Rajnath Singh rebukes AAP's Sanjay Singh over 'caste being asked in Army recruitment' rumour

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday alleged that the Indian Army was using caste as a factor in recruiting youth under the Agnipath scheme, prompting a swift rebuttal from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh who rejected the charge as "a rumour".

AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh tweeted that for the first time in the history of India, candidates have been asked to mention their caste in the Army recruitment, and hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him if he does not consider dalits, backwards and tribals eligible for serving Army.

"The cheap face of Modi government has come out in front of the country," he alleged in a tweet in Hindi.

"Does Modi ji not consider dalits/backward/tribals eligible for army recruitment? For the first time in the history of India, caste is being asked in Army recruitment". Modi ji you have to make 'Agniveer' or 'Jaativeer'," he charged.

मोदी सरकार का घटिया चेहरा देश के सामने आ चुका है।

क्या मोदी जी दलितों/पिछड़ों/आदिवासियों को सेना भर्ती के क़ाबिल नही मानते?

भारत के इतिहास में पहली बार “सेना भर्ती “ में जाति पूछी जा रही है।

मोदी जी आपको “à¤à¤—्निवीर” बनाना है या “जातिवीर” pic.twitter.com/fxgBre38Ft

— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) July 19, 2022

Dismissing the allegation, Singh told reporters in Parliament complex, "I want to make it clear this is a rumour. The (recruitment) system which was in place before Independence is being continued and there is no change to this."