On Friday, Congress MP KC Venugopal requested Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence Chairman Jual Oram to call an emergency meeting of all stakeholders and defense experts to discuss the Central government’s newly announced Agniveer program.
In his letter, the Congress MP said that violent demonstrations against the newly announced recruitment plan are ongoing throughout the nation. “As you are aware, violent protests against the Central Government’s recently announced Agniveer Recruitment Scheme are still taking place across the country. This system has sparked significant outrage among the young, owing to its temporary character, absence of pension, and health-care benefits.”
Mr. Venugopal, a Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence, pointed out the program’s flaws, saying, “It is also noted that the system contains several hazards, including the subversion of the armed services’ long-standing traditions.
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There is also widespread concern that the troops recruited under the system would not get the necessary training in the projected six-month period. For obvious reasons, it is clear that the project is poorly conceived and quickly drafted without extensive stakeholder participation.”
He also encouraged the Standing Committee on Defence to organize an emergency meeting as soon as possible to study and ponder the Agnipath project in depth.
“In this context, I encourage you to call an emergency meeting of the Standing Committee on Defence as soon as possible to debate and consider in-depth the Agnipath proposal. It is also suggested that all significant stakeholders and defense professionals be invited to provide their views and opinions on the matter, “He said.
Protests over the new Armed Forces recruiting process have erupted in several areas of the nation. Protests got violent in several areas, with trains being set on fire.
Meanwhile, demonstrations against the newly announced military recruiting program, Agnipath, in Telangana’s Secunderabad became violent on Friday, killing one person.
Protesters had already set fire to compartments of a train in Samastipur, Bihar, and those of another train at Lakhisarai station.
The government, for example, introduced the Agnipath Scheme on June 14 to alter the Armed Forces’ recruiting procedure. The Centre has decided to alter the maximum age restriction for recruiting Agniveers in response to the Opposition’s criticism of the new military recruitment plan.
The Agniveer upper age restriction for recruitment under Agnipath Scheme has been increased to 23 years from 21 years, thanks to a one-time waiver granted by the Centre on June 16, 2022.
Agnipath is the program’s name, and the chosen kids will be known as Agniveers. Agnipath is a program that permits patriotic and determined young people to serve in the Armed Forces for four years.
