"Agnipath scheme in no way strengthens capability of armed forces": Congress' Karti P Chidambaram

New Delhi: Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram said that the Agnipath scheme in no way strengthens the capacity or capability of the armed forces.
Karti P Chidambaram said that the Agnipath scheme is a short-term induction into the armed forces without the necessary training and benefits.
"A professional army going forward needs comprehensive training and a full commission so the Agnipath scheme in no way strengthens the capacity and the capability of the armed forces," the Congress MP said while responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Kargil, in which he vouched for the scheme, calling it a "necessary reform in Army."
Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad also slammed the scheme and said that when the opposition alliance, INDIA bloc, comes to power, then this scheme will be stopped.
"I am proud to say that our army has a glorious history but it is unfortunate that the BJP government has made arrangements for the Agnipath scheme. There cannot be a greater insult to the army than this. When the INDIA alliance government comes, we will end this scheme in 24 hours and do general recruitment," Awadhesh Prasad said.
Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said, "It is a very proud moment for the entire nation that we emerged victorious. The terror attacks in J&K are increasing and we have to stop them. Drones, heroin and illegal weapons are continuously being smuggled into my Lok Sabha constituency. PM Modi should also talk about how to stop them. Why youth is getting involved in drugs? PM Modi will have to be answerable to these."
Earlier, PM Modi paid his tributes to the bravehearts who had made the supreme sacrifice during the Kargil conflict. PM Modi on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the victory at Kargil laid a wreath at the war memorial in Kargil.
Speaking at the occasion, PM Modi highlighted the Agnipath scheme and said that the goal of Agnipath was to make the Army young and keep the Army continuously fit for war. He said that the major reforms in the army have been a long-standing demand.
"The country has felt the need for major reforms in the defence sector for decades. The army has been demanding this for years, but unfortunately, it was not given enough importance earlier. The Agnipath scheme is also an example of the necessary reforms done in the Army. For decades, discussions have been going on in Parliament and many committees on making the army young," PM Modi said during his address on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
PM Modi said that the average age of soldiers in India being higher than the global average was a concern raised over the years and Agnipath resolved the matter. The Prime Minister also criticised the opposition parties opposing the scheme for "politicising sensitive issues related to national security."
Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed annually on July 26, commemorates the success of Operation Vijay in 1999. During this operation, Indian forces successfully reclaimed strategic positions in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir that had been infiltrated by Pakistani soldiers and terrorists.