Is this MGNREGA-like step for educated youth or 'hidden agenda' of RSS: Tejashwi Yadav on Agnipath

Amid widespread protests against the Agnipath military recruitment scheme in Bihar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday said there were many doubts about the scheme in the minds of the youth and demanded that it be immediately withdrawn.

Addressing a press conference here, he asked whether this was a MGNREGA-like initiative for the educated youth or there was a "hidden agenda" of the RSS in it.

"Protests are taking place in many parts of the country and there is anger among those who want to become soldiers," he said.

Yadav also appealed to the youth to protest peacefully against the scheme.

He dismissed the BJP's claims blaming the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for arson and violence, and said the Centre is responsible for it but blames the Opposition for it.

Why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi silent on the whole issue, he asked.

He said the government talked about 'one rank, one pension', but has come up with a scheme of "no rank, no pension".

He said most laws of the government "crash" even before taking off and cited the examples of the farm laws.

Asked about the alleged "blame game" between the BJP and JD(U), Yadav said there is a double engine government and JD(U) criticising the scheme is like attacking its own government.

The former deputy chief minister of Bihar posed 20 questions to the government, asserting that there were many doubts in the minds of the people which should be cleared by the government.

Yadav asked why Agnipath was not for officers to be recruited in the military.

His posers for the government included questions like whether the 'Agniveers' would be given 90-day leave in a year like regular soldiers or not, whether tax will be deducted from the money earned by the soldiers during the service and at the end of tenure, will they be given gratuity, whether they would get facilities of military canteen and medical facilities available to ex-service persons.

Yadav also asked why the government does not addresses the major problem of unemployment.

Is the government not responsible for the violence and anarchy caused due to unemployment, he said.

There are more than 10 lakh posts in various departments under the central government, he said and asked if the people and Opposition were guilty for keeping the posts vacant.

Slamming the BJP-led government at the Centre, he said had not it promised to give two crore jobs to people and bring 'achche din'.

The Centre on Saturday announced several incentives, including reserving 10 per cent vacancies in the defence ministry and paramilitary forces, for Agnipath retirees as violent protests raged on against the new military recruitment scheme in many states, and opposition parties stepped up pressure for its withdrawal.