BJP MP Ravi Kishan criticises opposition for opposing Agnipath scheme

New Delhi: Launching a blistering attack on the opposition for opposing the Agnipath scheme, the BJP's Gorakhpur MP, Ravi Kishan, said that the leaders of the opposition parties are trying to "break the morale" of those who want to do something for the country.
The only goal of opposition leaders is to oppose the Centre's work, said Ravi Kishan, asserting that these people can not take the nation forward with such a 'negative attitude'.
"This is the thought of strengthening the country. For 5 years, their politics has been that whatever PM Modi and the government do, they (opposition) only oppose it. How will these people take the country forward with a negative attitude towards everything?," Ravi Kishan said while speaking to ANI.
The development comes after Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram slammed the scheme and said that, the scheme in no way strengthens the capacity or capability of the armed forces and 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 the Army."
Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad also dismissed the scheme and said that when the opposition alliance, INDIA bloc, comes to power, then this scheme will be ended.
"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.
PM Modi paid tributes to soldiers and laid wreath at the Kargil War Memorial this morning on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
Speaking on occasion, PM Modi 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 issue 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.