BJP Chief Ministers Firefight 'Agnipath' Protests With Job Promises

New Delhi: Chief Ministers of several states where the BJP is in power have promised preference in jobs to those who serve the armed forces under the short-term Agnipath recruitment scheme. This came amid protests by army aspirants against four-year contractual  hiring of soldiers, announced by the BJP-led central government on June 14.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged the protesting young men not to fall for "anyone's deceptions". In his tweet in Hindi, he said the scheme "will give a new dimension to your life", adding, "We will give preference to Agniveers in police and other services." He had made this commitment earlier but reiterated it in light of the protests.

आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री जी के मंशानुरूप 'अग्निपथ योजना' युवाओं को राष्ट्र व समाज की सेवा हेतु तैयार करेगी, उन्हें गौरवपूर्ण भविष्य का अवसर प्रदान करेगी। @UPGovt आश्वस्त करती है कि 'अग्निवीरों' को सेवा के उपरांत पुलिस व पुलिस के सहयोगी बलों में समायोजित करने में प्राथमिकता दी जाएगी।

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) June 16, 2022

 

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced these recruits will be given priority in the state police recruitment.

 

The government plans to hire men and women in the age bracket of 17.5 to 21 under the scheme, which carries no pensionary benefits. Up to 25 per cent of them may get regular commission for 15 years thereafter. Under the old system, those aged between 16.5 and 21 years were selected directly for a minimum of 15 years of service and got pension after retirement. Regular recruitment rallies have not been resumed for two years after a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 Protesters are dissatisfied with the salary of around ₹ 30,000 a month and the payout of around ₹ 12 lakh when relieved after four years. One of the rationales being seen behind the Agnipath scheme is that it will reduce the salary and pension bill of the armed forces.

मुख्यमंत्री श्री @mlkhattar ने अग्निपथ योजना के लिए प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi और रक्षा मंत्री श्री @rajnathsingh का आभार जताया। उन्होंने कहा इस योजना से सेना के माध्यम से देश सेवा के नए अवसर खुलेंगे। इस सेवा को पूरा करने वाले युवाओं को हरियाणा सरकार नौकरी में वरीयता देगी। pic.twitter.com/09kBYOvtsF

— CMO Haryana (@cmohry) June 15, 2022

Among opposition-ruled states, Congress chief ministers in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have criticised the scheme. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has demanded that it be scrapped.

 Many experts have been asking why the recruits would join the armed forces in the first place if they could directly build a career in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) or state police. Some aspirants that NDTV spoke to in Patna on Wednesday said they would now prepare for police recruitment as that has pension and other long-term prospects.

सेना, नौसेना और वायुसेना में भर्ती को लेकर प्रस्तावित बदलाव #Agnipath, #Agniveers योजना पर भारत सरकार को पुनर्विचार करना चाहिए। @PMOIndia @narendramodi @DefenceMinIndia @rajnathsingh

— Upendra Kushwaha (@UpendraKushJDU) June 16, 2022

 

The government has tried to address the worry that Agniveers released after four years will be lagging in terms of education. It has announced a new three-year bachelor's degree programme with lighter curriculum, in which half the credits required for the degree will come from skills received under the Agnipath scheme. However, only the curriculum is reduced, not the number of years for the degree.