Meghalaya governor Satya Pal Malik has a fresh concern for Agniveers
The ‘Agnipath’ scheme was announced by defence minister Rajnath Singh on June 14 along with the three service chiefs of the IAF, Army and Navy.
Meghalaya governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday took a dig at the Centre’s newly announced Agniptah scheme that lays down a four-year contractual engagement for soldiers saying those retiring without a pension after serving the armed forces would fail to attract any marriage proposal.
The former governor of Bihar, Goa and the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir called the scheme a “fraud” with the hopes of future jawans, and urged the Narendra Modi government to "reconsider" the recruitment model.
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"Future jawans will train for six months, and they will have six months of leave. After three years of job, when they return to their homes, they will hardly get any marriage proposal. The Agnipath scheme is against future jawans, and a fraud with their hopes”, Malik told news agency PTI.
The ‘Agnipath’ scheme was announced by defence minister Rajnath Singh on June 14 along with the three service chiefs of the IAF, Army and Navy. The scheme aims at recruiting young aspirants aged 17-and-a-half and 21 for the armed forces for a tenure of four years. At the end of four years, 75 per cent will be relieved from the service, while the remaining 25 per cent will be inducted into regular cadres for a term of 15 years after further assessment.
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The new military recruitment scheme has received strong criticism from the opposition as well as youth, mostly defence aspirants, demanding the scheme be rolled back. In the wake of widespread protests, the ministry of home affairs relaxed the upper age limit for Agnipath aspirants from 21 to 23 years for the first year (2022 cycle) only and also announced a 10 per cent reservation for 'Agniveers' in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles.
However, the government has dismissed demands of the rollback and repeatedly backed the move saying it will open up various avenues for India's youth and will also give them an opportunity to serve the nation.
Malik also said he had earlier raised the issue of farmers when they were protesting against the three now-repealed farm laws, and now will speak about the youth and their problems. Asked by journalists if he should have quit as a governor before raising these political issues, Malik said, "Had I got into the 'chakkar' (trap) of advisors like you, I would not have been able to reach this place. I will leave the post in a minute, if the person who has made me (a governor) asks me to do so."
(With agency inputs)
