Congress Launches Protest Demanding Recruitment Of Youths Selected For Forces Before Agnipath Rollout

Early last year, the Centre introduced some changes to the scheme, including raising the upper age limit for those aspiring to be drafted as Agniveers to 23 years.

Soldiers recruited under the Agnipath scheme of the Indian Armed forces undergo weapon training. ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: The ex-servicemen’s department of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Thursday launched a four-day protest near the iconic Jantar Mantar in the national capital, demanding that those selected for defence services prior to the rollout of the Centre’s Agnipath scheme be recruited at the earliest, PTI reported.

The first day of the protest drew more than 300 youths, the agency quoted the organisers as saying.

Speaking to PTI, Colonel (Retd.) Rohit Chaudhry from the ex-servicemen department of the Congress, claimed that as many as 1.5 lakh youths, who “had been selected for recruitment in the defence forces prior to the introduction of the Agnipath scheme”, are yet to be formally drafted into the forces.

“To join the services, they had completed all formalities and qualified for the final selection. We had been requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow these youths to join the forces. But nothing has happened on the ground,” Col (retd) Chaudhary told PTI.

The Congress had led the chorus against the Centre’s tri-services recruitment scheme, which enables the youth to join the armed forces for a period of four years as recruits below the rank of commissioned officers. As per the scheme that was launched on June 15, 2022, at the end of their engagement period, the Agniveers will have the option to apply for the permanent cadre but will not be up for the automatic selection.

Early last year, the Centre introduced some changes to the scheme, including raising the upper age limit for those aspiring to be drafted as Agniveers to 23 years.

Accusing the Centre of playing with the futures of youths who, he claimed have been awaiting their joining letters for the last 3-4 years, Col (retd) Chaudhary told PTI, “More than 60 lakh youths had appeared for their physical examinations and more than 1.5 lakh youths were selected for the recruitment purpose from all over the country. But they were not called for the written examination.”

He claimed further that a delegation of youths, who are yet to be drafted into the forces, met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh earlier.

Though the minister assured them a written exam, nothing happened since, Col (retd) Chaudhary alleged, adding that the promise was merely a ‘jumla’.

Feeling cheated, these youths embarked on a foot march last year, on October 24, from Bihar's Champaran to Delhi in a bid to step up pressure on the Centre to deliver on the promise.

“We got permission to hold a four-day protest at Jantar Mantar. Many youths were expected to reach Delhi for the protest, but they were stopped due to the Budget Session. All these youths will stay here at the Jantar Mantar only for the purpose. We are not creating any law and order situation. These youths are demanding their rights only,” Chaudhry told PTI.

Adding that the country needs a permanent and not a ‘contractual army’ for four years under the Agnipath scheme, he said, “The western border is about 1,400 kilometres, we share a 3,800-km-long border with China and 6,500 kms of coastline with other countries. We need a permanent force to defend our borders”, according to PTI.

He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is in the midst of his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ currently, personally met these 1.5 lakh youths, assuring them that the Agnipath scheme would be rolled back if his party were to be voted to power at the Centre this year.