Rahul Gandhi scores self goal with 'will be kicked out' remark on Agniveers, BJP drives it home as 'insult to Army'

Rahul Gandhi Controversial remarks on Agniveer: During Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, a controversy arose over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's statement regarding the recruitment of Agniveer into the army. While giving a controversial statement in Baghpat, Rahul Gandhi said, "The government will give weapons into the hands of jawans for 4 years and then after 4 years the jawans will be thrown out." The former Congress president gave this statement while speaking on the Agneepath scheme of army recruitment in Nukkad Sabha in Baraut, Baghpat. 

Addressing a rally in his Uttar Pradesh leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Baghpat, Rahul Gandhi said, "The youth used to wake up at around 4 in the morning and they used to run. They used to dream about going to the border and protecting the country and the tricolour. Earlier the youth used to serve in the Army for 15 years and get a pension but Narendra Modi ji said that keep the pension aside, and let do this-- train for 6 months, hold the gun, stay for 4 years, then kick you out and you will be unemployed. This is new India."

Rahul Gandhi has created controversies even before with his statements regarding the army. His statement about the recent incident of an incursion by Chinese soldiers in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh was embroiled in controversies. He spoke of beating Indian soldiers with sticks and accused the Modi government of not doing anything about Chinese intrusion. However, he seemed confused about this statement. Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar had also said in Parliament that the Congress leader should have refrained from using such words. BJP leaders said that Rahul Gandhi had questioned the bravery and valor of the army.