The BJP is caught in a precarious situation with its principal ally in Bihar, the JD-U, and the Opposition parties questioning the rationale behind seeking caste and religion certificates from candidates willing to join the military short service scheme, Agnipath. Alleging that the move is part of a BJP government’s conspiracy to eliminate Agniveers through layoff on the basis of caste and religion, they have sought a formal clarification from the Centre.

What, however, came as a huge embarrassment to the Centre was the way the JD-U questioned the government’s move in public. “We are amazed to see the requirement for furnishing caste certificates for recruitment of Agniveers. We fail to understand this logic when there is no provision for reservation in army recruitment,” asked JD-U’s parliamentary board chairman Upendra Kushwaha adding, “I am confused why caste and religion certificates are being asked to submit”.

Kushwaha, who is considered close to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, urged Union Defence minister Rajnath Singh to issue a clarification in this regard to remove any confusion from people’s mind.

“A clarification must come from the Centre. Everyone wants to know what’s their use? When they have no use, it is possible that they could be misused,” the JD-U leader asserted.

Stating that the general masses were very much apprehensive about their possible misuse, Kushwaha urged the Centre to clear the misgivings from their minds. “Jawab nahin milega to ashanka to log karenge.”

Bihar Opposition leader and RJD legislator, Tejashwi Yadav, launched even the sharpest attack on the Centre over the issue, wondering as to what is the need for caste certificates where there is no provision for reservation in the army.

“The RSS-controlled BJP government has constantly refused to conduct caste census, but now is asking the Agniveers willing to sacrifice their lives for the country to reveal their castes,” Tejashwi tweeted. He alleged the caste/religion certificates could be used to terminate services of the recruited Agniveers on the very basis.

Mocking at the Centre move, he wrote in Hindi, “Jaat Na Puchho Sadhu Ki, Lekin Jaat Puchho Fauji Ki (Don’t ask the caste of a saint, but ask the caste of an soldier).”

Last month too, both the JD-U and the RJD appeared on the same page when they urged the Centre to review the Agnipath scheme in view of violent protests across the country. They even sought for withdrawal of the scheme saying it was not in the interest of the country as well as the youths who have been facing massive unemployment.