‘Agniveers’ will be prioritized for the police force: UP CM Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath states Agniveers will be priortised for recruitment in the police and allied forces of the police. The central Government recently launched the ‘Agnipath’ scheme, which envisages the recruitment of soldiers in the Navy, the Air Force and Army for a period of 4 years year. The youth recruited under the Agnipath programme will be called ‘Agniveers’.

The UP CM Adityanath took to twitter to express his potential in the newly launched Agnipath Scheme.“As per the wishes of the respected Prime Minister Modi, the ‘Agneepath’ scheme will prepare the youth for the service of the nation and society, giving them the opportunity of a proud future,” the CM’s tweet reads.

On Tuesday(14th June), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled the ‘Agnipath’ scheme for recruiting soldiers in the Air Force, the Army, the Navy, largely on a short-term contractual basis, to cut the ballooning salary and pensions bill. On Wednesday, Home Minister Amit Shah’s office described the scheme as “visionary.” 

“In this context, today the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to give priority to Agniveers who have completed four years under this scheme in the recruitment of CAPFs and Assam Rifles,” the Home Miniter’s Office India tweeted. Apart from UP CM Yogi, the chief ministers of BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Assam have also promised to give priority to retired ‘Agniveers’ in recruitment to state police forces.

Meanwhile, Congress has bashed the new scheme. The grand old party had warned the “transformative” ‘Agnipath’ scheme would reduce the operational effectiveness of the armed forces. Congress also voiced concerns about the future of these soldiers, most of whom will be retiring quite young after a short service of only four years.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati have also criticised the Central Government over the Agnipath scheme. BSP leader Mayawati asked the Centre to withdraw the proposed recruitment scheme describing it as ‘unfair’. Akhilesh Yadav stated that the careless attitude of the centre towards army recruitment would prove detrimental to the future of the nation and its youth