NDA ally JD(U) seeks review of Agniveer scheme, backs UCC

. Known as Agniveers, the candidates are recruited either directly through educational institutions or through recruitment rallies.

As the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) gears up for the oath-taking ceremony of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive time, its ally JD(U) seeks review of the Agniveer scheme.

"A section of voters has been upset over the Agniveer scheme. Our party wants those shortcomings which have been questioned by the public to be discussed in detail and removed...On UCC, as the national president of the party, CM had written to the Law Commission chief. We are not against it but a solution should be found by talking to all stakeholders,” JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi told ANI.

Rolled by the Centre in 2022, the Agnipath scheme recruits male and female candidates across Army, Navy and Air Force. Known as Agniveers, the candidates are recruited either directly through educational institutions or through recruitment rallies. They are supposed to serve for a short period of four years and are not eligible for pension.

The  Congress had argued that the scheme will leave Agniveers unemployed at the age of 25. However, according to the Centre, the Agnipath scheme is aimed at improving the battle preparedness in the armed forces and achieving a balance of youth and experience in ranks.

The JDU has also expressed no objection to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) but said there is a need for discussions with all stakeholders. Before The LOk Sabha poll campaigns, Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the UCC would be implemented during the Modi government's third term.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, who contested Lok Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh in an alliance with Congress, also called for scrapping the Agniveer scheme. “I think the Agniveer system should be scrapped immediately. Government should admit that it made a mistake, that it should not have introduced the Agniveer system…," Yadav told media persons.

The NDA MPs may meet on Friday to elect Modi as their leader.