Opposition lawmakers at a meeting of the Defense Ministry’s advisory committee called for the immediate cancellation of the Agneepath project for recruitment into the Indian Army. Opposition lawmakers suggested that the project be sent to the parliamentary standing committee of the defense ministry to look into all aspects of the Agneepath project, in addition to withdrawing it. At the end of the meeting, Trinamool Congress’s Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Saugata Roy, Congress’s Shakti Singh Gohil and Rajni Patil submitted a memorandum demanding withdrawal of the project. Although criticizing the project brought by the Narendra Modi government, Manish Tiwari, a member of the committee and a Congress MP, did not sign the memorandum.
Details about the Agneepath project
Last month, the Modi government announced the Agneepath project for recruitment in the Indian Army. At the end of four years, 75 percent of the personnel in each batch will have to retire. It was announced in the project that maximum 25 per cent personnel would be given permanent jobs on the basis of vacancies. A large number of rural youths join the army for the purpose of permanent employment and pension in the army. A section of the unemployed youth was on the way as the Narendra Modi government had taken the policy of blocking the way to that mature job. Violence spread across the country. Following the source of the violence yesterday, Trinamool MP Saugata Roy said at the end of the meeting, “If those unemployed youths take to the streets after four years of service, the law and order of the country will be endangered.” In this context, Saugata-Sudip cited the recent death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan. “Shinzo Abe was killed by the same person who left the defence ministry. That issue was raised at today’s meeting,” Saugata said.
At the meeting, Sudip claimed that the Trinamool Congress was strongly opposed to the plan and that the amount of discussion that should have taken place before such a plan was launched did not take place. “So we and other opposition lawmakers have demanded the immediate withdrawal of the project and send it to the parliamentary standing committee of the defence ministry so that there can be enough discussion,” Saugata said.
Conclusion
Before the meeting, the Centre gave a ‘background note’ to the members of the advisory committee. At the beginning of the meeting yesterday, in the presence of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, the army officials gave detailed information about the project. According to sources, the meeting highlighted the success of the project as more than seven lakh applications were received for 3,000 posts in the Air Force. In opposition, Saugata said, “This is not a success of the project at all. The high number of applications in the country is due to high unemployment.” According to sources, like the Trinamool Congress, Shakti Singh Gohil, Rajni Patil, Supriya Sule of the NCP and Amarendra Singh of the RJD were vocal in their opposition to the project.