By Khushbu Khan
Government has recently launched the Agnipath Scheme for massive recruitment of Agniveersin Defence Services. The mega employment scheme can be utilised by both 10th and 12th pass youngsters who are in the age group of 17 to 23. Vacancy of approx. 50,000 posts are expected to be notified with pay bracket of 30,000-40,000 Rs along with other added benefits and after serving for four years, the Agniveers will be free to leave with almost 11 lacks Rupees as retirement benefit. The benefits don’t end here. The retiring Agniveers will get reservation during recruitment in CAPFs & Assam Rifles. Many State Governments have also announced reservation in State Police Force.Amidst challenging conditions of unprecedented unemployment in the country, Agnipath Scheme has come as a boon to millions of unemployed Muslim youth, who aspire to be employed in organised sector for securing a bright future. In the backdrop of high rate of dropouts of Muslim students after 10th& 12th> Agnipath Schemeprovides an excellent opportunity to them, who otherwise find it difficult to get employment in the absence of a Graduation degree.Further, the government, displaying farsightedness, has announced that a bridge course will be made available to Agniveers, so that they may easily get a graduation degree after their tenure in the defence services. Needless to mention that those showing merit (25%) will further get the opportunity to serve their nation for another 15 years.
Muslims of India have continuously suffered at the hands of radical/extremist organisations like Popular Front of India (PFI), Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Indian Mujahideen (IM) etc. These organisations have left no stone unturned in portraying Indian Muslims in a negative shade through their continuous indulgence in violent activities. Despite representing a handful of people, these organisations claim to represent the voice of the entire community, which resulted in offending of the entire community. A qualified but unemployed youth is prone to fall to the divisive tactics of such organisations. Schemes like Agnipath will provide a much needed platform to these youth for channelling their energy in the right direction.
India is the land of veterans like Vir Abdul Hameed and Brigadier Muhammad Usman. It is the responsibility of able Muslim youth to carry forward the legacy of such veterans and add to the long list of Muslim martyrs whohave sacrificed themselves for the sake of their motherland. Agnipath Scheme will also help the Muslim youth in sending a strong message to the hate mongers and show them that Indian Muslims are as much nationalists as their fellow brothers from other religions. If anybody tries to threaten the peace & integrity of the country, then they will have to cross the ‘LakshmanRekha’oi Agniveers first.
(The views expressed in the article are personal to the author. It has nothing to do with janlekh.com management.)
