Security, future of youth in danger with this 'new experiment': Rahul Gandhi on Agnipath

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday attacked the Centre over the Agnipath military recruitment scheme, saying the country's security and the future of the youth are in danger with this "new experiment" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "laboratory".

Sixty thousand soldiers retire every year, out of which only 3,000 are getting government jobs, Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

"What will be the future of thousands of 'Agniveers' retiring after 4-year contracts," the former Congress chief asked.

"With this new experiment of the Prime Minister's laboratory, both the security of the country and the future of the youth are in danger," Gandhi said.

Several parts of the country had witnessed protests after the announcement of the scheme that seeks to recruit youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years to 21 for only four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years.

For 2022, the upper age limit has been extended to 23 years.

The Congress has been protesting against the scheme and has repeatedly demanded that a discussion be held on it in Parliament.