Bihar Minister Calls Agniveers 'Army of Eunuchs', Says 'No One Will Marry Them'

Katihar (Bihar): In a major controversy, Bihar Co-operative Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Surendra Yadav on Thursday, said that the `Agniveer` scheme will make a "Hijdon Ki Fauj". Talking to the media, he said, "Exactly 8.5 years from now, the country`s name will be included among `Hijdon Ki Fauj` (Army of eunuchs), I am telling this. After 8.5 years, the current Army men will retire and the training of these Agniveers won`t even be complete," he added. "Why has this idea been brought up when our Army is the strongest in the world? What kind of Army will be prepared in 4.5 years?" he added. He further claimed that no one will marry those who will retire as Agniveer at the age of 25-26 years.

"When they (Agniveers) will be 25-26 years old, people will come with marriage proposals. What will they say? I am a retired soldier? Who will marry them?" he said. Surendra Yadav added saying, "Whoever gave this idea should be hanged, as he deserves no lesser punishment than that."

Under the Agnipath scheme, announced on June 14 last year, the three services arerecruiting youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years and 21 years for four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years. For 2022, the upper age limit was extended to 23 years.

The Agnipath Scheme (also spelled Agneepath Scheme) is a tour of duty style scheme introduced by the Government of India on 14 June 2022, for recruitment of soldiers below the rank of commissioned officers into the three services of the armed forces. All recruits will be hired only for a four-year period.

Personnel recruited under this system are to be called Agniveers, which will be a new military rank. The introduction of the scheme has been criticised for lack of consultation and public debate. The scheme was implemented in September 2022.

As the anti-Agneepath scheme protestors continue to wreak havoc in the country by vandalising and burning down the public property, the Indian Defence Ministry on Sunday announced that those who were involved in any kind of violent protests and arson will not be admitted to the Agniveer programme.