Congress ‘spreading wrong’ information on Agniveer scheme

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, May 25

Union Home Minister Amit Shah today issued a clarification on the Agniveer scheme in Kangra district where ex-servicemen and in-service soldiers form a sizable vote bank. In a video byte issued in Kangra, he accused the Congress of spreading misinformation over the Agniveer Scheme.

Sizable vote bank

• The Congress is prominently raising the Agniveer issue in Kangra, to the annoyance of the BJP
• A large number of soldiers from Kangra are serving in the Indian Army and ex-servicemen form a sizable vote bank in the district

He said that the Congress was spreading misinformation that those recruited in the Army under the Agniveer scheme would be ousted from job after four years. However, the fact was that after serving four years in the Army, 25 per cent of the Agniveer recruits would get regular recruitment in the Army.

“The BJP-ruled states have made provisions of providing 10 per cent to 20 per cent reservation in the police force for those who had served as Agniveers. In the Central reserve police forces also reservation has been made for Agniveers. Besides, they will get jobs in private security agencies. So, most of the people, who will serve in Indian Army as Agniveers, will be absorbed in government or private sector. The Agniveers will also get benefits that are available to other government employees,” he added.

The Congress is prominently raising the Agniveer issue in Kangra, to the annoyance of the BJP. A large of number soldiers from Kangra are serving in the Indian Army and ex-servicemen form a sizable vote bank in the district.

Congress candidate from Kangra Anand Sharma has aggressively been targeting the BJP over the Agniveer scheme. He has been saying that the scheme is the exploitation of Kangra’s youth, as the people of the district had the tradition and history of serving in the Indian Army for generations. He is saying that the young Agniveers are retired after four years and not given any benefits that are available to regular Army soldiers. Sharma is promising that if the Congress is voted to power at the Centre, it will scrap the Agniveer scheme.

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#Agniveers #Amit Shah #Congress #Dharamsala #Indian Army #Kangra