Union Minister Asks Nitish Kumar To 'Sack Anti-National' Bihar Minister

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, on Friday demanded that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar sack RJD leader and state minister Surendra Yadav for his 'objectionable' remark on Army jawans.

The RJD leader on Thursday said, "Exactly 8.5 yrs from today, our army would be seen as Hijdon ki Fauj (an army of ennuchs). This is because our serving jawans will have retired by then and the training of the Agniveers will still be going on. Whoever came up with this idea (of recruiting jawans through the 'Agnipath' scheme) should be hanged."

Hitting back at the Bihar minister over his remark, on Friday, Mr Rai told ANI, "Surendra Yadav's statement, as a cabinet minister, is highly objectionable. Our Army is renowned for its bravery. It is regrettable and highly objectionable for a sitting minister to say that our Army will be turn into a force of ennuchs."

"That Surendra Yadav continues to be a minister even after making such a crass and objectionable remark is a direct insult to our Army and jawans by the Nitish Kumar government. It only goes to show the anti-national character of the RJD and JDU (ruling allies in Bihar)," Mr Rai said.

"Nitish-ji and Tejashwi-ji should know that our Army has always been known for its bravery and sacrifice and the country will not tolerate any insult to our armed forces. I want to ask to Nitish-ji if he has any sense of nationalism or patriotism left in him. If yes, he should immediately sack this anti-national minister, who has denigrated the Army with his statement," he added.

"I also want to tell Tejashwi Yadav (RJD chief and Bihar deputy CM) that Surendra Yadav may be a big leader of his party, but he should be expelled for such an objectionable statement against the Army. And if he doesn't, the RJD's character will stand exposed before our countrymen as well as our jawans," he added.

The RJD leader and state minister had further said, "When they (Agniveers) turn 25 26 and receive marriage proposals, what will they say? I am a retired soldier. Who will marry them then?"

"Whoever came up with this scheme, should be hanged. He deserves no lesser punishment," Mr Yadav added.

Under the Agnipath scheme launched on June 14 last year, the three services will recruit 'Agniveers', in the age group of 17.5 and 21 years, for four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for a further 15 years.

However, for recruitment of 'Agnivers' in 2022, the upper age limit was extended to 23 years.

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