Samyukt Kisan Morcha to launch nationwide campaign against Agnipath scheme on August 7

New Delhi

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella organisation of farm unions, on August 6 said it will launch a nationwide campaign against the Centre's Agnipath scheme for military recruitment on August 7.

It said the scheme is a "serious setback" to farming families whose youths have been part of the armed forces.

The campaign will be launched in collaboration with the United Front of ex-Servicemen and various youth organisations.

The Agnipath scheme, announced on June 14, seeks to recruit youths in the age bracket of 17-and-half and 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.

Several parts of India witnessed violent protests against the scheme in June with the agitators demanding its rollback as the new model does not provide a job guarantee to 75 per cent of the recruits.

The Agnipath scheme has "put to an end the tried and tested method of regular, permanent recruitment to the armed forces. It would mean a drastic reduction in the size of the armed forces from the present sanctioned strength of 14 lakh to merely seven lakh," the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said in a statement on Saturday.

"This is a serious setback to farming families who have contributed to the nation by sending their youths to the armed forces.