Congress Calls Centre's Decision on Agnipath Scheme a 'U-Turn'

The Congress on Wednesday dubbed the Centre a "U-turn" government over its decision to overhaul the Agnipath scheme, saying the BJP changes its stance so frequently that it should be called "Bharatiya Janata Palti". The opposition party said Rahul Gandhi had already spoken out against the scheme when it was rolled out in 2022 and asserted that the government would have to take it back as it is flawed. The Congress was reacting after the government announced that Agniveers set to exit the military at the end of their four-year tenure will be given an additional two-year extension and subsequent permanent recruitment subject to meeting specific eligibility criteria. Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed the government has brought the changes due to the approaching assembly elections in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur and Himachal Pradesh. "This government is a U-turn government; first Rahul Gandhi says, but they don't agree to it. Later they correct. Agniveer is a wrong scheme; not only is it bad for the defence forces, but it is also wrong for the youths," he told reporters, adding, "They will have to take back this scheme". He stressed that Gandhi has repeatedly warned that the Agniveer scheme is unsustainable and demanded that the government reconsider it. "The rate at which the BJP flips, it should be called the Bharatiya Janata Palti. "With elections approaching in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Himachal Pradesh - states with high per capita recruitment rates in the Indian Armed Forces - the government has announced a major change to the Agniveer scheme," Khera said in a post on X.