Mamata Banerjee calls Agniveers 'BJP workers'; avers job priority to State's youth first

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee slammed the Agnipath scheme of military recruitment and said that the Central Government is giving lollipops ahead of the 2024 elections.

Addressing people in Asansol, CM Mamata Banerjee said, "They set the country on fire for Agnipath and cleverly put the army in front. But do you know what they are doing? They wrote a letter to the state government. I have received a letter, one of my colonel brothers has written and urged to give jobs to Agniveers after 4 years. They want me to give jobs to the BJP workers." She further stated that she would give jobs priority to the youths of the state over Agniveers. "But why would we take your sins. You are only taking them for four years and then dumping them on the state government... Just remember, we have many young people in the state who want jobs and we will give them the first priority," Mamata Banerjee said.

"We also take ex-servicemen. But who is an ex-serviceman? One who comes after working his whole life. But here (in the Agnipath scheme) there are only 4 months of training. The government is sowing giving lollipops ahead of the 2024 parliament elections," CM Banerjee said.

Agnipath scheme

Amid a freeze on recruitment rallies for two years owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Union Cabinet approved a new scheme called 'Agnipath' on June 14. Under the aegis of this scheme, 46,000 youths aged between 17.5-21 years would be recruited into the Armed Forces in 2022 for a period of 4 years. This is being touted as a major defence policy reform as only 25% of these 'Agniveers' would be selected for enrolment in the Armed Forces as regular cadres. Apart from an attractive monthly salary, they will be given a one-time ‘SevaNidhi’ package of Rs 11 lakh at the end of their 4-year stint.

However, the Centre's announcement was followed by pan-India protests which witnessed vandalism, torching of railway trains, stone-pelting and attacks on police personnel. In the first attempt to assuage the protesters, the government increased the upper age limit for the recruitment via the Agnipath scheme to 23 years for the 2022 recruitment only.

Thereafter, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced a 10% reservation for Agniveers in Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles. Similarly, the Defence Ministry cleared a proposal to reserve 10% of posts for Agniveers in the Indian Coast Guard and all the 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings.