Rahul Gandhi Spreading Propaganda On Agniveer Scheme: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is spreading false propaganda on the Agniveer military recruitment scheme.

Mr Gandhi, in his first election meeting in Haryana for the Lok Sabha polls on Wednesday, had said that the Agniveer scheme would be scrapped and thrown in the dustbin if the INDIA bloc came to power. 

Mr Shah said that 25 per cent of the Agniveers would get permanent postings in the Army, while reservations in state government and paramilitary forces would be given to the remaining 75 per cent. Therefore, there would be a rare Agniveer who would not be employed, the home minister said.

Talking to reporters in Dharamshala, Mr Shah said that Mr Gandhi was spreading false propaganda on Agniveer and making an issue by telling lies. "Rahul has started a tradition of making lies a poll issue and Agniveer is the biggest example," the BJP leader said.

"25 per cent of the Agniveers would get permanent posting in the Army. The BJP-ruled state governments have made 10-20 per cent reservation in the police for Agniveer besides 10 per cent reservation has also been made in the central paramilitary forces," Mr Shah said.

The Agniveers have been given several relaxations like in age, examination and would also not appear in the physical test, he said, adding that there would be a rare Agniveer who would not be recruited in the state police or central paramilitary forces.

Moreover, private security agencies and companies would also give priority to Agniveers, who would be trained on government expenses, would get a good salary, gratuity and other benefits and also a job, Mr Shah said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)