Shun violence to sustain protest, govt will have to bend eventually: AAP to Agnipath protestors

New Delhi, The Agnipath scheme will not only make the future of recruits uncertain but also "compromise" with India's security, the AAP claimed on Monday and exhorted the protesters to shun violence and prepare a plan to sustain the "movement" against the new military recruitment plan. The party's Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Sanjay Singh asserted that the Narendra Modi government will have to eventually withdraw the scheme if the protest against it continues in a democratic manner sans violence.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already taken to the streets to protest the new military recruitment scheme and will also "firmly" raise the issue in Parliament during the upcoming Monsoon Session, he added.

Amid protests in several parts of the country, the Army on Monday issued a notification for the induction of soldiers under the Agnipath military recruitment scheme under which the online registration of applicants will begin next month.


The Agnipath scheme, announced on June 14, provides for the recruitment of youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years to 21 for only four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years. The government has extended the upper age limit to 23 years for recruitment in 2022.

"I want to tell the youth that you prepare a plan to sustain your movement for a longer period so that pressure is built on the (Union) government. This movement will not continue for long through violence," AAP MP told a press conference.

Extending the support of his party, Singh advised the agitators to follow a democratic way of holding protests so that "the (Union) government and the BJP do not get an opportunity to indulge in propaganda against you".

"We are already protesting the scheme on the streets. As soon as the Parliament session begins, we will firmly raise this issue there also," he said.

"The government will have to withdraw this scheme, nothing less than that will be acceptable."

Slamming the Centre for going ahead with the Agnipath scheme despite nationwide protest, Singh claimed, "The Modi government's new military recruitment scheme would not only leave the youth who will join the three forces jobless after four years of service but will also compromise with the security of India."

He accused the BJP-led Centre of "betraying" the country and the Army by rolling out the scheme and demanded that the prime minister come out of his "cave" and announce its rollback.

"Don't play with the anger of the country's youth Modi Ji. The way they brought you to the upper echelons of power carrying you on their shoulders, they will bring down your government with the power of their votes," the AAP leader added.