Punjab assembly to bring resolution against Agnipath
CHANDIGARH: Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday announced that the Punjab government will bring a resolution in the state assembly to oppose the Centre’s Agnipath recruitment scheme for armed forces.
The CM made the announcement on the floor of the House during zero hour after leader of opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa raised the issue and demanded that a resolution should be passed by the state assembly against the recruitment scheme. BJP leader Ashwani Sharma opposed the suggestion. The resolution will be tabled before the House on Thursday, it is learnt.
Raising the issue, Bajwa said that 20% youths recruited by armed forces used to be from Punjab, but governments then made the recruitment population-based and the state’s representation dipped to 7.8%. “With this new scheme, it will come down further to 2.3%,” he said, pressing for a joint resolution.
Mann readily seconded the suggestion, calling it an emotional issue. “When a 17-year-old would get recruited and return at the age of 21, he would not even be married. He would not be able to call himself a former soldier or use the (defence) canteen facility. I am against this scheme,” he said.
The CM said that Agnipath is a “whimsical and irrational” move of the central government that will destroy the basic fabric of the Indian Army. He said no one, except BJP leaders, has ever understood the merits of schemes like demonetisation, GST, draconian farm laws and others. “Agnipath is an addition to such baseless moves, which no one is able to understand. Not just the Punjab assembly, but all state assemblies across the country should pass a resolution against this scheme,” he said.
BJP MLA Ashwani Sharma, however, opposed the LoP’s suggestion, accusing him of misleading everyone. “They are opposing it because they know that if this scheme works their prospects in the 2029 (Lok Sabha) polls would take a beating,” he said. The BJP leader said those recruited at 17 would get an educational qualification, skill training and ₹47 lakh by the age of 21, and 25% of them would be selected as regular cadre.
Resolution against ban on Moose Wala’s song
Congress member Sukhpal Khaira also demanded that the banning of singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s song should be condemned by the state assembly to protect freedom of speech, and made a part of the resolution to be brought against the recruitment scheme. Mann also supported his suggestion.