The Makkal Needhi Maiam has demanded that the Agnipath (Tour of Duty) scheme for armed forces recruitment be repealed, as “it would cause frustration among the existing personnel”. In a statement, the party said, “It has caused unpleasantness, opposition and even riots across the nation. Hiring the country’s security forces on a contractual basis not only causes insecurity among the new recruits, but could also cause frustration among the existing personnel.”
The party said the main reason for such intense opposition to the scheme was the fact that “people recruited on a contractual basis will be trained and employed for just four years in the three arms of our forces”.
“Many among the youth are voicing their concerns, saying the recruitment of contractual security personnel in large numbers in the Navy, the Air Force and the Army would quash their dream of serving the country. The riots that started in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana ,Rajasthan and Delhi have started to seep into Tamil Nadu. No one can belittle the concerns such as no guaranteed employment after four years and no pension once the contractual period is over,” the statement said. The party said that while it was the primary responsibility of the Central government to provide employment to unemployed youth, schemes devised without a long-term vision and within a narrow framework would not provide any concrete solutions.
