MyVoice: Views of our readers 18th June 2022

No sound reason for Cong protests

This refers to the editorial 'Cong protests: A mockery of democracy.' The country is witnessing a wave of Congress protests in the wake of ex-Congress president Rahul Gandhi being summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in the National Herald case related to money laundering.

One wonders, why the Congress supporters are so carried away and needlessly emotional, when ED decides to question Rahul Gandhi and his mother in the said case. The sentiments of the supporters are akin to a soldier leaving to the war front; while it is about misappropriation and mismanagement of funds to hoodwink the tax department, with a sole aim to amass wealth - putting the family interests first and not caring about country or people.

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

Agnipath an ill-conceived scheme

Opposition parties asked the Centre to withdraw the Agnipath scheme immediately. The scheme makes a mockery of military training. It appears to us that the scheme makes a mockery of training; inducts into the defense forces an ill-trained and ill-motivated soldier, and discharges a disappointed and unhappy ex-soldier into the society. Professional armed forces cannot be raised by recruiting 'soldiers on contract' for a period of four years.

This scheme, to save pension money, severely compromises the quality and efficiency of our professional armed forces. There is every chance that the temporary nature of the job may not show much solidarity and a sense of national spirit may be lacking in this futile exercise.

Calicut Krish Ramani, Trichy

II

The proposed Agnipath scheme in which soldiers will be recruited for four years period by Armed forces is a novel idea. That the idea of thousands of youth can get military training and opportunity to serve the nation though for a brief period is not something to be rejected outright.

The soldiers who served in this scheme should be given priority in other opportunities after their retirement.

Dr DVG Sankararao, Vizianagaram

III

Under the previous system, troops joined for a 17-year service that has a life long pension, a good package after retirement and also a piece of land to ex-servicemen. The new scheme, however, envisages just a four-year tenure for most and the Agniveers will not be eligible for pension benefits.

The anger is also being fuelled by the two-year freeze on Army recruitment. Several aspirants who turned overage during the last two years are now seeking a relaxation in age criteria. Rahul Gandhi has rightly said that" when India faces threats on two fronts, the uncalled for Agnipath scheme reduces the operational effectiveness of our armed forces. The BJP government must stop compromising the dignity, traditions,valour and discipline of our forces.

Zeeshaan. Kazipet.

IV

The Army job aspirants want to serve permanently. No ono likes serving Army for 4 years and leave. Agnipath should not be launched in a hurry. The government should learn from farmers protest against the farm laws. Policies should not be made without interacting with target groups and knowing their views, in any democracy.

KL Rao, Visakhapatnam

V

Unilateral decision on contractualisation of jobs in the defence forces under the newly announced Agnipath scheme without prior circulation about its merits has ignited the fire among youth that led to burning of trains and destroying the infrastructure of the railway stations at Bihar and Secunderabad. It reminds the earlier catastrophic calamity on Kapu reservation in which the agitators burnt Ratnachal Express at Anakapalli.

Indulging in violent activities such as creating inferno to public property will have greater impact on them only financially in the form taxes, cess, etc. Government should also desist from taking unwanted and unwarranted decisions without public knowledge in advance. Farm laws are the recent example.

Dr NSR Murthy, Secunderabad

VI

The recruitment for various posts in a department is a common and routine process and is done as and when the vacancies arise in the wake of retirements. Prime Minister Modi has turned a common and routine process of recruitment into a fanfare affair. This is a newly-found strategy to send out a political message - signaling that government is committed to solve the unemployment crisis.

But the recruitment of 10 lakh persons out of 53 million people currently unemployed implies a lot more to be done. Also, the share of government jobs in the job market is minuscule, while the private sector absorbs the most. So, the governments need to adopt holistic approach to tackle the menace of joblessness, a socio-political issue.

N Sadhasiva Reddy, Bengaluru