‘Misunderstanding’: Navy chief says didn't anticipate such protests over Agnipath scheme
Agnipath protests: Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said the Agniveer model is the single biggest human resources management transformation in the Indian military and the protests are happening due to misinformation.
Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar on Friday said he had not anticipated the widespread violent protests over the newly launched Agnipath scheme being witnessed in several parts of the country.
Admiral Kumar said Centre's Agniveer Recruitment Scheme, launched by the three service chiefs earlier this week in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh, is the single biggest human resources management transformation in the Indian military and the protests are happening due to misinformation and misunderstanding.
“I didn't anticipate any protests like this. We worked on Agnipath scheme for almost a year and a half...,” the Navy chief was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Stating that the Agnipath scheme is a transformational one, Admiral Kumar said, “It is a made in India and a made for India scheme.”
Also read | Service chiefs mount Agnipath defence as protests rage
Amid intensified protests across the country by a section of the youth demanding the scheme be rolled back, the Navy chief said, “I want to tell people to not protest and not be violent. They should understand the scheme and remain peaceful. This is a great opportunity for the youth to serve the country.”
The four-year short-term contractual recruitment model has sparked massive protests in more than 10 states of the country, leading to the death of at least one person in Telangana's Secunderabad area. A large of trains have been set afire, many of them in Bihar, during the ongoing protests.
The youth recruited under the scheme will be known as "Agniveers". After the completion of the four-year tenure, 25 per cent of the recruits from each specific batch will be offered regular service.
On Thursday, the government increased the upper-age limit for recruitment under the Agnipath scheme to 23 years from 21 years for the year 2022 in the wake of the protests against the new model for enrolment of soldiers in the three services.
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force said selection process for recruitment under the Agnipath scheme will start from June 24. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said raising the upper age limit to 23 for induction under the Agnipath scheme for the year 2022 would permit a larger section of youths to enrol under the new model of recruitment.
