• Anand Prakash

The ‘Agnipath’ scheme is controversial, carries multiple risks, subverts the long-standing traditions and ethos of the armed forces.

The Central Government has constantly been making changes in the long-standing systems such as administrative and educational ones. In this sequence, it has been announced to implement the ‘Agnipath’ scheme in the military service sector. This announcement raises a big question as to why is the Central Government getting so impatient to implement its schemes? For example, the decision to organize the Integrated Entrance Examination in the entire country in the field of education, was also hastily taken with a notice of just two months. Now, the ‘Agnipath’ scheme too appears to be a hastily brought out plan. The logic behind this idea is that the government is constantly making changes in the rules of the scheme, and at the same time many questions related to this scheme are yet to be answered. Since this plan is related to the security system of the country, it is also imperative to hold a comprehensive discussion on it.

There is a lot of resentment in the whole country regarding this scheme and the Modi government and BJP are being opposed. Shri Rahul Gandhi has also openly opposed the unstable mindset of the Modi government. He warned the government in clear words that the country would never accept its agenda by putting aside the national interest. The way the Modi government gave up arms on agricultural laws, it will also have to apologize for the ‘Agnipath’ scheme and withdraw it. It is clear that the Congress party will never compromise on the national interest.

However, some questions related to this scheme, which have emerged as challenges before the government, need to be considered here at the moment.

All the intellectuals of the country including the Congress party are expressing their concern regarding the ‘Agnipath’ scheme, which they believe could turn out to be an instrument of initiation of a wrong tradition. On the basis of this scheme, the possibility of implementing similar systems in all the government institutions in future cannot be ruled out. That is to say, the governance system of the whole country can go contract-based. The government has already been in controversy due to its forced retirement and lateral entry legislations. Now the ‘Agnipath’ scheme actually appears to be the third link of the same tradition. A large section of government employees also believes that the possibility of such system being implemented in their departments in future will increase the pressure on them.

Such questions in the country like whether the government does not have any permanent plan to remove unemployment, are also credited to the ‘Agnipath’ scheme? - Because it appears to be a temporary means to get rid of unemployment. Its rotation process will provide only symbolic employment in a way because after 4 years, 75 percent of the selected soldiers (who will be called ‘Agni Veers’) through this scheme will become unemployed. In such a situation, the problem of unemployment will not be uprooted, but it will assume a disguised form and be more gigantic.

Elements of this plan:

1. Total service in the army including training will be only of four years.
2. Monthly salary in the first year will be only Rs. 30,000, which will become Rs. 40,000 in the last year. At the end of four years, a lump sum of Rs. 11.71 (Seva Nidhi package) lakh will be given.
3. No gratuity or pension will be available on withdrawal after four years of service.
4. The person recruited for four years will neither get the benefit of military canteen nor will he/she get the benefit of ECHS i.e. any kind of health facility.
5. After four years of service, only 25 percent of the people can get a chance to do regular service in the army. 75 percent will have to go back home.
6. Those recruited for four years will not get the rank of Army, but will only be called ‘Agniveers’.

Regarding this scheme, a section is also raising the question that after 4 years, can the retired youth create their own employment just by getting the lump sum amount? Is such the economic structure of the country? Is the government turning the country towards self-employment and if so, what steps has been taken by the government for this? This question seems to be more relevant when plans and ideas like ‘Make in India’, ‘Self-reliant India’ have not yet proved successful.

Military experts, top officials of the three services and experts related to the Defense sector have expressed deep concern over this entire scheme of the Modi government. More than one army officer and experts have said that this decision of the Modi government is synonyms to playing with the dignity, tradition, sense of belonging and discipline of the Indian Armed Forces. Defense experts also believe that 4-year contract recruitment is not a proper message for the security of the country. This decision is going to compromise somewhere on the efficiency, dexterity, ability, effectiveness and capability of the three services. The most worrying thing is what will happen to the future of these young soldiers after four years? All this is being done when India has two active borders and the country is constantly fighting on the borders with Pakistan and China.

The next question related to the ‘Agnipath’ scheme is whether it is going to negatively affect the Indian social system? In fact, India’s social system is woven into such a fabric that under this scheme, when 75% of the soldiers will be released from service after 4 years, these Agniveerswill be considered technically expelled or ineligible. Will these Agniveers be able to secure for themselves socially respectful attitude under such circumstances? This seems even more appropriate when the government has itself given a clear message that the unqualified soldiers will be thrown out on the basis of merit after 4 years of observation. So, in such a situation, after being branded as ‘Incompetent or Disqualified’, will Agniveers prove to be able to fulfil their responsibilities - mentally and socially?

This one-time scheme seems to be giving more benefits to private institutions. Because 75 percent of Agniveers, fully trained through the government system, when forced to retire, will turn into a resource for private institutions without any investment. In such a situation, the benefit of Agniveers will go to private institutions more than the government because they will not have invested a single penny to train them.

It has been said in the context of this scheme by the Ministry of Home Affairs that 75% of Agniveers who will be forcibly retired will be given 10 percent reservation in CAPF or Assam Rifles. Now a big question arises here that when these paramilitary forces are also performing the same difficult and responsible duties as the Indian Army in their particular area, then why should they recruit second grade (unfit for Indian army) soldiers? Does this idea seem right from the point of view of security of the country or is it necessary to differentiate between the quality of Indian Army and Para Military Forces that too when they have to fight day and night with China, Pakistan, Naxalites etc.

A big question regarding this scheme also arises in the context of the future of the country that after forcibly being retired, 75 percent trained youngAgniveer soldiers who would know how to operate fully state-of-the-art weapons, would they not go in the wrong direction even in the advent of unemployment. And if so, what are the measures taken by the government to deal with it? This question is important in itself and the government should answer it.

India is a country where governments are also elected for 5 years. In such a situation, the selection of Agniveers for only 4 years raises questions about the time limit in itself. The matter should also be clarified by the government that why only 4 years have been fixed for the Agnipath scheme? Will it be the right time after 4 years to decide the eligibility of soldiers and what is the basis for determining this time limit?

Some people are comparing the Agnipath scheme with the compulsory military service scheme of countries like Israel, Bermuda or Singapore. It is to be understood here that countries like Israel, Bermuda and Singapore are very small in terms of geographical weight numbers. In such a situation due to the small population, the issue of border security cannot be made a matter of personal will. That is why, schemes like compulsory military service are prevalent there. But in a country like India where unemployment is at its peak, serving only for 4 years and then standing in the midst of the society as an unemployed with the tag of ‘Incompetent/Disqualified’ is really a matter of concern for the youth of the country.

Another big question that arises about this plan is whether it will affect the military quality? It is being argued that the soldier will already know that he has to serve the country for 4 years, after which he will get a lump sum amount on the basis of which he will be able to live his life. In such a situation, will he contribute fully understanding the demand of this service, understanding the seriousness of the national interest, or will it be like a part time job for him. To have a lasting sense of duty while serving is a pre-requisite to do border security, which seems a bit difficult to think of in a part-time job.

(The author is Executive Member of Delhi University Teachers’ Association and Assistant Professor in Rajdhani College)