PM Modi doesn't understand people's wants: Rahul Gandhi on Agnipath protests

Rahul Gandhi claimed that the country's youth rejected the scheme in the same way farmers rejected farm laws and traders rejected the GST.

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday over the newly implemented armed forces recruitment scheme, Agnipath. He claimed that the country's youth rejected the scheme like farmers rejected farm laws and traders rejected the GST.

Gandhi claimed that Prime Minister Modi does not understand what the people of this country want because he only hears from his few business friends. The youth rejects Agneepath. Farmers rejected Agricultural Law. Economists oppose demonetisation. GST rejected by traders. 

"The Prime Minister does not understand what the people of the country want because he only hears the voices of his 'friends,'" Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

His remarks follow a wave of protests by army aspirants in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, and Telangana. Protests began in Bihar on Thursday and have since spread to other parts of the country.

Today, violent protests erupted in Ballia, UP, Begusarai, Bihar, and Secunderabad, Telangana. Protesters in Uttar Pradesh vandalised the train and caused a commotion in Ballia. In Telangana, army recruits vandalised the Secunderabad railway station and set fire to a train set.

The soldiers will be recruited for four years under the new scheme, with a starting pay package of Rs 30,000. After four years, 25% will be retained for another 15 years, while the remainder will be returned with a package worth Rs 11.71 lakh. They will not be eligible for other benefits, such as a pension.

Aspirants for the army have been protesting the short tenure with no pension benefits. They claim they have spent years preparing and will be unemployed after four years under the new scheme.

Congress has requested that the scheme be put on hold while the aspirants' demands are considered.