Siddaramaiah urges PM Modi to drop Agnipath military recruitment scheme
Bengaluru, Jun 17: Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday urged the BJP-ruled Centre to drop the Agnipath scheme of recruiting military personnel as 'Agniveers' for a term of four years in the wake of violent protests in parts of the country by aspirants seeking to join the armed forces.
In a series of tweets, the Congress stalwart also said the government should not play with the security forces to cover up the government's bankruptcy.
"The new #AgneepathScheme to recruit soldiers will push youth into unemployment & will have adverse impact on security of the country. @BJP4India should drop the new plan & recruit soldiers as per the existing process," Siddaramaiah tweeted.
He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power with the promise to provide two crore job opportunities, but now is closing every opportunity for the youth.
Questioning the scheme, the former chief minister sought to know, "Can soldiers be completely involved if they are insecure about their job opportunities & clueless about their future due to #AgneepathScheme? Is this not dangerous if soldiers develop this insecurity?
Seeking to know if the BJP government at the Centre was so "bankrupt" that they are unable to ensure job security, and pay salaries and pensions to the soldiers, Siddaramaiah said PM Modi should not play with the national security "to cover up the government's bankruptcy .
"People of our country have taught a lesson to @BJP4India govt when they tried to implement anti-farmer laws. People should again teach a lesson for playing with the future of our youth & our soldiers," Siddaramaiah further tweeted.
People of our country have taught a lesson to @BJP4India govt when they tried to implement anti-farmer laws. People should again teach a lesson for playing with the future of our youth & our soldiers.#JaiJawan_JaiKisan
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) June 17, 2022
Is the @BJP4India govt so bankrupt that they are unable to ensure job security, and to pay salaries & pensions to our committed soldiers?@narendramodi should not play with our security to cover up the govt's bankruptcy.#JaiJawan_JaiKisan
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) June 17, 2022
The new #AgneepathScheme to recruit soldiers will push youth into unemployment & will have adverse impact on security of the country.@BJP4India should drop the new plan & recruit soldiers as per the existing process.#JaiJawan_JaiKisan
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) June 17, 2022
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Delhi Polls: BJP faces protest, placates MLA amid resentment over ticket distribution
New Delhi, Jan 12: Resentment surfaced in the BJP on Sunday over ticket distribution for Delhi Assembly polls, with a protest held outside its Delhi unit office and an angry outburst by the outgoing MLA from Karawal Nagar who was not included in the candidate list released a day earlier.
As MLA Mohan Singh Bisht threatened to revolt after being denied a ticket from Karawal Nagar, the party rushed to control the damage and announced his candidature from the Mustafabad seat this evening.
A group of protesters from Tughlakabad in South Delhi held a dharna at the gate of the Delhi BJP office, demanding a change in the candidate from the constituency.
"Vikram Bidhuri Tum Sangharsh Karo; Modi Se Bair Nahi, Rohtas Teri Khair Nahi," the protesters, including mostly youngsters, chanted as the party leaders tried to pacify them.
In the second list of BJP candidates for the polls declared on Saturday, Rohtas Bidhuri was fielded from the Tughlakabad seat. In 2020 Assembly polls, Vikram Bidhuri who is a relative of senior party leader Ramesh Bidhuri, lost to AAP's Sahiram by over 13,000 votes.
A similar protest was also held by some party workers outside the Delhi BJP office against Mehrauli candidate Gajainder Yadav after the announcement of the first list of candidates earlier this month.
Bisht, the senior-most BJP MLA in the outgoing Assembly elected five times from Karawal Nagar, openly expressed unhappiness over being denied the ticket to contest from his stronghold.
A senior party leader said he was pacified after a meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda.
Bisht, after getting the ticket from Mustafabad, expressed confidence that he would win the seat for the BJP.
"I met the national president and things were ironed out. I have assured that I will contest from Mustafabad and win the seat for the party," Bisht told PTI.
The MLA said he and the BJP had considerable support in Mustafabad and he has already attended two public meetings there.
The BJP won the Mustafabad seat, having a significant minority community presence, in the 2015 Assembly polls but lost it to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2020.
Earlier in the day, Bisht told PTI that the party's decision to replace him with Kapil Mishra was "wrong" and its consequences will be visible after voting on February 5.
"You have challenged the 'samaj' (his Uttarakhandi community), not Mohan Singh Bisht. The BJP will lose at least 8-10 seats because of this decision, including Karawal Nagar, Burari, Mustafabad and Gokalpuri," Bisht warned.
The BJP fielded Kapil Mishra, a Hindutva hardliner, from Karwal Nagar in North East Delhi, which was rocked by massive communal violence just after the 2020 Assembly polls.
Sources in the party claimed that there was also "deep resentment" among the Delhi BJP's Scheduled Castes Morcha leaders over being denied tickets from different constituencies including Madipur and Kondli.
A top Delhi BJP functionary stressed that there are many ticket aspirants, so it is natural for those who did not get selected to feel disappointed.
"The BJP is a disciplined party and its leaders understand this. Sooner or later, everyone will realise this and work for the victory of the party giving up their resentment," he said.
The elections to 70 Assembly seats in Delhi are scheduled on February 5. Results will be out after the counting of votes on February 8.
The BJP, out of power in Delhi since 1998, is making all-out efforts to return to power. In the 2015 and 2020 Assembly polls, the party was completely routed by the AAP, scraping through with just three and eight seats, respectively.
