Akhilesh Yadav Vows to Scrap Agnipath Scheme if Elected

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav promised to revoke the Agnipath scheme, introduced for short-term military recruitment, if his party comes to power. This announcement follows the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's reservation for retired Agniveers. The scheme aims to recruit youths for four-year terms in the armed forces.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has pledged to cancel the Agnipath scheme to overhaul military recruitment if his party gains power, asserting the move would occur within 24 hours of election victory. His promise came a day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced reservations for retired Agniveers.

Yadav reiterated this commitment while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections, criticizing the scheme for allegedly compromising national security and affecting soldier's futures. Yadav's post on X emphasized the restoration of the previous recruitment model.

The Agnipath scheme, introduced by the Centre in 2022, targets the youth between 17-and-a-half and 21 years of age for the Army, Navy, and Air Force on four-year contracts. Post-service opportunities include a 25 per cent offer for regular military roles and reservation for central and state paramilitary positions.