Congress Calls for Abolition of Agnipath Scheme, Stresses Permanent Recruitment in Armed Forces

The Congress party has demanded the abolition of the Agnipath scheme and urged the government to return to permanent recruitment in the armed forces. Party leader Deepender Hooda cited flaws in the current scheme, including reduced training time and lower morale among soldiers, leading to decreased recruitment and potential shortfalls.

The Congress party has called for the immediate abolition of the Agnipath scheme, urging the government to reintroduce permanent recruitment in the armed forces. Addressing a press conference, party leader Deepender Hooda highlighted various issues with the scheme, citing internal Army surveys that revealed significant shortcomings.

Recent reports, published in multiple newspapers, suggest the need to extend the Agnipath scheme by four years and to retain 60-70% of Agniveers instead of the current 25%. The findings also recommend increasing the training period for new recruits. Hooda expressed concerns that the scheme has negatively impacted army morale and camaraderie, diminishing the spirit of mutual sacrifice among soldiers.

Highlighting the potential long-term impacts, Hooda warned that insufficient training time and reduced recruitment under the Agnipath scheme could lead to a significant shortfall in army personnel by 2035. Emphasizing the negative reception of the scheme across the nation, he pointed out that election results reflect public disapproval. Specifically, in Haryana, the number of youth recruited into the army annually has drastically fallen, affecting the region's traditional recruitment rates.

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