Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday said the Centre's Agnipath scheme is controversial and carries multiple risks. The former Union Minister said he has read and heard the views expressed by retired defence officers and claimed that almost everyone has opposed the scheme.
"Agnipath scheme is controversial, carries multiple risks, subverts the long-standing traditions & ethos of armed forces & there's no guarantee that soldiers recruited under the scheme will be better trained & motivated to defend the country," said Chidambaram.
"We have read and heard the views expressed by retired Defence officers. Almost unanimously they have opposed the scheme and we believe that many serving officers share the same reservations about this scheme," he added.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to listen to the voice of unemployed youths and not take 'agnipareeksha (trial by fire)' of their patience by making them walk on 'Agnipath'.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hit out at the government over the scheme and urged the prime minister not to "crush the dreams of the youth".
This comes as protests against the Agnipath scheme for hiring jawans on a short-term contractual basis were reported from various parts of the country.
"No rank, no pension, no direct recruitment for 2 years, no stable future after four years, no respect shown by the government for the army," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, attacking the Centre over the scheme.
"Listen to the voice of unemployed youths of the country, don't take 'agnipareeksha' of their patience by making them walk on 'Agnipath', Mr. prime minister," the former Congress chief said.
In a tweet in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi said there are many dreams for the future in the eyes of those preparing for recruitment in the armed forces such as serving the country and their parents.
"What will the new army recruitment scheme give them? After 4 years, no job guarantee, no pension facility = no rank, no pension. @narendramodi ji don't crush the dreams of the youth," she said.
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