BJP National President J P Nadda on Saturday appealed to youths to stop their agitation against the Centre's Agnipath recruitment scheme, saying that the government has taken a "revolutionary step" by approving the scheme and youths must understand it and not become victims of the "conspiracy hatched by evil forces".
"I want to appeal to our young friends that Agnipath is a revolutionary scheme, it is a big revolutionary step to place the Indian military at a strong position globally, we have to understand it. So I appeal to youth, I'm aware that attempts are on to trick and mislead them," Nadda said.
He was speaking at state-level BJP urban and rural local bodies elected representatives convention at Anubhava Mantapa in the premises of Murugha Mutt here on Saturday. He said there was a need to reform armed forces in the country and this is the most reliable route.
He exuded confidence that India will become strong country in the world as defence forces would become stronger due to the implementation of the scheme. He appealed to youths to call off the agitation and trust Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Claiming that BJP is the only political party in India that thinks of welfare of young generation, defence forces and the country Nadda said those who serve for four years in armed forces under the scheme will get ample employment opportunities after the completion of the service. Besides, Agniveers would get preference in government recruitment.
"Try to know that at the age of 17, (the scheme gives) youth an opportunity to get trained not only for military but also for a change in their entire life." The training, along with entry into military, would also help one join State services at a later stage, he said.
Stating that the work that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been able to do in the last eight years for national security, no other Prime Minister has been able to do it, Nadda said, "There was a time when it used to take three days to reach the border, our soldiers were unable to reach on time, today our soldiers can reach within 24 hours, prepared for war."
"Till now, no one was able to give a stand up to China, but by protecting our border, Modi has sent a clear message to the world that we are not interested in occupying other's territory, but no one can look at India with a wrong intention," he said, noting that thousands of kilometres of roads have been laid along the borders in the last eight years to ensure quick movement of soldiers and arms to frontier areas.
Trying to highlight that national security is the highest priority of Modi government, the BJP chief further said, "You tell me did anyone think or did any government do surgical strike or air strike? Even during the Kargil, it was Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee (former PM), who had responded (to Pakistan), and now if someone has given a befitting reply to Pakistan it is Narendra Modi."
With PTI inputs.