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Agniveers to get priority in police recruitments: Karnataka government
Jnanendra said he felt that the Centre and states should look into who are behind instigating military service aspirants to resort to a violent protest on the Agnipath issue in some parts of the country.
Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra on Friday said the state government has planned to give preference to “agniveers” -- soldiers recruited in Army, Navy and Air Force on a short-term contract under the special “Agnipath” scheme -- in recruitment to police services in the state, even as the Congress state unit attacked the Centre over the recruitment scheme.
Jnanendra said he felt that the Centre and states should look into who are behind instigating military service aspirants to resort to a violent protest on the Agnipath issue in some parts of the country.
His comments come at a time when protests against the new armed forces recruitment scheme continued on Friday, with agitators targeting the houses of Bihar deputy chief minister Renu Devi and state BJP president and MP Sanjay Jaiswal. Violent protests also broke out in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, West Bengal and Odisha.
However, there were no protests reported from Karnataka.
“Expressing fear that something might happen in the future one should not burn things like trains and public properties, it (Agnipath) is a new scheme. There are certain sections which don’t want any change in this country, they are behind such things (violent protest),” Jnanendra said.
Speaking to reporters here, the minister termed the Agnipath scheme as “good”, and said in countries like Israel, military service was mandatory, while here the intention is to train (agniveers) for four years along with a salary and to induct 25 per cent of them into the military services.
“We have planned to induct such personnel (agniveers) trained with the military into police services, as it will help us. They will also get various job opportunities, and in times of war or emergencies they can be pressed into service,” he added.
The Karnataka Congress unit on Friday lashed out at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over the scheme, stating it would have an adverse impact on the security of the country. “The new #AgneepathScheme to recruit soldiers will push youth into unemployment & will have an adverse impact on the security of the country. @BJP4India should drop the new plan & recruit soldiers as per the existing process,” Siddaramaiah, the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka assembly said in a post on Twitter.
“Is the @BJP4India govt so bankrupt that they are unable to ensure job security, and to pay salaries & pensions to our committed soldiers? @narendramodi should not play with our security to cover up the govt’s bankruptcy,” the Congress leader added.
“People of our country have taught a lesson to @BJP4India govt when they tried to implement anti-farmer laws. People should again teach a lesson for playing with the future of our youth & our soldiers,” Siddaramaiah said.
The prime minister on Friday announced that the age restrictions on the scheme would be relaxed by one year to account for around two years lost due to Covid-19.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said the relaxation of the age limit shows that the Prime Minister is sensitive to the needs of the people.
“As the recruitment process in the Armed Forces was affected for last two years due to the pandemic, PM @narendramodi Ji (PM Modi) has relaxed the upper age limit for recruitment through Agnipath scheme in the first year of recruitment from 21 to 23 years,” Bommai said in a series of tweet.
“This proves that the government under Modi Ji is sensitive to the needs of our people. It will benefit a large number of youth. They will march gloriously on the path of service to their motherland and carve a bright future for themselves. I thank PM on behalf of the youth of the country,” he added.
(With agency inputs )
