NEW DELHI: He argued that this discrepancy would lead to Indian soldiers, termed as “Agniveers,” facing significant challenges in combat situations.
Gandhi attributed the conceptualisation of the “Agniveer Yojana” to the Prime Minister, stating that the Army opposes the scheme. He pledged that if the Congress comes to power, they would abolish the recruitment initiative, asserting that it undermines the status and benefits of soldiers.According to Gandhi, soldiers under the Agniveer scheme would not receive pensions, canteen facilities, or martyr status, unlike their counterparts in the regular Army.
The Agnipath recruitment scheme, launched by the government in June 2022, aims to recruit personnel for shorter terms to reduce the age profile of the armed forces. It targets youths aged between 17-and-a-half years and 21, offering them four-year terms with the option to extend for 15 additional years.
Gandhi reiterated the Congress party’s commitment to abolishing the Agniveer scheme, highlighting that it was included in their manifesto, “Nyay Patra.” He alleged that the scheme was devised by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) without the support of the Army.
Furthermore, Gandhi emphasised the Congress party’s promises outlined in their manifesto, focusing on initiatives for women, youths, farmers, and the economically disadvantaged. He reiterated their pledge to conduct a caste-based census, which he described as a “social X-ray.”
In summary, Rahul Gandhi‘s statements at the rally underscored his opposition to the Agniveer scheme, citing concerns about its impact on soldiers’ welfare and readiness. He positioned the Congress party as champions of the Army’s interests and vowed to address the scheme’s shortcomings if elected to power.
Gandhi attributed the conceptualisation of the “Agniveer Yojana” to the Prime Minister, stating that the Army opposes the scheme. He pledged that if the Congress comes to power, they would abolish the recruitment initiative, asserting that it undermines the status and benefits of soldiers.According to Gandhi, soldiers under the Agniveer scheme would not receive pensions, canteen facilities, or martyr status, unlike their counterparts in the regular Army.
The Agnipath recruitment scheme, launched by the government in June 2022, aims to recruit personnel for shorter terms to reduce the age profile of the armed forces. It targets youths aged between 17-and-a-half years and 21, offering them four-year terms with the option to extend for 15 additional years.
Gandhi reiterated the Congress party’s commitment to abolishing the Agniveer scheme, highlighting that it was included in their manifesto, “Nyay Patra.” He alleged that the scheme was devised by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) without the support of the Army.
Furthermore, Gandhi emphasised the Congress party’s promises outlined in their manifesto, focusing on initiatives for women, youths, farmers, and the economically disadvantaged. He reiterated their pledge to conduct a caste-based census, which he described as a “social X-ray.”
In summary, Rahul Gandhi‘s statements at the rally underscored his opposition to the Agniveer scheme, citing concerns about its impact on soldiers’ welfare and readiness. He positioned the Congress party as champions of the Army’s interests and vowed to address the scheme’s shortcomings if elected to power.