Canvassing for the BJP candidate in the Lok Sabha bypoll election in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday accused the Opposition parties of ‘misleading’ the youth against the Agnipath scheme for the recruitment into the armed forces.
“The world has welcomed the scheme, but the Opposition parties are misleading the youth due to their bad nature of playing with the lives of the youth,” Mr. Adityanath said.
The CM’s attack on the Opposition parties comes at a time when youth, believed to be armed force aspirants, have come out on the streets in several districts of the State to oppose new recruitment scheme by the Union government. In many parts of the State, the protests turned violent and mobs damaged public property and vehicles, leading to the arrest of at least 387 people until Sunday evening.
In Azamgarh, while campaigning for Bhojpuri star Dinesh Lal Yadav, popularly known as Nirahua, Mr. Adityanath tried to explain the benefits of the scheme for the youth. Azamgarh falls under Purvanchal, one of the most backward regions in the country which sends a large number of young men to the defence and paramilitary forces.
Mr. Adityanath said 10 lakh youth would get jobs in just 1.5 years while 25% of those who completed the four-year training under Agnipath scheme would go on to serve in the army, navy, airforce, paramilitary, Central Reserve Police Forces and other services.
“Remaining 75% of Agniveers will be given priority in the recruitment in the State police and other services and these youth will be called Vibhuti,” he said.
“Such people will be a gift for us with their training, patience and discipline and will carry the feeling that is required to have a passion for the country in times of adversity and crisis,” said Mr. Adityanath.
When a youth aged 18-21 would return home in his uniform, even his family would feel proud that “our boy was charting his own path after clearing high school and intermediate,” said the CM.
In Azamgarh, it is a three-corner contest this time as Nirahua faces the SP’s Dharmendra Yadav, former MP and cousin of Akhilesh Yadav, and BSP’s Shah Alam alias Guddu Jamali, a former MLA.
