All-India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, on Sunday, targetted the Centre over the 'Agnipath' recruitment scheme and asked the government to "listen to the youth of this country" and roll back the scheme.
In a series of tweets, the AIMIM chief said the government “is playing with India’s security and destroying the future of youth” and claimed that the “BJP sees Agniveers as nothing but chowkidaars on hire.”
“Modi’s Minister G Kishan Reddy says #Agniveers will be trained as drivers, dhobis etc. Serving in army is a prestigious profession with no parallel. These men are willing to kill or get killed for India. If they wanted to be drivers, etc why would they spend 4 years in army,” he asked.
Claiming that the country has seen "the destruction caused to Indian economy and society by reckless steps like demonetisation and lockdown taken without any thought and planning," he sought to know if Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to do the same to India's national security.
"BJP leaders say we will hire demobilised contract soldiers as chowkidars for their offices. Is this the dignity Modi’s party assigns to soldiers and soldiering, which is a profession of honour? It is regrettable that we have a ruling party like this in the country," he said.
The AIMIM chief was referring to BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya who had said if he has to hire the services of professionals to arrange security at the party office, he would give priority to those who have served as Agniveer soldiers.
“I once again appeal to the government to stop this devious manner of working, listen to the youth of this country, immediately rollback this cruel scheme of contractual recruitment and make up the shortfall in men and equipment for our armed forces," Owaisi said in another tweet.