New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has criticised the government of India’s Agnipath scheme, describing the Agniveer initiative as ‘use-and-throw labour.’
“Rahul Gandhi slams govt over Agnipath issue, says Agniveer is ‘use-and-throw labour’ for gout,” PTI tweeted quoting Gandhi.
The Agnipath scheme, introduced by the government, aims to recruit youth into the armed forces for a four-year term. This scheme, which has faced huge backlash, intends to reduce the age profile of the armed forces and create a youthful army, as claimed by GoI.
Under the Agnipath scheme, recruits, known as Agniveers, undergo six months of training followed by three and a half years of service. After completing their tenure, 25% of the Agniveers may be retained in the regular cadre, while the remaining 75% will be demobilised with a severance package.
Previous reports quoting critics argue that the scheme offers no job security or long-term benefits to the youth.
