Haryana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh, which are known for sending their youth to the armed forces in large numbers, are now the key States for the Congress in its campaign against the Agnipath recruitment scheme.
Under Agnipath, only a quarter of recruited soldiers or Agniveers are selected for permanent service; the rest retire after four years. In its manifesto, the Congress had promised to end the Agnipath scheme and revert to the old recruitment system.
The Indian Youth Congress had launched an interactive voice recorded helpline to explain the party’s 25 guarantees, including the one on scrapping Agnipath. However, the Election Commission of India told the Congress to stop the helpline or any app that sought an OTP from users.
