Bhopal, Nov 12 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Thursday demanded that all Agniveers be absorbed into the regular armed forces, arguing that extending the service of 75 per cent of them by two years would prolong uncertainty over their future and create disparities among personnel serving in the same military units.
Retired Major General Shyam Shrivastava, former chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee’s Ex-Servicemen Department, said the Centre should scrap the Agnipath scheme and provide permanent service to all those recruited under it.
Addressing a press conference at the state Congress headquarters here, he opposed the reported decision to extend the tenure of Agniveers from four to six years, saying the arrangement would continue to distinguish between the 75 per cent retained temporarily and the 25 per cent selected for regular service.
He argued that differences in salary, facilities and service status among personnel working in the same units could affect morale, discipline and operational efficiency.
“This scheme will not only weaken the armed forces but also make it difficult for young officers to command their units effectively,” Shrivastava said.
He said all Agniveers had cleared rigorous written, physical and medical examinations and undergone military training, including combat skills and weapons handling. After completing four years of service, they had also acquired valuable experience and should be absorbed into the regular forces without waiting for another two years, he said.
Shrivastava further claimed that those not selected for permanent service could face difficulties in securing alternative employment after six years, as many would have crossed the age limits for competitive examinations.
He also questioned the withdrawal of benefits for those opting to leave after completing four years.
Separately, raising the issue of reservation for ex-servicemen, Shrivastava accused the Madhya Pradesh government of diluting the implementation of the existing quota through changes introduced after 2019.
He said the state earlier provided 10 per cent reservation in Group C posts and 20 per cent in Group D posts for ex-servicemen.
However, he claimed that the effective benefit of the quota had declined to around 0.2-0.5 per cent.
Citing police recruitment, he claimed that 400-600 ex-servicemen were earlier selected in recruitment involving around 6,000 posts, but the number had fallen to four or five after 2019.
He said Madhya Pradesh had around 85,000 ex-servicemen, including nearly 40,000 in the 35-50 age group, and urged Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to review the recruitment policy.
Shrivastava warned that ex-servicemen would launch protests and approach courts if their demands were not addressed.
–IANS
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