Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Congress on Monday knocked the President's doors seeking justice for around two lakh youth who were offered jobs in the military but later withdrawn following the introduction of the Agnipath scheme, which the party insisted it would scrap if voted to power in the Centre.
Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to President Droupadi Murmu seeking to “highlight the ‘anyay’ or injustice inflicted on the lakhs of youth whose dreams did not materialise despite the solemn promise” made by the government.
He said that he met a group of youth who told him that two lakh young men and women were informed about being chosen into the three armed services between 2019 and 2022 but not given joining letters after the introduction of the Agnipath scheme.
“Until 31 May, 2022 they believed that they had fulfilled their dreams and were awaiting only their joining letters. On that day, their dreams were shattered by the Government of India's decision to end this recruitment process and replace it with the Agnipath Scheme,” he said.
“Not only did they spend years in pursuit of this dream, but the Rs 250 each of 50 lakh applicants had to pay to collect and application form was never refunded, which amounts to a hefty Rs 125 crore taken from these youngsters. The resulting frustration and hopelessness has even led to several reported deaths by suicide,” he said.
Kharge said the majority of ‘Agniveers’ will be released into an uncertain job market after four years of service, which some have argued could affect social stability. “Our youth cannot be allowed to suffer in this manner. I appeal to you to ensure that Nyay and justice is done,” Kharge added.
Tagging Kharge's letter, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on X, “we are with the military candidates, who are full of patriotism and bravery, in the fight for justice”.
Addressing a press conference here, Congress General Secretary Sachin Pilot said the Agnipath scheme will not benefit anybody except saving some money for the government of India. “We in the Congress believe that the Agnipath programme is not a positive development and we will certainly go back to the old recruitment system when people vote us back,” Pilot said.
While Pilot claimed that the scheme is closing avenues of employment and it has been done in an ad-hoc fashion, Congress MP Deepender Hooda said several military recruitment processes were completed during and before the outbreak of Covid-19 and only joining was left.
"But after the introduction of the "Agnipath" scheme, these youngsters selected by the government were not given joining letters," he said.