Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has pledged strong support for the Agnipath Scheme, announcing that the state government will integrate most Agniveers from Assam into the Assam Police. This move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of modernizing the Indian Army.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sarma emphasized Assam’s commitment to the scheme and condemned the Opposition’s attempts to discredit it. “Bharat will ensure Opposition’s mission – to weaken the Indian Army by spreading lies on #AgnipathScheme – is defeated,” he stated, underscoring the state’s proactive role in enhancing both state security and national defense.
The announcement comes amidst ongoing political debate surrounding the Agnipath Scheme. On July 26, during Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorations, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge criticized Modi for using the occasion to promote the scheme, calling it “petty politics” in a moment meant for honoring martyrs. “It is very unfortunate and deplorable that PM Narendra Modi-ji is doing petty politics even on occasions like paying tribute to martyrs on Kargil Vijay Diwas. No Prime Minister has ever done this before,” Kharge remarked.
In response, PM Modi defended the Agnipath Scheme during his visit to the Kargil War Memorial in Dras, accusing the Opposition of politicizing national security issues. “The Agnipath scheme is also an example of the necessary reforms done by the Army… Unfortunately, some people have made such a sensitive issue related to national security a subject of politics. These are the same people who weakened our Army by committing scams worth thousands of crores,” Modi asserted.
Kharge countered by accusing Modi of spreading misinformation, highlighting that former Army Chief General MM Naravane had suggested that 75% of recruits would be retained permanently, a claim Kharge argued contradicts the current implementation of the scheme.
