RAHUL GANDHI SLAMS CENTRE’S AGNIVEER SCHEME, CLAIMS SOLDIERS REDUCED TO LABORERS”

Rahul Gandhi criticizes the Agniveer scheme and PM Modis interview remarks amidst Bihar’s pre-2024 Lok Sabha election landscape, highlighting broader debates on defense policy, unemployment, and alleged favouritism, in the context of Bihar’s significant role in national politics.

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Ra ahul Gandhi, a leader of the Congress party, criticized the Narendra Modi-led government, accusing it of reducing India's soldiers to laborers through the Agniveer scheme. He pledged to abolish the scheme upon assuming power. Gandhi made these remarks during a media interaction following a public rally in Bakhtiyarpur. He emphasized the need to revert to the previous system.

The Agniveer scheme, also known as the Agnipath scheme, was introduced by the Centre in June 2022 for short-term defense recruitment. Under this scheme, soldiers are recruited for a four-year period, with a provision to retain 25 percent of them in regular service, and are referred to as 'Agniveers'.

Gandhi also commented on PM Modi's recent interview, mocking his response about divine intervention. He criticized Modi for unemployment and alleged favouritism towards certain industrialists.