Politics even on Kargil Diwas: Opposition slams Modi’s Agniveer remarks

“Modi-ji is saying that his government implemented the Agnipath scheme at the behest of the Army. This is a blatant lie and an unforgivable insult to our valiant Armed Forces,” he said.

PM Modi, who visited the Kargil War Memorial in Dras to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Vijay Diwas on Friday, made a veiled attack at the Opposition saying, “The Agnipath scheme is also an example of the necessary reforms done by the Army… Unfortunately, some people have made such a sensitive issue related to national security a subject of politics. These are the same people who weakened our Army by committing scams worth thousands of crore.”

Kharge in turn accused the PM of “spreading lies”. “Former Army Chief (retd.) General MM Naravane has said on record that 75% of recruits were to be taken for permanency in the ‘Agnipath Scheme’ and 25% of people were to be let go after 4 years. But the Modi Govt did the opposite, and forcibly implemented this scheme for all three Armed Forces.”

“According to news reports, former Army Chief (Retd) General MM Naravane in his book which the Modi Govt, has stalled from being published, has also said, that the ‘Agnipath Scheme’ was shocking for the Army, and for the Navy and Air Force, it came like a ‘bolt out of the blue’!” the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha posted on X.

“Many retired officers have strongly criticised Agnipath and said that it is endangering National Security and the aspirations of the rural youth, demanding that this scheme should be completely scrapped. All this is on record,” Kharge said.

Congress leader Karti Chidambaram said, “Modern warfare and modern military campaigns require a professional army which is tremendously technology oriented. Agniveer scheme neither gives training nor does it give Commission. It does not equip a soldier for modern warfare.”

JMM MP Mahua Maji said, “There should be a review of the Agniveer scheme. We should think about the soldiers on whom the whole nation of 140 crore people relies. What would happen to them after four years when they become unemployed?” the JMM MP said.

Trinamool Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen dismissed the PM’s remarks that the Agnipath scheme is intended to keep the force young.

“The Army has always been young, perhaps the prime minister does not know… They get voluntary retirement while they are young,” she said.

Samajwadi Party leader Dharmendra Yadav said the old recruitment system was better as it ensured the future of the soldiers and their families were secure.

With PTI inputs