New Delhi, June 16 : Amid the countrywide protest held by youth against the announcement of Agneepath scheme, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday urged the Centre not to limit the service period for the new recruits in the armed forces to just four years.
Kejriwal in a series of tweets extended his support to the aspirants of defence services who are protesting against the radical scheme which replaces the traditional recruitment method in the defence forces.
He appealed to the centre to allow the youth to serve nation for entire life.
“The central government’s new scheme in army recruitment is being opposed everywhere in the country. Young people are very angry and their demands are very right. Army is the pride of our nation. Our youth want to give their whole life to the country, don’t keep their dreams tied in four years,” he tweeted.
“I appeal to the central government to allow the youth of this country to serve lifelong in the armed forces, not just 4 years. Opportunity should also be extended to the candidates who crossed their eligible age criteria due to a stall in the recruitment process for the last 2 years,” Kejriwal’s next tweet read.
Agnipath or ‘Agniveer’ scheme is a process announced by the Centre for recruiting soldiers in the Army, Navy and Air force for a term of four years on contract. The scheme was announced by Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday.
Opposition leaders and parties are demanding the Centre to scrap the policy.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav have condemned the scheme.
Yadav called the the move by Centre “negligent” and potentially “fatal” for the country’s future.
Meanwhile, BJP’s rebel MP Varun Gandhi also condemned the scheme.