Congress MPs and leaders protest at Jantar Mantar against Agnipath Recruitment Scheme demanding its withdrawal n maintaining status quo

The general secretary of Congress Priyanka Gandhi assured the youths of the country that Congress party is standing with them in their struggle for employment and to resolve all their all grievances. Criticizing the BJP led NDA government for introducing the Armed Forces Agnipath Recruitment Scheme guaranteeing no pension, no promotion and no secured future Priyanka Gandhi demanded immediate withdrawal of Agnipath Recruitment Scheme terming the youth of the country as our pride heartily interested to join the Indian Army with the passion of Deshprem and Balidan. She assured the youths of the country that the Indian National Congress will continue to oppose the “, No Rank, No Pension Scheme”, new Army Recruitment Scheme, by way of Satyagrah. Citing one instance of the increasing unemployment in the country Priyanka Gandhi said that she met some youths in a village of UP complaining about this scheme and no chances of any employment in future.

Some youths in a tractor while narrating their woes said that they have lost all hopes to get recruited in Indian Army especially after the Agneepath Recruitment Scheme, hence they are now, after giving up all hopes, again busy in selling sugarcane in the suger mills etc.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi expressed these sentiments today at Jantar Mantar while addressing the party MPs, office bearers and leaders of Congress sitting on Dharna, demanding immediate withdrawal of the Agnipath Employment Scheme of Indian Army introduced by the BJP led NDA government.

Several Congress leaders and members of parliament today staged a one day Dharna, holding play cards and raising slogans demanding withdrawal of the new Army employment scheme terming it as a spoiler of the youths interested to join the Army.

The Congress party wanted the status quo to be maintained instead of recruiting youths for just four years with no rank and pension facilities etc. asserted Congress leaders.

Prominent amongst those present in this Dharna were Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, general Secretary K. C. Venugopal, Deependra Hooda, former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat, former deputy CM of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot, former minister and general secretary incharge media Jairam Ramesh, Salman Khurshid, Rajya Sabha MP, Rajiv Shukla, Alka Lamba, several MPs from South and other states of the country.

Sachin Pilot and Jairam Ramesh while castigating the ruling party BJP for introducing a recruitment scheme that holds no job, no security, no pensions or promotions, demanded immediate withdrawal of Agnipath Armed Forces Recruitment Scheme also urging the protesting youths not to burn or vandalise properties or harm anyone.

They said they have every right to protest but democratically in a peaceful manner. The play cards carried by the Congress leaders at the Satyagrah at Jantar Mantar mentioned in Hindi : The youths should be recruited not under the contract system but on permanent basis. Some play cards carried slogans like : stop playing with the future of the youths of the country. Some had slogans like : Immediately withdraw the Agnipath Scheme etc.

It may be recalled that the Congress party and several opposition parties have been opposing the Agnipath Scheme tooth and nail and in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Telengana, Hyderabad and Secunderabad including in Palwal Haryana etc there had been number of vociferous protests, burning of trains and vandalism by hoodlums and angered youths opposing this scheme, demanding immediate withdrawal of Agnipath Yojna.

The government on the other hand has made some positive changes in Agnipath Armed Forces Recruitment Scheme announced by the Defence minister Rajnath Singh three days ago.

Among the concessions granted in the scheme by the government are, extension of the age of the aspirants from 21 years to 23, provision of ten percent jobs to be given to those completing four years service under Agnipath Scheme in Armed Forces in various public sector undertakings including Assam Rifles and Indian Coast Guards etc.

Union territories like Jammu and Kashmir, states like Uttarakhand etc will also accord priority in jobs for the recruits of this scheme after completion of their four year tenures.

These concessions have been given to assuage the sentiments of the angered youths who had been protesting in various states of the country.