Don’t make Agnipath prestige issue, scrap scheme: Pratibha to Centre

SHIMLA: State Congress president Pratibha Singh on Sunday urged the government to not make ‘Agnipath’ a prestige issue and roll back the short-term recruitment scheme, which has sparked nationwide protests.

“The scheme – which envisages recruitment of personnel below officer rank in the army, air force, and navy for four years, including six months training – is neither in the interest of the country nor the army,” the Mandi MP said.

“Youngsters aspiring to join the army prepare for the recruitment process for years and spend their own resources on it as well. It takes four to five years to make soldiers combatready. Besides, soldiers bank on the job to sustain their families,” she said, adding that the scheme will lower the morale of the youth and the popularity of the armed forces as a career option. “At a time when we face a threat from our neighbours, we must strengthen the armed forces rather than weakening them, “said Singh.

Congress to launch Satyagraha today

Congress in Himachal Pradesh will launch a satyagraha against the BJP-led central government on the issue of Agnipath military recruitment scheme from Monday, the party said on Sunday.

‘Anti-youth scheme: Kotli

Addressing a district-level conference of the party at Gajoh village in Hamirpur, state Congress co-in charge Gurkirat Singh Kotli dubbed the Agnipath scheme as anti-youth.

The double engine government in Himachal Pradesh has increased the inflation considerably, he said, adding that ED and CBI are being misused by BJP. State Congress working president Rajendra Rana, party’s state vice-president Indradutt Lakhanpal, district president Rajendra Jar, former National Women Congress president Anita Verma, Congress general secretary Jagjit Thakur and a large number of party workers were present at the conference.

The Congress workers were given tips regarding the upcoming assembly elections.

At a time when we face a threat from our neighbours, we must strengthen the armed forces rather than weakening them through the scheme. PRATIBHA SINGH, Himachal Congress chief

‘Scheme implemented without thinking it through’

Meanwhile, in Shimla, All India Congress Committee spokesperson Alok Sharma on Sunday accused the Centre of playing with the future of the youth in the name of ‘Agnipath’ recruitment scheme.

Talking to the media, Sharma accused the central government of implementing this scheme without any thought, like a “Tughlaqi decree”.

The AICC spokesperson said that the Agnipath scheme would prove as unsuccessful like demonetisation and farm bills.