New Delhi: Differing from his party's viewpoint on the recently launched Agnipath scheme, Congress leader and MP Manish Tewari on Thursday said the new military recruitment plan is a much-needed reform in the right direction. He also said that the armed forces should not be an employment guarantee programme. "I do empathise with youth who have concerns over Agnipath recruitment process. Reality is India needs a younger armed force with lighter human footprint savvy on technology, equipped with state of art weaponry,” Tewari tweeted.
"This is a reform which is much-needed and is a reform in the right direction," he said, adding, “Armed forces of Union shouldn't be an employment guarantee programme.”
It is to be noted that his remarks differ from his party that has criticised the government over the scheme and demanded that it should be kept in abeyance. The Congress further said that the next step should be taken after consultations with experts and others.
Notably, the government on Tuesday unveiled the Agnipath scheme for the recruitment of young soldiers in the Army, Navy and the Air Force, on a four-year contractual basis, in a major overhaul of the decades-old selection process.
Under the scheme, persons between ages 17 and a half and 21 years will be inducted into the three services. After completion of the four-year tenure, the scheme provides for retaining 25 per cent of the recruits for regular service.
The government said that the scheme will not only bring in new capabilities to the armed forces but will also open up avenues for the youth in the private sector.
Meanwhile, protests erupted in Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh two days after the Centre announced the Agnipath programme. Army aspirants at Kaimur Bhabua Road railway station in Bihar set the Intercity Express on fire, and ransacked the station platform. Earlier on Wednesday, army aspirants stopped train and road traffic in numerous districts of Bihar, while over 150 people protested by blocking the Ajmer-Delhi route.