Agnipath scheme has compromised India’s defence capabilities against China: Jairam Ramesh

Continuing the party’s attack on the government over the Agnipath scheme, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday said that it is against the interests of the country’s security and the future of the youth.

He alleged that the scheme has compromised India’s defence capabilities against China. In a video statement released on X, Jairam Ramesh said that the scheme is “a compromise with the country’s security”.

He said after the scheme was implemented by the Modi government, the number of youth being taken into armed forces has reduced to about a fourth of nearly 75,000 recruited earlier.

He said the youth taken through the scheme are given training for six months and are sent to the borders.

He claimed that the service chiefs had opposed the Agnipath scheme.

Jairam Ramesh also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks at an all-party meeting in 2020 following border tensions with China and said these remarks had weakened India’s negotiating position.

He said the “outgoing PM” will have to answer for the scheme after results of Lok Sabha polls on June 4.

In the post on X accompanying his video statement, Jairam Rames alleged that the Agnipath scheme had been brought by the Prime Minister without any consultations.

“It has compromised our capabilities against China,” he said.

Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi have been raking up Agniveer scheme in their poll rallies.

The Agnipath scheme was announced by the Centre in June 2022. It provides for recruiting soldiers for four years, with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them in regular service. Those recruited under the scheme are called ‘Agniveers’. The government has said there will be several job and other avenues open for the youth who are not retained in the defence forces after four years.

Congress has said in its manifesto for Lok Sabha polls that it will “scrap the Agnipath Scheme and return to the normal recruitment processes followed by the Army, Navy and Air Force that will guarantee economic and social security for our soldiers”.

 

[J S Roy Choudhury]

The government which dilly-dallied on crucial arms purchases for several decades at a stretch, starving the armed forces by not giving them aircrafts, submarines, battle tanks, small arms, ammunitions, snow-boots, polar apparels or even bullet proof jackets - they are now talking about 'compromised'!

Their defence minister has admitted on record in the parliament that they did not have money to buy aircrafts, while the IAF was facing the doomsday scenario with depleting squadron strength. All they were interested in were foreign deals which will fill their coffers - each scam was larger that the previous.

Who is this Jairam Ramesh? He has never ever won an election. His sole claim to fame was that he was 'nominated' to the Rajya Sabha by the Congress in 2009 and by virtue of that handed out favour has handled portfolios of Forest, Rural Development and Drinking waters etc. in the capacity of minister of state and union minister. He doesn't even know what he is speaking about - probably he is reading out the script written by some ill-informed propaganda guy.

Such 'spokespersons' do not even realise their follies. They just act as 'His Master's Voice".