PM Modi has 'betrayed' country's youth: AAP on Agnipath scheme

AAP also exhorted the country's youth to 'wake up' and raise their voice against the Centre's decision

The AAP on Thursday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "betrayed" the country's youth with the announcement of the ‘Agnipath’ scheme for recruitment into the armed forces, and demanded that the decision be withdrawn.

In a video message, the party's Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Sanjay Singh also exhorted the country's youth to "wake up" and raise their voice against the Centre's decision "in a democratic manner", claiming that those to be joining the armed forces under the scheme would be left nowhere after completing the four years of their service.

"The Agnipath scheme for army recruitment is a clear betrayal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with 20 crore youth of the country. The government has stabbed the youth of the country in their back," Singh charged.

Read | Centre rejects criticism against Agnipath, issues 'myth vs facts' document

He dubbed the recruitment scheme as anti-youth and claimed that it will only benefit the private companies as it will cater to their demand for trained security personnel.

"The Narendra Modi government has given a gift to the private companies, saying don’t worry we will get you trained soldiers for their deployment as security guards," Singh alleged.

AAP leader said that the announcement of the scheme has sparked a nationwide outrage as it came as a shocker to the country's youth who had been waiting for the central government to start recruitment into the armed forces.

Read | Mayawati, Varun Gandhi hit out at government's 'Agnipath' scheme

This Agnipath scheme has come after a series of jumlas by Prime Minister Modi with regard to providing jobs to the country's youth who brought him at the helm at the Centre contributing to the victory of the BJP in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he said.

"After four years of service under the Agnipath scheme, you will have only two situations to face in your life, either you will be forced to commit suicide due to unemployment or you will be searching for a job of a security guard in private companies" the AAP leader claimed.

Singh demanded that the government withdraw the scheme, saying the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will raise the issue with "full force" from day one of the upcoming Parliament Session if his demand is not fulfilled.

Also Read | Violent protests against Agnipath rock Bihar; BJP leaders attacked, JD(U) seeks rollback

He also exhorted the country's youth to raise their voice against the schemes and assured the AAP's support to them, saying Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has already raised his voice "in your favour".

"I want to tell the country's youth -- wake up and make your voice strong for your rights. In a democracy, we have the right to raise our voices in a democratic manner. Raise your voice to claim your rights. We are with you," Singh said.

"The government will have to bend down before you as it did before the farmers after their year-long agitation (against the three farm laws)," he added.

The party's reaction came hours after Kejriwal came out in support of defence job aspirants protesting against the Agnipath scheme and appealed to the Central government to give them the chance to serve the country throughout their life, not just four years.

The Agnipath scheme, announced on Tuesday, seeks to recruit soldiers in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force on short-term contract of four years.

"Appeal to the central government: Youth should be given the chance to serve the country their whole life, not four years. Those who became overage due to lack of recruitment in the Army in the last two years should also be given a chance," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

Kejriwal added that the youth are "unhappy" and oppose the Agnipath scheme across the country.