Mysore/Mysuru: Even as the ongoing nationwide protests against the Centre’s Agnipath military recruitment scheme continue in different States like Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, Congress MLAs and leaders staged protests at various locations of the city his morning.
The protesters claimed that the scheme was ruining the dreams of several youths who aspired to join the Indian Defence. The announcement of the Agnipath scheme has sprouted a fear of unemployment among youths, they alleged and felt that it would destroy the lives of youth who will be hired through deceptive means.
A protest led by Krishnaraja Constituency former MLA M.K. Somashekar was held at Ramaswamy Circle while former MLA Vasu of Chamaraja Constituency led a protest at Gandhi Square. Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait led a protest at the Fountain Circle along with former Mayor Ayub Khan and other Congress leaders.
The Government had promised to hire over 10 lakh people but has failed to do so. Hiring the soldiers for a four-year period and later at the end of which only 25 percent of the recruits will be retained for regular service is injustice, thus will increase unemployment in the country, they alleged.
A six-month training is not a proper way to build a powerful army and the trainees will not be well-trained to handle machine guns and other war equipment in a short period of time, they said.
The Centre has taken the wrong decision to cut down Government’s massive salary and pension bills and free up funds for arms procurement, they said. For the future of the country and youths, the Government should drop this idea and must continue the full-scale recruitment procedure, the protesters opined.
Meanwhile, a protest was staged near Ambedkar Circle (FTS Circle) yesterday. Congress City Spokesperson S. Rajesh, Scheduled Caste Wing of Congress City Unit President R. Sunanda Kumar, Secretary Umesh Chandra, leaders Ikbal, Rajesh Kumar, Ramakrishna, Hema Chandra, S. M. Ankaiah and others were detained by the Police and were released later.
Meanwhile, a similar protest led by former MLA Kalale Keshavamurthy was held at Temple Town of Nanjangud. State Congress General Secretary H. Doreswamy Nayaka, KPCC Secretary Akbar Ali, former Nanjangud City Municipal Council (CMC) President Srinivas, Zilla Panchayat member Latha Sidda Shetty, CMC member Gayathri, Govinda Raju and other Congress leaders were present.
From any account, the Agnipath scheme is the best of its kind for the unemployed youth. The highest qualification requirement is just a 10+2 pass and much of the general cader needs just an 8th pass. Which government employment scheme can be this easy and open to merger qualifications like an 8th pass or a PU pass? Besides, the salaries offered are ranging from 30000/pm to 40000/pm incrementing on each year. The youth can save most of this money for their immediate future. Call this opportunity as vocational training, instead of a full-time job. During this short period, the youth is provided with excellent physical and mental training and facilities at par with the Indin Army. And the same Agniveers when they come out of this scheme, a wide vista of opportunities open up for them as employment through reservations in so many army and civil defense areas, like police, army canteens and just this week Karnataka government has opened the doors for Agniveers for new PE teachers placements in the school and college education, and all this is just the tip of the iceberg because as the time passes the opportunities can be more wider and deeper. Imagine so much of goodies for the youth who if they had enrolled in any degrees they would have just finished it in the same time period of about 3 to 4 years and come out into the huge unemployment market with little hope of getting into any government services, lave alone army or police. So, protests apart, the agitating youth must think it deeper about their own future than to go with the mass dramas that are mostly staged.