme will continue to be considered for regular service, while the remaining 75 per cent will be offered the extension.
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At the end of the additional two years, those willing to continue can apply for regular enrolment, subject to “objective selection criteria”. The decision comes weeks before more than 18,300 Agniveers from the first batch were due to leave the armed forces by December 31.
In his post, Khera argued that the scheme was harmful both to the armed forces and the youth. He questioned what would happen to those who were not absorbed into regular service after the extended tenure and said the government would ultimately have to take back the scheme.
“This is a significant departure from the original four-year exit arrangement. Shri @RahulGandhi has repeatedly warned that the Agniveer scheme is unsustainable and demanded that the government reconsider it,” he added.
Samajwadi Party MP Shiv Pal Singh Patel also questioned the revised tenure, saying, “I am unable to understand what profit is gained by making it four years from six years? Just give them a job for 25-30 years straight, let them become full-time soldiers and serve the country.”
He further called the arrangement a “deception” of young recruits, arguing that they should be trained for longer durations and given the status of regular soldiers.
The BJP, however, welcomed the extension as a measure that would give Agniveers more time in service and another route towards regular enrolment. Union defence minister Rajnath Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision, describing the additional two years as a “Second Tour of Duty”.
“This would also provide enrollment of all willing Agniveers as regular soldiers after the tenure of 4/6 years, who meet the selection criteria. This decision is a continuation of long-term structural reforms of our defence forces, aimed at creating a younger, fitter, technologically equipped and future-ready military. It is not merely a recruitment policy; it is a way forward to prepare India’s military for the changing character of warfare,” the defence minister said.
