Deepender: South Haryana hit hard by Agnipath scheme

Tribune News Service

Rewari, March 23

Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda today said South Haryana had been hit hard by the Agniveer Scheme as this was a land of patriots and brave soldiers who dream of fighting for the country since childhood.

He was addressing a Jan Aakrosh rally at Dahina village here. He also paid tributes to martyrs Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru on their martyrdom day.

“After the Agnipath scheme, the doors of the Army have been closed for the people of Haryana. By bringing schemes like Agniveer, the BJP government has weakened the Army and ruined the dreams of the youth,” he said.

Deepender said the demand for formation of Ahir Regiment was completely justified and he fully supported it. “I have continuously raised the demand for the formation of ‘Ahir Regiment’ prominently in Parliament, but the government, far from providing the Ahir Regiment, implemented the Agnipath Scheme. I will continue to make efforts for the formation of the Ahir Regiment,” the MP said.

He said the Ahir community and Ahirwal area always made sacrifices for the defence and security of the country, be it the war of 1962, 1965 or 1971 or the Kargil war, the soldiers of Haryana never shied away from making the supreme sacrifice. He said no one can forget the battle of Rezang La in 1962 when 120 Ahir soldiers took on 5,000 Chinese soldiers and made the supreme sacrifice to save the Chushul airstrip from enemy hands.

He said every year about 5,500 permanent recruitments were made in the Army from Haryana, but now only 225 permanent recruitments will be made. Not only this, the government is also discriminating in the sacrifice of martyrs through the Agnipath scheme.

“The sad thing is the government is not even giving martyr status to Agniveers who were martyred in the line of duty. Agniveer soldiers don’t get any pension, gratuity and their dependents don’t get medical and other facilities. Apart from this, Agniveer is not getting the status of ex-serviceman and the facilities available to ex-servicemen,” Deepender said.

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