Agartala, Jun 16, 2022, TRIPURATIMES Desk

Agartala June 16: Amid protests in several states against the Agnipath scheme, Congress MP Manish Tewari on Thursday (June 16, 2022) backed the central government for its short-term armed forces recruitment plan. Expressing his view on the Yojana, which seemed divergent from the Congress's position, Tewari said that India needs a younger armed force with lighter human footprint savvy on technology.

Taking to Twitter, the former Union Minister said, "I do empathise with youth who have concerns over Agnipath recruitment process. Reality is India needs a younger armed force with lighter human footprint savvy on technology, equipped with state of art weaponry."

"Armed forces of  Union shouldn’t be an employment guarantee programme," the Congress leader added.

His statement came in the wake of widespread protests in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. 

In Bihar, trains were set afire, windowpanes of buses smashed and passersby, including a ruling BJP MLA, pelted with stones by defence job aspirants whose protest against the central scheme continued for the second consecutive day.