RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Agnipath scheme and demanded its immediate withdrawal. The RJD leader also asked 20 questions from the Government on the scheme.
Addressing a Press conference at his sister Misa Bharati’s residence in Delhi, Tejashwi said there were many doubts about the scheme in the minds of the youth and demanded that it be withdrawn.
The RJD leader also announced through social media that the MLAs of 'Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar Assembly will march from the Vidhan Sabha to the Raj Bhavan in Patna on Wednesday demanding jobs for the youth and the roll back of the Agneepath scheme'.
Yadav also appealed to the youth to protest peacefully against the scheme and shun violence.
Tejashwi asked whether this was a MGNREGA-like initiative for the educated youth or there was a "hidden agenda" of the RSS in 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".
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. "Protests are taking place in many parts of the country and there is anger among those who want to become soldiers," he said.
Tejashwi refuted the BJP's charge that the RJD was behind arson and violence in Bihar and said the Centre is responsible for it. “ It’s their habit to blame the opposition for their failure,” he said..
The RJD leader said that the onus of all the protests taking place in Bihar, and across the country, is on the Modi government and its inability to explain all controversial schemes to the people of the country— be it any schemes related to farmers, students, youths and others.
While urging the Centre to stop playing with the future of India, the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly also exhorted the youths of his state and other parts of the country to ensure that their protests don't turn violent under any circumstances.
Tejashwi Yadav's 20 questions to the Centre:
-Will the Agniveers get the same 90 holidays as the normal soldiers get in a year?
-If the Agnipath scheme is in accordance with the law, why are only soldiers and not officers being recruited on contract?
-The Centre should clarify whether this scheme is akin to an MNREGA for the educated youth or a hidden agenda of RSS.
-The Centre should clarify whether the payment received by the Agniveer during his tenure and after the completion of 4 years will be taxed?
-If the government considers Agniveers as soldiers, will they get gratuity? Has the tenure been reduced to 4 years to save gratuity?
-Will the government give Agniveers facilities like canteens and the medical treatment to which ex-servicemen are entitled?
-Did the government take feedback from defence experts and experienced army personnel before framing this scheme? Was their suggestion implemented?
-Is this not the first government scheme where there is a 75% guarantee of unemployment after 4 years?
-Under this scheme, a youth aged 18 will get a job and retire at the age of 22. Will this not impact his higher education?
-Can a law and order situation arise in the country as a significant number of 22-year-olds having received weapon training retire?
-Why did a government that talked about One Rank, One Pension have now resorted to No Rank, No Pension?
-The government is saying that it will recruit only a few thousand for a period of 4 years. Isn't this a betrayal of the youths?
-What will the youths do if the Indian Railways and Army start giving contractual employment?
-If BJP likes contractual employment so much, will all its Ministers, MPs, MLAs and office-bearers get their children to resign from government jobs?
-Should the Centre interfere in a matter concerning the Armed Forces?
-Why doesn't the government properly address the complex issue of unemployment? Should the government not think about the issue of unemployment sensitively?
-The BJP government should answer- aren't 70% of the youths not worried about jobs now?
-Isn't the government responsible for the violence and unrest arising out of unemployment?
-10 lakhs posts are lying vacant in government departments. Are the youths and the opposition responsible for keeping these posts vacant for 8 years?
-Did the BJP government not promise the youths 2 crore jobs, 80 crore jobs till 2022, Rs.15 lakh in bank account and good days?