Kushwaha dubs Rajnath's statement on caste provision in 'Agnipath' as 'kutark'

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's key aide Upendra Kushwaha on Wednesday rubbished Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's statement on caste details being sought from 'Agniveer' aspirants.

Singh had on Tuesday said that such details were sought even in the past and the old provision was continuing in the new system of contractual recruitment in the armed forces.

However, Kushwaha, a former union minister himself, seemed unimpressed with the defence minister's averment which he termed as ''kutark'' (a specious argument).

Sharing a newspaper clipping of Singh's statement on his Twitter handle, Kushwaha, the JD(U)'s parliamentary board chief, said, ''Honourable Minister, the question is not when did the custom of seeking caste and religion details start.'' ''The simple question is what is the relevance of having such a provision, in first place? Why this kutark to keep this provision when even laws are being scrapped on the ground of obsolescence'', asked Kushwaha.

The 'Agnipath' scheme, which met with violent protests in Bihar, has exposed fissures between the BJP, which rules the Centre and shares power in the state, and its largest ally JD(U).