Punjab Assembly Passes Resolution Against Agnipath Scheme, CM Mann Calls It 'Anti-Youth'

Agnipath Scheme: CM Mann said in the assembly, "The unilateral announcement of Agneepath scheme by the Government of India led to protests across the country."

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann (File photo: AFP)

New Delhi: The Punjab Assembly passed a resolution against the Centre's Agnipath scheme in the Assembly on Thursday. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann made this proposal during the budget session. Accordingly, the state government will place a demand for immediate withdrawal of the Agneepath scheme in front of the Center. However, Two BJP legislators Ashwani Sharma and Jangi Lal Mahajan opposed the resolution.

Reading out the resolution, CM Mann said in the assembly, "The unilateral announcement of Agneepath scheme by the Government of India led to protests across the country."

“The BJP leaders have been claiming that if you are able to understand, you will find it good. Only they have the ability to understand? Aren’t we intelligent? The laws which the common people cannot understand should not be made. Resolutions should be passed against Agnipath in each Vidhan Sabha of the country,” he said in the Assembly. 

The new Agnipath scheme allows youth between the ages of 17-and-a-half and 21 years to apply for various posts of Defence services for a four-year tenure, while 25 per cent of them will be subsequently inducted for regular service. 

Ever since the Agnipath scheme was announced by the BJP-led Central government on June 14, violent protests against it were witnessed in several states with angry military aspirants blocking national highways, damaging public properties, and setting ablaze several trains and railway assets.

Several Opposition parties including Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and others demanded its rollback.