Former Minister and BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa has blamed the Congress party for the violent protests across the country over the Agnipath scheme. The Congress has been misleading the youth on the scheme, planned in the interest of youths, he told presspersons in Shivamogga on Sunday.
The Central Government introduced the Agnipath scheme to offer jobs to the youth. They would get a good salary for four years and 25% of them would be recruited on a permanent basis. The rest would have chances of getting jobs in different sectors on a priority basis, besides one-time financial benefits. “India is the only country to have this scheme. Many countries have implemented similar schemes. It helps inculcate patriotism among the youth in four years”, he said.
Referring to Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah’s comments on the scheme, Mr. Eshwarappa said the Congress leader had commented that the youths would become terrorists once they were sent back from the service after four years. “Indian youth would never become terrorists. It is the Congress which prompted many youths to become terrorists”, he said.