BJP trying to create RSS army with Agnipath: CPI (M)

K. Balakrishnan cautioned that these youths, hired for short term, would not be ready to fight in the borders in the event of a war and it would create confusion in the armed forces

CPI (M) State Secretary K Balakrishnan leading a protest near Aranmanai in Ramanathapuram on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: L. BALACHANDAR

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to create a Rashtriya Swayam Sevak military by implementing Agnipath scheme, alleged the Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary K. Balakrishnan.

Addressing a protest organised by the party here on Tuesday, he said that the BJP government that has been on a privatisation spree of public sector units, including railways, was now trying to hire youths on four year contract in the defence sector.

Stating that law and order in the State would become worse if the State government decided to hire police personnel for four years only, he said what would happen if the same is done in the defence forces.

"What will those youths do for their livelihood after coming out of armed forces on completion of their four-year service?" he asked.

He cautioned that these youths, hired for short term, would not be ready to fight in the borders in the event of a war and it would create confusion in the armed forces.

Stating that the youths were ready to sacrifice their lives for the cause of the nation by serving in the armed forced for a long term, he said the BJP was hatching a conspiracy to give military training to the youths and later absorb them to form an RSS army.

"It will pose danger to the minorities," he said.

Mr. Balakrishnan also condemned the arrest of social activist Teesta Setalvad, activist, and retired police officer, R.B. Sreekumar, who attempted to seek justice for the victims of 2002 Gujarat riots.

"They have been arrested as they accused the (then Chief Minister of Gujarat) Narendra Modi for the riots. Is it a crime for someone to go to the court seeking justice. If they were wrong, the court should have stopped them at the initial stage itself," he said.

He recalled that the Supreme Court itself had criticised the then Gujarat Government for the riots. Even the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had said that the Gujarat riots were not acceptable to him.

Party leaders, K. Balabharathi, K.G. Baskaran, V. Kasinathadurai, were among those who took part in the protest.