Punjab Assembly passes resolution against Agnipath

Participating in the discussion on the resolution, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said he will soon raise the issue of Agnipath scheme with the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister.

Representational image only. | Photo Credit: PTI

Punjab State Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution urging the Union government to immediately roll back the Agnipath scheme, even as the BJP MLAs opposed the resolution.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann moving the resolution read that the unilateral announcement of the government to introduce Agnipath scheme in the armed forces has witnessed widespread reactions across the country, including Punjab. The Punjab Vidhan Sabha strongly feels that the scheme where youth will be employed in armed forces only for a period of four years and out of which only 25% will be retained, is neither in the interest of national security nor of the youth of this country. This policy is likely to create dissatisfaction among the youth who wish to serve the armed forces of the nation throughout their life, he added.

“The Punjab Vidhan Sabha urges the Union government to roll back the Agnipath scheme immediately,” he said, reading the resolution. Punjab is the only State so far to pass a resolution in the State Assembly against Agnipath scheme.

Taking a dig at the NDA government during the debate on the resolution, the Chief Minister dared the BJP leaders to enroll their own sons as Agniveers before supporting this anti-youth move.

He said that this is an illogical move that will jeopardize national security besides damaging the basic spirit of the Indian Army.

BJP MLA Ashwani Sharma opposed the resolution and accused the political parties of doing politics surrounding the nation’s security. Congress’s leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa supported the resolution.