Agnipath: Youth anger may cost BJP dear in Himachal

CHANDIGARH:  If the numbers and the mood of the youth are any indication, the BJP has to reconsider the Agnipath policy for poll-bound Himachal Pradesh, at least. As many as 18,798 youngsters made it to the Army from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana in the recruitment drive in 2019-20. Punjab drew the highest, 7,813 followed by Himachal Pradesh 5,882 and Haryana 5,097.

The hill state has around 1.20 lakh serving defence personnel and almost the same number of ex-servicemen. Himachal Congress leaders expect a large chunk of votes in the assembly elections due later this year.The Congress calculation also hinges on the resentment prevailing among government employees over the new pension scheme. 

The Congress alleges that Agnipath is anti-youth and will “destroy” the Army. “From almost every family in Kangra, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Una, thousands of youth join the armed forces. Agnipath will not benefit them due to the short four-year contract. This is a fraud and will have an impact on the elections,’’ says Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, senior leader of Himachal Pradesh Congress. 

Both the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party are now trying to make Agnipath an election issue. Former minister and AICC secretary Sudhir Sharma and HPCC general secretary Kewal Singh Pathania submitted a memorandum to the Kangra district administration against the scheme. The Congress took out a procession in Shimla against Agnipath. 

AAP has held statewide protests. The party’s state unit chief Surjeet Thakur has written to Governor Rajendra Arlekar against Agnipath. “The controversial contract hiring in the armed forces has shattered the dreams of many aspirants. The government should immediately roll back the Agnipath scheme and resume the regular recruitment process,” Thakur wrote to the governor.