Will Agniveers get benefits like regular soldiers? Owaisi questions Centre's new 2-year extension

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday questioned the Centre's decision to grant an additional 2-year engagement period to 75 per cent of Agniveers who were earlier set to exit after 4 years, asking whether they would get benefits on par with regular soldiers.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday questioned the Centre's decision to grant an additional 2-year engagement period to 75 per cent of Agniveers who were earlier set to exit after 4 years, asking whether they would get benefits on par with regular soldiers. Under the revised framework, after the extended period, Agniveers can apply for enrolment into the armed forces, subject to selection criteria.

Reacting to the move, Owaisi said, "Will they get health insurance? Will they get facilities like those being provided to Army, Navy, Air Force jawans? What will those who train in villages for it get? There are threats around our country. We had been opposing it since the beginning and we oppose it even today." Earlier on Wednesday, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General NS Raja Subramani announced that 75 per cent of Agniveers, who were originally required to exit the Armed Forces after completing their four-year tenure, would now be offered an additional two-year engagement period.

Under the revised arrangement, Agniveers completing the extended tenure would have an opportunity to enrol in the Armed Forces, provided they were willing and met the prescribed objective selection criteria. The announcement followed the Union Cabinet's approval of the additional two-year 'Second Tour of Duty' for Agniveers under the Agnipath scheme. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the decision would provide willing Agniveers another opportunity to continue serving in the Armed Forces and potentially join as regular soldiers, subject to the prescribed selection criteria.

The Agnipath scheme was introduced by the Union Cabinet in June 2022 for recruitment into the Armed Forces for a four-year period. Under the original arrangement, 25 per cent of Agniveers were eligible for enrolment into the regular forces based on merit, while the remaining 75 per cent would return to civilian life after completing their tenure. The announcement comes amid criticism of the scheme over the short duration of service and the future employment prospects of recruits after their exit from the Armed Forces.

In a lighter moment during his interaction, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi embraced Gen-Z slang to describe himself, calling himself a "Biwi Paglu" - a popular internet term used for a husband who is obsessed with his wife. When asked about his viral 'biwi paglu' statement, Owaisi owned the label, saying, "I am 'Biwi Paglu'. I have a wife and children. If you want to lead a peaceful life, trust my words..."

He suggested that listening to one's wife and keeping her happy was the secret to a peaceful life at home. (ANI)