<p>Ex-servicemen bodies have criticised Agnipath - the government's scheme to induct youth into armed forces on a four-year contract basis - saying that it would affect ethos of the country's defence establishments.</p>.<p>Ex-servicemen associations in Punjab and Haryana called Agnipath "an experiment", according to a <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ex-jawans-slam-agnipath-dont-experiment-with-army-7972007/" target="_blank">report </a>in <em>The Indian Express</em>.</p>.<p>“This is a wrong move. No one will be interested in joining the Army on these terms and conditions. It is like raising a private army,” Faridkot Ex-Servicemen Welfare Union’s district president retd. Havaldar Premjit Singh Brar told the publication. He flagged concerns over pension if the soldier dies on the border. “They say they will only give him fixed compensation and that his family will not get any pension or any benefit. Why should anyone be willing to die under these circumstances?”</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/mayawati-varun-gandhi-hit-out-at-governments-agnipath-scheme-1118588.html" target="_blank">Mayawati, Varun Gandhi hit out at government's 'Agnipath' scheme</a></strong></p>.<p>“A trained soldier will be let loose in society after four years of service. The society is already plagued by gangsterism. What if these jobless, arms-trained youth join the gangsters? This is a ‘ghatiya scheme’. Who joins the Army as a jawan? A poor person whose family owns only two or two and a half acres of land. If he will be on the roads after four years, why will he join the Army,” he said.</p>.<p>Subedar and Honorary Captain Darshan Singh, from the Corps of Engineers, and a member of Indian Ex-Services Union expressed his disapproval about the training processes too.</p>.<p>“Every day new equipment is being introduced in the Army. This means a soldier will have hardly learnt how to handle the equipment before it will be time for him to leave," he said.</p>.<p>Employment opportunities for the soldiers after the end of four-year term is another cause of concern. “The future of the youth is being played with,” said Captain Shamsher Malik, president of the Progressive Ex-Servicemen Federation of India that is based out of Rohtak.</p>
<p>Ex-servicemen bodies have criticised Agnipath - the government's scheme to induct youth into armed forces on a four-year contract basis - saying that it would affect ethos of the country's defence establishments.</p>.<p>Ex-servicemen associations in Punjab and Haryana called Agnipath "an experiment", according to a <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ex-jawans-slam-agnipath-dont-experiment-with-army-7972007/" target="_blank">report </a>in <em>The Indian Express</em>.</p>.<p>“This is a wrong move. No one will be interested in joining the Army on these terms and conditions. It is like raising a private army,” Faridkot Ex-Servicemen Welfare Union’s district president retd. Havaldar Premjit Singh Brar told the publication. He flagged concerns over pension if the soldier dies on the border. “They say they will only give him fixed compensation and that his family will not get any pension or any benefit. Why should anyone be willing to die under these circumstances?”</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/mayawati-varun-gandhi-hit-out-at-governments-agnipath-scheme-1118588.html" target="_blank">Mayawati, Varun Gandhi hit out at government's 'Agnipath' scheme</a></strong></p>.<p>“A trained soldier will be let loose in society after four years of service. The society is already plagued by gangsterism. What if these jobless, arms-trained youth join the gangsters? This is a ‘ghatiya scheme’. Who joins the Army as a jawan? A poor person whose family owns only two or two and a half acres of land. If he will be on the roads after four years, why will he join the Army,” he said.</p>.<p>Subedar and Honorary Captain Darshan Singh, from the Corps of Engineers, and a member of Indian Ex-Services Union expressed his disapproval about the training processes too.</p>.<p>“Every day new equipment is being introduced in the Army. This means a soldier will have hardly learnt how to handle the equipment before it will be time for him to leave," he said.</p>.<p>Employment opportunities for the soldiers after the end of four-year term is another cause of concern. “The future of the youth is being played with,” said Captain Shamsher Malik, president of the Progressive Ex-Servicemen Federation of India that is based out of Rohtak.</p>
