Key NDA ally Nitish Kumar’s first big demand: Review Agnipath scheme

New Delhi, Jun 6 : The BJP faces a stiff alliance test in its third term and its signs were visible on Thursday as its ally, Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), said it would demand a review of the Agnipath recruitment scheme for the Army. JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said there was resentment against the Agnipath scheme, and it was visible during the elections.

“There is a need to review the Agnipath scheme. There was a lot of opposition to the scheme and its effect was seen in the elections as well,” KC Tyagi said.

“We will not be confrontational about this… When the Agnipath scheme was introduced, there was discontent among a large section of the armed forces. Their families also protested during the elections. So, there is a need to discuss it,” the senior Bihar leader said.

The Centre unveiled the Agnipath scheme in 2022 in a bid to make the armed forces lean and reduce the defence pension bill.

Under the scheme, personnel are recruited in the Army, Navy and the Air Force on a short-term contract of four years. Of the total annual recruits, only 25% are allowed to continue for another 15 years under permanent commission. The scheme triggered massive protests in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

JD(U) ON ONE NATION ONE POLL, CIVIL CODE

While Tyagi said the party was in favour of the BJP’s ‘one nation one poll’ policy, he was more circumspect over the saffron party’s manifesto promise of a Uniform Civil Code.

‘One nation one poll’ envisages simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections to states. The previous BJP government had constituted a panel under former President Ram Nath Kovind to examine its feasibility. The panel submitted its report to the President in March this year.

On the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Tyagi said there was a need to take all the stakeholders along on the matter and understand their views.

The UCC proposes a set of laws to govern personal matters of all citizens, irrespective of religion.

“Our stand on the Uniform Civil Code is the same even today. There is a need to take all the stakeholders along on this matter and understand their views. Nitish Kumar had written a letter to the chairperson of the law commission on UCC and said that we are not against it, but there is a need for extensive discussion on it. A unified decision should be taken by discussing it with all the chief ministers,” Tyagi said.

-PTI