A day after the central authorities introduced the ‘Agnipath’ scheme for recruiting youthful troopers, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh joined others in criticising the federal government’s transfer to interchange a “perfectly good working system”. Earlier, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel had warned that the transfer at hand over weapons to the youth and prepare them to kill would possibly create a destabilising scenario within the nation.
Questioning the logic behind the ‘All India All Class’ technique of recruitment, Amarinder Singh, who was posted with the Sikh Regiment, mentioned that this measure will kill the already current single class Regiments. “What is the rationale to do so, I do not understand,” Amarinder was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
Pointing out {that a} related train had turned futile, Amarinder instructed IE, “These regiments have been performing well in their present character so why change it? I do not agree at all with this move. These regiments have their own traditions and way of living and how do you expect a person who is not from that background to understand that.”
Amarinder additionally acknowledged that the proposed 4 years of coaching was too much less a time to prepare, at the least of six-seven years is required. “There used to be a seven-year service period and a reserve liability of seven years. But four years is too little time for a soldier to be effective at the cutting edge,” he instructed IE.
Raising questions on the intention of the scheme, Chattisgarh CM Baghel instructed journalists at a press convention, “It (the scheme) means that the jawans will be taught how to fire a gun and then let them off into society. What do they intend to do? If they are recruiting people into the forces, then allow them to continue till 35 years. By then they will gain maturity. You are going to recruit an 18 year old boy and leave him at 22 giving him a gun and a gun license…aap kya banana chahte hai desh ko. Kis disha main le jana chah rahe hain, while adding, “You have bad intentions. You are trying to instigate the youth. Give them jobs for 20 years.”.
Rajasthan CM Gehlot, who was current on the identical presser, joined in and added, “And who will be those youngsters? Will they be workers of the RSS or the BJP? It is to be seen. You are going to teach them to handle weapons for four years. You had promised to give 2 crore jobs every year. They don’t have an answer to that. Unemployment is at an all-time high, people are facing problems…and they have floated a new ‘shagoofa’…only time will tell what is their approach.”
Yesterday, the federal government, whereas unveiling the ‘Agnipath’ scheme, mentioned that the forces will begin a mass recruitment drive in 90 days to make use of 46,000 ‘Agniveers’ this 12 months in a bid to decrease the common age of the Indian military and, the eligible age for choice being between 17.5 years to 21 years.
Source: www.financialexpress.com”