NEW DELHI: Union home minister
Amit Shah
on Saturday alleged that Congress MP
Rahul Gandhi
is speaking “absolute lies” about the
Agniveer scheme
, the short-term defence recruitment model unveiled by the Centre in 2022, and added that a
misconception
is being spread about it.
While talking with the ANI news agency, Amit Shah said that Rahul is misguiding the people about the Agniveer scheme.
“The
politics
of this country has changed after Rahul Gandhi came into politics. Earlier, political parties used to twist actual issues in front of the people, but they never made falsehood an issue. Rahul Gandhi has started a new tradition that only a false thing should be made an issue. The best example of this is the Agniveer scheme… A misconception is being spread all over the country that after 4 years, 75% Agniveers will be left future-less and their life will be ruined…” the minister said.
” The scheme is that if 100 people become Agniveer, 25% of them would be permanently posted in the Army. For the remaining 75%, BJP rules states have made a 10-20% reservation in their state police force. 10% reservation has been given in the central government’s paramilitary force also. Other than the reservation, they will get a lot of relaxation in the selection process, like age, examination, and they also do not have to go through the physical tests. After this, there might hardly be any Agniveer who might not get a job,” he added.
He further stated, “A lot of security companies have also prioritised Agniveers… He will receive a hefty salary for 4 years and after that, he will get a permanent job with gratuity… Rahul Gandhi is saying absolute lies for the advantage of his party and misguiding the people…”
Since the Agniveer scheme was launched in India in 2022, several people had protested and even political parties like SP and Congress promised the voters that if they form the government they will scrap the scheme.
On Friday, the Congress leader alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘betrayed’ the youth dreaming of serving the country by “forcibly” imposing the Agnipath scheme. The Congress has promised that it will scrap the Agnipath scheme if it comes to power.
The ‘Agnipath’ scheme provides for recruiting youngsters in the age bracket of 17 years and a half to 21 years for a four-year period, with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years and with more conditions which make the scheme not likeable among the youths.
