'Either withdraw Agnipath scheme or...': Opposition tells Centre
India Today
Opposition MPs in the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Defence told the Centre to withdraw the Agnipath scheme or sent for standing committee scrutiny.
The Opposition members, in the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Defence on Monday, told the Centre to either withdraw the Agnipath scheme or sent for Parliamentary standing committee scrutiny.
According to sources, in a one-and-a-half-hour long meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Opposition MPs demanded that the Agnipath Scheme be either withdrawn or sent to a parliamentary panel for further detailed scrutiny.
As many as 12 MPs from various political parties, including four from the BJP, attended this meeting which took place in the Parliament, sources said.
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According to Opposition camp, they “strongly expressed their reservations” about Agnipath - the new military recruitment scheme.
Rajya Sabha MP Shakti Sinh Gohil, while demanding a roll back, said, “If there is any big change/policy that a government introduces in a democracy, it is not done on a trial or experiment basis. Wide range consultations are held. This decision to roll out Agnipath wasn’t taken by the armed forces. There is a huge uproar against Agnipath in the country. We demand that this scheme should be withdrawn.”
According to sources, a detailed presentation was given before the committee members by Ministry of Defence officials. Apart from the defence minister and the Army chief, top officials from the Ministry of Defence and tri-services were present.
