Amid opposition by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators, the Punjab Assembly, on Thursday, passed a resolution urging the Union government to immediately roll back the ‘Agnipath Scheme’ in the larger interest of the country.
Punjab is the first state to pass such a resolution, which was supported by the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal besides the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, against the Agnipath scheme in the Assembly.
Moving the resolution in this regard on the floor of the House on Thursday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the unilateral announcement of the Union government to introduce the ‘Agnipath scheme’ in the Armed forces has witnessed widespread violent resistance across the country including Punjab.
The resolution said the Punjab Assembly strongly feels that the scheme where youth will be employed in the Armed forces only for a period of four years and out of which only 25 per cent will be retained, is neither in the interest of national security nor of the youth of this country.
It said this policy is likely to create dissatisfaction among the youth who wish to serve the Armed forces of the nation throughout their life.
The CM said more than one lakh soldiers from Punjab serve the Armed Forces of the nation and the youth of Punjab consider it a matter of pride and privilege for them to serve their motherland by joining the Indian Armed Forces.
Mann said this scheme has crushed the ambitions of several youths of Punjab who have been aspiring to join the Armed Forces as regular soldiers.
“The Punjab Assembly urges the Union government to roll back the Agnipath scheme immediately” read the resolution moved by the CM.
Meanwhile, training his guns against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government for this “whimsical move”, Mann dared the BJP leaders to enroll their own sons as Agniveers before supporting this “anti-youth move”.
Mann advised the BJP leaders to stop building castles in air to support this irrational move which is detrimental to the interests of the country. He said this scheme is against the ethos of love and passion of a youth for his country and Armed forces.
The CM asked the BJP leaders to explain how the country will combat its infiltrators and enemies with an ‘Army on rent’. He cautioned them that this move will prove fatal for the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country in the coming times.
Mann said he will soon call on the Prime Minister and Union home minister to impress upon them for rolling back this move or referring it to the Defense Committee of the Parliament.