Congress slams govt for provision of 'absorption of Agniveers in private security agencies'

New Delhi: The Congress slammed the Centre on Tuesday over a purported home ministry notification that said retiring Agniveers may be absorbed in the country's top 10 private security agencies and asked when a promise was made that pensionable government jobs would be given to them, why are they being sent to such agencies.

There was no immediate reaction from the government to the Congress's claims.

Congress's ex-servicemen department chairman Colonel (retired) Rohit Chaudhry said if the Narendra Modi government could not incentivise the soldiers who performed well during Operation Sindoor, then they should not have been deceived either.

"Rahul Gandhiji has consistently said the country is being given fewer trained soldiers and that the Modi government is filling the coffers of its capitalist friends by cutting soldiers' pensions," he said.

"The Modi government had promised that 'we would give government jobs to Agniveers after they retire'. But now.... The home ministry has issued a notification in which it is stated that retiring Agniveers will be placed in the country's top 10 private security agencies," Chaudhry claimed.

The Congress shared the purported notification issued by the home ministry, which said "the division has further conveyed that considering the huge recruitment in the security agencies, top 10 security provider agencies may be sensitised to absorb Agniveers".

Posing questions for the government, Chaudhry asked that when a promise was made to provide pensionable jobs to Agniveers and include them in central and state jobs, why are they being sent to private security agencies today.

When and where will the pensionable jobs be provided to the Agniveers, he asked.

"We cannot allow Agniveers to be turned into a private army and thrown into wars in the country and abroad. Our Jai Jawan campaign continues and we will keep raising questions in the interest of the soldiers," Chaudhry said.

"All of us are committed to the fact that the Agniveer scheme is deadly for the country's security and for the youth, and it should be ended," he said.