TRS demands Centre to reconsider Agnipath decision

Hyderabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has demanded that the Centre review the controversial Agnipath scheme, which was killing the aspirations of millions of youth who planned to join the Armed Forces to serve the nation.

In a statement here on Friday, the TRS working president and minister K T Rama Rao said the Central Government’s unilateral decision to introduce Agnipath scheme should be reviewed immediately. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi should respond to the protests and clear the doubts raised by unemployed youth,” KT Rama Rao demanded.

He said since the Centre introduced the Agnipath scheme without consulting anyone, it should own up the responsibility for protests across the nation. Earlier, the BJP-led Central Government had subjected the farmers to lot of inconvenience by proposing the draconian farm laws. Now, it was adversely affecting the youth and soldiers with Agnipath scheme, he said on Friday.

“Farmers were not consulted before introducing farm laws, traders were not consulted before bringing GST, citizens were neglected during demonitization, and Minorities were ignored when CAA was proposed,” Rama Rao had tweeted. He said introduction of Agnipath scheme was pushing the national security and future of youth into danger and it was a threat to the nation. “From one rank-one pension to ‘no rank – no pension,” he had tweeted.

Lashing out at the Central Government, he said the agitations across the country against the scheme indicate the unemployment problem. Youth of nation was not happy with the Central Government and its policies, he said. Questioning the fate of youth after completing four years of service, the Industries Minister said 75 per cent of the youth would become unemployed. The Central Government had failed miserably in providing employment opportunities to the army officials, who served for many years risking their lives, for the safety and security of the country.

Reacting sharply to the Central Government’s assurances that youth would get jobs in private sector, the Minister said citizens would not believe Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words as he failed to deliver his promise of providing two crore jobs every year. At a time, when neighbouring countries were posing a threat to national security, the Central Government’s unilateral decision would negatively affect the spirit of the Armed Forces, he maintained.

“More than the national security, BJP is worried about financial aspects. This is a cheap attempt made by the BJP Government to save pension offered to retired officers,” KT Rama Rao slammed. Conveying his condolences to the youth, who died in the protests at the Secunderabad Railway station, the Minister, said TRS party understood the agony of protesters. “Central Government should take complete responsibility for this death,” he demanded.