JAMMU, June 20:On AICC call , J&K Congress on Monday held "peaceful" protests across J&K against the "anti-youth" Agnipath scheme and the central government's "vendetta politics" targeting party leader Rahul Gandhi, who is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. In Jammu Congress protest was led by JKPCC Working President Raman Bhall and joined by PCC Vice Presidents Shri Mula Ram, Smt. Kanta Bhan, PCC General Secretaries Th. Balwan Singh & Th. Manmohan Singh, Ved Mahajan (Ex-MLC), Smt. Indu Pawar (Mahila Congress), DCC President Jammu Rural Hari Singh Chib, Dr. R.K. Khajuria, Pawan Raina, Sahil Sharma, Sanjeev Panda, Manjeet Jatt, Thomas Khokhar, Nadeem Sharief, Ch. Sukhdev Singh, Suresh Dogra, Rajveer Singh, Col, Swarn Singh, S. Gajan Singh, Michael Wazir Atul Sharma, Rakesh Sharma, Rajiv Saraf, , Jatin Vashisht, Kewal Krishan Jogi, Nassir Masih, Arif Malik, Janak Mehra,Gurmeet Singh, Ranjeet Chopra, Prithvi Raj, Billal Rashid, Master Ajaib Singh Motton, Des Raj, Sunil Kumar, Rattan Lal, Sukhwinder Singh, Jagdish Raj, Janak Raj, Balwinder Kumar, Bachan Lal, Mukesh Kumar, Rattan Lal Bhagat , Sharafat Singh, Arun Kumar Singh, Chran Dass, Som Raj, Raman Kumar, Hans Raj Bhagat, Sohan Lal, Joginder Lal and Several top JKPCC leaders participated in what the party called ‘satyagrah’ and demanded the government to withdraw the Agnipath scheme.
The Congress leaders said the government should immediately withdraw this scheme as it is not good for the youth. Congress leaders and supporters criticised the BJP-led central government and said that the Agnipath scheme is not beneficial for the country's youth and also jeopardises national security. They said Agnipath Scheme 'neither in national security nor national interests and demanded rollback of scheme.
While addressing media persons during protest, Bhalla said lakhs of Congress workers across the country today held peaceful protests against the anti-youth Agnipath scheme and against Modi government's vendetta politics targeting its MP Rahul Gandhi and in the evening, Congress delegation will also meet Rashtrapati and submit a memorandum on the issue of entry of Delhi Police into their party headquarters and the alleged misbehaviour with party MPs during protests against Rahul Gandhi's ED questioning. Yesterday Congress also held a 'satyagraha' at Jantar Mantar in solidarity with the youth protesting against Central Government's Agnipath Recruitment Scheme.
He slammed BJP Govt and termed it callous ,adding that despite after the Agnipath scheme, which allows Indian youths to serve in the regular cadre of the Armed Forces for a period of four years, was announced on June 14, protests erupted in various states including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Jharkhand and Assam, including J&K as a result of which protestors went on the rampage setting trains on fire, torching vehicles and damaging both private and public properties.
Criticising the Modi government over the scheme, Bhalla said for the first time in 75 years, service chiefs were being asked to defend a government’s policy decision. He also questioned the silence of PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Slamming the Centre over Agnipath Scheme, he said that the scheme will 'kill the youth' of the country and will 'finish the Army'. He said that the government is not working for the poor and youth but for big industrialists. He appealed to youths to protest peacefully against the Agnipath scheme, assuring the party's full support. Recognise fake nationalists, the entire country is with you in your struggle," he said quoting youth. He said the scheme, which was being implemented to save just a small amount of money, might have adverse implications on the national security. He said the armed forces were one of the best in the world due to its robust recruitment and professional training system. He also exhorted the country's youth to "wake up" and raise their voice against the Centre's decision "in a democratic manner", claiming that those to be joining the armed forces under the scheme would be left nowhere after completing the four years of their service.
He dubbed the recruitment scheme as anti-youth and claimed that it will only benefit the private companies as it will cater to their demand for trained security personnel. This Agnipath scheme has come after a series of jumlas by Prime Minister Modi with regard to providing jobs to the country's youth who brought him at helm at the Centre contributing to the victory of the BJP in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he said. "After four years of service under the Agnipath scheme, youth will have only two situations to face in your life, either they will be forced to get frustrated due to unemployment or they will be searching a job of security guard in private companies" Bhalla claimed.
“I request the Union government to withdraw Agnipath, which is against national interest and affects the youth’s ambition of an army job,” he said, adding the government’s rethink should also be done keeping in mind the country’s security.Bhalla said youth aspire to do an important job of service to the nation by joining the Indian Army. Congress can understand the pain of not getting recruited for the last 3 years despite having lakhs of vacant posts in the army. Congress has full sympathy with the youth who are waiting for the results and appointments after giving the recruitment examination in the Air Force."Please do not play politics on issues concerning the armed forces. The BJP is free to do politics on anything, but there should be no politics on the country's armed forces," Bhalla said.He urged youth to be patient and not take the path of violence. We will fight your battle. The government will have to bow as it had to by taking back the farm laws," he said.Claiming that the new recruitment scheme would prove to be fatal for the future of the youth, he asked, "What was the reason for bringing this scheme and why are we playing with the country's security, especially when it is facing onslaughts from China and Pakistan." "The Agnipath scheme for army recruitment is a clear betrayal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with 20 crore youth of the country. The government has stabbed the youth of the country in their back," Bhalla charged.
Mulla Ram in his address expressed his strong resentment that the government has ignored youth voice and announced the new recruitment scheme,” he described the Agnipath scheme as directionless. He noted that many retired senior defence personnel and experts have questioned the scheme. Indian National Congress stands firmly with youth and promises to protect their interests and fight to get this scheme back. Like a true patriot, we will raise their voice in front of the government by following the path of truth, non-violence, restraint and peace,” he added. He appealed to the central government to give them the chance to serve the country throughout their life, not just four years. Those who became overage due to lack of recruitment in the Army in the last two years should also be given a chance," he said. He added that the youth are "unhappy" and opposing the Agnipath scheme across the country. The central government's new scheme in Army recruitment is being opposed everywhere in the country. The youth are very angry. Their demands are right. The Army is the pride of our country, our youth want to give their whole life to the country, don't restrict their dreams to 4 years," he said. He said the scheme should be taken back immediately and a three-year age relaxation be announced for youths who could not join the armed forces due to delays in recruitment. Urging the protesters to be patient and not resort to violence, he asked the government to apologise to the youth of the country for bringing the new short-term recruitment scheme for the armed forces.
Balwan Singh, Manmohan Singh Kanta Bhan in their address recalling the death of over 700 farmers during the year-long farmer agitation, they flagged the alleged suicide of a Haryana youth for losing his chance to join the Army."Don't make the same mistake as you (government) did during the farmers' agitation which saw the death of over 700 protesting farmers," they said demanding immediate withdrawal of the Agnipath scheme.They said the Congress stands by the aspirants for jobs in the defence services and will fight for their rights and demands.They also demanded that the government convene either a special session of Parliament or an all-party meeting to discuss the armed forces recruitment issue and build a bipartisan consensus on the matter. Claiming the Agnipath scheme is not suited for India, they alleged the government is bringing schemes from other countries which shows that it is infatuated with western concepts. They alleged there was a disconnect between the government policies and rural India the prime examples of which are the land acquisition act, the farm laws and now the Agnipath scheme. Families of those who have taken the extreme step after the Agnipath scheme was announced by the government should be given compensation, they demanded, adding "The government should apologize to the youth of the country."
|