West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged the Narendra Modi-led Centre to extend the retirement age of 'Agniveers’, recruits of the newly announced Agnipath scheme to 65 years, failing which, she said, they will have an ‘uncertain’ future after a four-year contract comes to an end.
“What will these soldiers do after four years? What will be their fate? It’s uncertain,” Banerjee was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. “My motto is to create more employment opportunities unlike policies of the BJP- led central government that train people for four months and recruit them for four years… We demand that the retirement age be extended to 65 years,” the Trinamool Congress boss added.
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Banerjee said the saffron party has launched the new defence recruitment scheme keeping in mind the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Under the Agnipath scheme, people between the ages of 17.5 and 21 years will be recruited into the military service of their choice for four years. After this tenure, 25% of the Agniveers will be retained and the remaining 75% will be permitted to return to civilian life.
The introduction of the scheme triggered nationwide protests by armed forces aspirants as well as the Opposition. In the wake of widespread protests, the ministry of home affairs relaxed the upper age limit for Agnipath aspirants from 21 to 23 years for the first year (2022 cycle) only and also announced a 10 per cent reservation for 'Agniveers' in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles.
{{/usCountry}}The introduction of the scheme triggered nationwide protests by armed forces aspirants as well as the Opposition. In the wake of widespread protests, the ministry of home affairs relaxed the upper age limit for Agnipath aspirants from 21 to 23 years for the first year (2022 cycle) only and also announced a 10 per cent reservation for 'Agniveers' in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier too, the Bengal chief minister had hit out at the Modi government over the new military recruitment scheme, saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party was trying to create its own armed cadre through the programme.
"The BJP is trying to create its own armed cadre base through this scheme. What will they do after four years? The party wants to give arms into the hands of the youth”, Banerjee was quoted as saying by PTI.