Wednesday, 10 April 2024 | PNS | GOPESHWAR
Resentment in local youth against the Agnipath scheme could have a bearing on the voting in the Garhwal Lok Sabha constituency. In the constituency, BJP’s Anil Baluni and Ganesh Godiyal of Congress are engaged in a tough electoral contest.
The Narendra Modi led NDA government approved the Agnipath scheme in the year 2022 which revamped the system of recruitment in the armed forces of the country. Many provisions of the scheme which include a short period of appointment and the fact that only some of the recruited Agniveers are drawn as regulars in the armed forces of the country after a period of four years are being met with scepticism by the youth aspiring to join the Army.
Understanding the sentiments of the youth, Godital is accusing the Modi government for bringing in a scheme such as Agnipath which has snatched a major employment opportunity from the youth. In meeting after meetings in Garhwal, the Congress candidate touches on the subject by stating that from the British era armed forces has remained one of the principal occupations of the people in the mountainous areas. Godiyal adds that the scheme has snathched the employment opportunity from the youth and in a few years from now the villages will not have retired Havildars and Subedars.
The resentment among youth against the Agnipath scheme in all parts of Garhwal is quite palpable. The constituency has a total of 34,963 out of 93,357 service voters of the State and a major portion of the population is constituted by families of serving and retired armed forces personnel.
Anand Singh Pharswan of Bunga village of Tharali said, “About 10 to 12 youngsters from our village used to join the Army every year but now it has stopped. During the pandemic of Covid-19, recruitment in the Army remained and after that Modi government implemented Agnipath scheme which is not finding favour with the youth. There is not even a single youth in our village that has joined under Agnipath scheme. In absence of livelihood, the unemployed are roaming aimlessly now,’’ he said.
Surendra Singh Rawat of Narayanbagad, Chamoli said that there are many youngsters in his village who are unemployed and some of them have gone to Delhi and other cities for menial jobs. He said that the youngsters are not happy with the Agnipath scheme.
“ Before every election the politicians come to us with many promises but the sad part is that no one has done anything to address the issue of unemployment,’’ Rawat said.
Gopeshwar based senior journalist, Rajpal Bisht told The Pioneer that there is anger in youth against the Agnipath scheme. “ There is a passion in the youth in Garhwal for serving in the armed forces but the Agnipath scheme has disappointed the youth. This resentment could prove detrimental for BJP in the area,’’ he said.
