As country-wide outrage against BJP-led NDA’s Agnipath scheme grows, Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday slammed the Centre for playing with the lives and ambition of the youth.
“Why give names like Agnipath and Agniveer to schemes which have no meaning,” Thackeray said while addressing party workers on the 56th foundation day of Shiv Sena.
“Only Ram Ram would not do…there was to be ‘kaam’….dil me Ram,…haath me kaam…that should be the way,” Thackeray said, advising the former ally to work on plans that can be delivered.
Farmers protesting against the farm laws were the first to take the streets and now youth are in the streets, he said.
Thackeray, who heads the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, said: “What will youth of 71 to 21 years get after four years in the armed forces… having Soldiers on contract is dangerous and playing with ambitions and lives of youth is wrong.”
Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut too hit out at the Narendra Modi government. "Having a contractual system for armed forces is foolish...even Mohammed ibn Tughlaq would never ever have thought of doing so," he said.