As Hyderabad burnt in the fire of protests against the Agnipath scheme on Friday leading to one death at Secunderabad railway station, Hyderabad MP AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi lashed out at PM Modi and said PM Modi should stop hiding behind the military chiefs and take ownership of the ‘reckless decision’. “The anger of the youth of the country about their future is directed you and only you,” Owaisi tweeted. Live updates of Agnipath protest across the country
The Hyderabad MP said the anger on the street was the obvious result of the situation. Remembering the suicide of Rajeev Goswami in 1990 against the implementation of the Mandal committee's recommendations, Owaisi said the three main factors behind the 'anger on the street' were economic distress, high unemployment and super-high inflation.
"A 4th factor adding to these flames is hubris and arrogance that @PMOIndia is hiding behind service chiefs," Owaisi tweeted as the protest spiralled across the country.
{{/usCountry}}"A 4th factor adding to these flames is hubris and arrogance that @PMOIndia is hiding behind service chiefs," Owaisi tweeted as the protest spiralled across the country.
{{/usCountry}}Owaisi's 'kapdo se na pehchaniye..' dig at PM Modi over Agnipath; 'soldiers not scheme'
Protests against the scheme under which youngsters between the age of 17.5 years and 21 will be recruited in the defence for four years continued for the 3rd day after the scheme was launched on Tuesday. Late on Thursday, the government provided a one-time age relaxation raising the upper age limit from 21 to 23.
With the protests showing no sign of abating, several Union ministers on Friday sent out messages on how beneficial the scheme and the one-time age waiver are.
Owaisi targeted the government for propping up the service chief in the defence of the Agnipath scheme. Army chief General Manoj Pande on Friday said the age waiver will provide an opportunity for many young, energetic and patriotic youth who could not get a chance in the recruitment because of the pandemic in the last two years. “I feel that the youth does not know all the proper information on the Agnipath Scheme. Once they get to know about the scheme, they will have faith that this scheme is not only for the youth but is also beneficial to all,” the Army chief said.
On Thursday, Owaisi slammed the Agnipath scheme and said instead of addressing the issue of unemployment, this will only augment the problem. Tweeting a video of cops firing in the air at a protest in Haryana, Owaisi tweeted, "Do not identify these protesters by their dress, do not run a bulldozer over them either. Withdraw your wrong decision. 66% of the country's population is the youth. Understand their point."