Centre’s Agnipath scheme is for raising ‘armed cadres’, alleges Mamata

The new defence forces short-term recruitment scheme, Agnipath, was differently interpreted by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the state assembly on Monday. Speaking to the house, Banerjee alleged that through the Agnipath scheme, the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre intended to raise (armed) cadres.

The Chief Minister also questioned the four-year tenure saying it wasn’t Army recruitment, because the announcement came from the home ministry. Objecting to the short tenure, she made a political allegation—the BJP wanted to raise cadres before the 2024 general elections.

Banerjee saw the Agnipath scheme as an insult to the Army, saying that completing four years in service, those recruited would be without a job, but with a gun licence.

BJP MLAs, who rose to respond as Banerjee continued to speak, raising a series of allegations against the Centre, walked out of the House.

Suvendu Adhikari, BJP MLA and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, later told reporters that Banerjee had insulted the Army. “Army’s insult is an insult to the nation,” Adhikari said.

The President should take action against the chief minister, he said.

While the TMC objected to the Centre’s recruitment scheme, irregularities in recruitment to state-aided schools are being investigated under court directives.

In another development, the assembly passed a motion condemning the controversial remarks against the Prophet by BJP leader/s (without naming them). Partha Chatterjee, West Bengal’s parliamentary affairs minister, tabled the motion in the Mention Hour. Banerjee condemned the remarks and considered them to be aimed at spreading hatred before the Lok Sabha elections.

While the Agnipath scheme triggered large-scale violent protests in several states, in West Bengal the protests were relatively smaller and peaceful. However, the controversial remarks made by the BJP leaders against the Prophet resulted in serious and violent incidents in several pockets across the state