Recruitment process for 'Agnipath' scheme to start in 'few days': Rajnath Singh
says new plan 'golden opportunity'
New Delhi, Jun 17: The process of recruitment under the 'Agnipath' military recruitment scheme will start in a "few days", Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday and appealed to the youth looking at joining the military to start preparing for it.
Singh also tried to assuage the concerns of young people agitating against the 4-year contractual recruitment plan, saying the new model is a "golden opportunity" for those wanting to join the country's armed forces.
He said the government's decision to increase the upper age limit from 21 years to 23 years for recruitment under the scheme in 2022 will allow a significant number of youths to join the armed forces.
Singh took to Twitter to reach out to the demonstrators in the backdrop of continued violent protests in several states. One person was killed in police firing in Secunderabad during the protests that raged through several states for the third day on Friday with trains torched, public property vandalised and many thousands blocking tracks and highways.
The 'Agnipath' scheme announced by the Central government is a "golden opportunity" for the youth of India to join the defence system of the country and serve it, he said.
"Due to the lack of recruitment process in the army for the last two years, many youths could not get the opportunity to join the army. Therefore, keeping in mind the future of the youths, on the instructions of Prime Minister @narendramodi, the government has increased the age limit for recruitment of Agniveers from 21 years to 23 years," Singh said.
He said this one-time relaxation will allow a lot of youth to become 'Agniveers'.
The youths to be recruited under the 'Agnipath' scheme will be known as 'Agniveers'.
"I heartily thank Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for his concern and sensitivity towards the future of the youths. I appeal to the youth that the process of recruitment in the army is going to start in a few days. They start their preparation for it," Singh tweeted.
The government on Thursday night increased the upper age limit for recruitment under the 'Agnipath' scheme to 23 years from 21 for the year 2022 amid widespread protest against the new model for enrolment of soldiers into the three services.
Unveiling the scheme on Tuesday, the government said youths between the ages of 17 and-a-half and 21 years would be inducted for a four-year tenure while 25 per cent of the recruits will be retained for regular service.
The new scheme for the recruitment of soldiers in the Army, Navy and Air Force was projected by the government as a major overhaul of the decades-old selection process to enhance the youthful profile of the three services.
After the scheme was rolled out, the Army said it would ensure an enhanced youthful profile of the force and result in a "reduction in the average age from 32 to 26 years over a period of time".
The three service chiefs have also strongly backed the scheme and said it was unveiled after over two years of deliberations.
इसलिए युवाओं के भविष्य को ध्यान में रखकर प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi निर्देश पर सरकार ने अग्निवीरों को भर्ती की आयु सीमा को इस बार 21 वर्ष से बढ़ा कर 23 वर्ष कर दी है।
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 17, 2022
यह one time relaxation दिया गया है। इससे बहुत सारे युवाओं को अग्निवीर बनने की पात्रता प्राप्त हो जाएगी।2/3
मैं प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi को युवाओं के भविष्य की चिंता करने और उनके प्रति संवेदनशीलता के लिए हृदय से धन्यवाद करता हूँ।
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 17, 2022
मैं युवाओं से अपील करता हूँ कि सेना में भर्ती की प्रक्रिया कुछ ही दिनों में प्रारम्भ होने जा रही है। वे इसके लिए अपनी तैयारी शुरू करें। 3/3
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
