Punjab Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution against central government’s 'Agnipath' scheme for recruitment in defence forces. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann moved the resolution in the House.
Calling the scheme anti-youth, Mann said he will raise the issue of Agnipath scheme with the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister. Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa and Akali Dal MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali supported the resolution and sought the withdrawal of the scheme, as per news agency PTI.
Meanwhile, BJP legislators Ashwani Sharma and Jangi Lal Mahajan opposed the resolution.
Mann said earlier this week that his government will bring a resolution against the Agnipath scheme for armed forces. He further said the recently announced military recruitment scheme will destroy the basic fabric of the Indian Army.
He said in the Assembly, “The BJP leaders have been claiming that if you are able to understand, you will find it good. Only they have the ability to understand? Aren’t we intelligent? The laws which the common people cannot understand should not be made. Resolutions should be passed against Agnipath in each Vidhan Sabha of the country.”
Protests have impacted various parts of the country after the Centre unveiled the scheme for recruitment into the Indian army, navy and air force earlier this month. The upper age limit for recruitment under the scheme has been relaxed from 21 years to 23 years due to the protests.