'U-turn out of fear': Cong links Centre's Agniveer move to upcoming assembly polls

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday described the Centre's decision to extend Agniveers' service tenure by two years as a "U-turn", claiming it was driven by the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand, where many young people aspire to join the armed forces.

"Elections are approaching in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. A large number of youth from these states want to join the armed forces. So, they (government) took a U-turn out of fear," Congress MP Pawan Khera told ANI.

Of the three states, the BJP, which leads the government at the Centre, will seek a third consecutive term in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Reacting to the announcement by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General NS Raja Subramani, Khera said the Congress had opposed the Agnipath scheme from the beginning as it would "adversely affect" the armed forces and the future of young recruits.

"We had opposed the Agniveer scheme right from the beginning. (LoP) Rahul Gandhi ji opposed it too. This scheme is harming not just our armed forces but also the youth of the country — you would leave them unemployed on the streets after another two years," he added.

Questioning the Centre's revised arrangement, under which 25% of Agniveers would be absorbed into the regular forces based on merit while the remaining 75% would receive a two-year extension, the Congress MP asked what would happen to those who were not selected after the extended tenure.

"They say they'll absorb 25% into the army and give the rest a two-year extension. You'll absorb 25%. What will happen to the other 75%? After two years, will they be out on the streets again, or will you take another U-turn?" he asked.

Earlier on Wednesday, CDS General Subramani announced that Agniveers who were previously required to leave after completing their four-year tenure would be offered an additional two-year engagement period.

Those willing to join the armed forces would subsequently be enrolled based on objective selection criteria. The Agnipath scheme was introduced by the Union Cabinet in June 2022 for recruitment into the armed forces for a four-year tenure. Under the original arrangement, one-fourth of Agniveers were eligible for enrolment in the regular forces based on merit, while the remaining three-fourths would return to civilian life after completing their service. The announcement comes amid criticism of the scheme over the short duration of service and the employment prospects of recruits after leaving the armed forces.