New Delhi, June 17 (Agency) The Congress on Friday asked the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre to immediately revoke the Agneepath scheme, claiming that it is not in the interest of ‘national security ‘ or the youth of the country. “We demand that the Agnipath scheme should be taken back immediately. This recruitment scheme is neither in favour of our national security nor it is in the favour of our future security of our youngsters,” Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda said at a press conference at the party headquarters here. He further said,”This is a scheme not suited to the Indian Army and nation.” The Congress MP, however, demanded three years relaxation in age to all the youngsters who are preparing for the Armed forces. He claimed that for the last three years no recruitment rally has taken place. “The two years announced by the Defence Minister is inadequate. We demand the government apologise to the youth of the country why for the last three years no recruitment has taken place in the last three years in the Army,” Hooda said.
Attacking the ruling BJP, the MP said, “Why is the Prime Minister not thinking about the aspirations of the youth of the country ? The government brought this scheme to divert the attention of the people from its failure of addressing the ‘unemployment issue’. It is unfortunate.” He also appealed to the youth to keep patience and express their view through non violence’. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP KC Venugopal, wrote to Chairman of Parliament Standing Committee on Defence, Jual Oram to convene an urgent meeting to discuss in detail the Agnipath scheme with all the stakeholders and defence experts. “There is widespread anger among the youth with regard to this scheme particularly due to its temporary nature, lack of pension and health care benefits,” Venugopal, who is also the member of Standing Committee on Defence said. The Centre on Thursday night increased the upper age limit for the recruitment process for Agnipath scheme for 2022 is increased to 23 years from 21 years. The Government has decided that a one-time waiver shall be granted for the proposed recruitment cycle for 2022. Government said it is “Cognizant of the fact that it has not been possible to undertake the recruitment during the last two years”. Massive protests have erupted across the country following the government’s announcement of the new recruitment scheme Agnipath for the forces, where youth would be hired for four years into the three wings of the armed forces as ‘Agniveers’.