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Bhagwant Mann seeks Agnipath rollback: 'Insult for Army, deception with youth'
Agnipath scheme - The scheme aims to bring down the average age in security forces, government has said.
Punjab chief minister Bhgwant Mann on Friday joined the growing list of leaders voicing their concern against the new military recruitment scheme - 'Agnipath'. With the protests having entered the third day, tensions have escalated in many states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana and Telangana where one person died in the midst of tensions in Secunderabad on Friday.
In his tweet, Bhagwant Mann demanded a roll back of the scheme. "After stopping army recruitments for two years, centre's new diktat - stay in Army for four years, and then don't get pension. This is an insult for army and a deception for the youth of the country. The youth across the country is angry. The decision has been taken without deliberation. We demand that decision be revoked."
A majority of opposition leaders - including Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati, and Akhilesh Yadav - have spoken about the halt in the army recruitment process due to the pandemic after the new scheme was unveiled on Tuesday. Mann's tweet comes a day after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the centre to consider dropping the short-term condition. "Appeal to the central government that youth should be given a chance to serve the country for the whole life, not four years. Those who crossed the age limit in the last two years, should also be given a chance." he said in a tweet in Hindi.
"The central government's new scheme in army recruitment is being opposed everywhere in the country. Young people are very angry. Their demands are justified. Army is the pride of our country, our youth want to give their whole life to the country, don't keep their dreams tied to four years," he had said.
On Friday, trains were torched in three states and protests continued to simmer in many other parts of the country. The Delhi Police is alert and entry at some metro stations were restricted while gatherings have been banned in neighouring Gurugram.
One person has died in Telangana's Secunderabad amid confrontations between cops and agitators. In UP, security forces are on alert after an isolated coach of a train was set afire in Ballia. Bihar too is on edge amid the protests with the JDU, BJP's coalition partner, urging for a rethink.
Meanwhile, the government on Thursday night increased the upper age limit from 21 to 23 for the Agniveer scheme.
The government on Tuesday had said that enrolment in the scheme "will be based on ‘All India All Class’ basis and the eligible age will be in range from 17.5 to 21 years".
