Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who paid homage to the Kargil war martyrs to mark the 25th anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in the 1999 war, applauded the Agnipath scheme and criticised the Opposition for making 'issue related to national security a subject of politics.' The prime minister laid a floral wreath at the Drass War Memorial to pay tributes to officers and soldiers of the armed forces who made the supreme sacrifice in service of the nation.
On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army announced the successful culmination of "Operation Vijay", declaring victory after a nearly three-month-long battle on the icy heights of Kargil in Ladakh. The day is observed as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in the war.
PM Modi said, "...Agnipath scheme is also an example of the necessary reforms done by the Army...Some people used to think that the Army means saluting politicians, doing parades but for us, Army means the faith of 140 crore countrymen. The goal of Agnipath is to make the Army young, to keep the Army continuously fit for war." "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 in the Army...," he added.
PM Modi said, "I don't know what has happened to the thinking of some people. They are spreading the misconception that the government has come up with this scheme to save pension money..." He added, "For today's recruits, the question of pension will arise after 30 years... We have respected this decision taken by the Army because we work for 'rashtraneeti', not 'rajneeti'..."
Targets Congress on One Rank One Pension
"Some people are also spreading the misconception that the government came up with this scheme to save pension money. I want to ask such people, the question of pension for today's recruitment will arise after 30 years. Why would the government decide for them today? It will be left for the governments of that time to decide. The history of those who are misleading the youth of the country shows that they do not care about the soldiers. These are the same people who lied about One Rank One Pension. It is our government which implemented One Rank One Pension, gave more than Rs 1.25 lakh crore to ex-servicemen. These are the same people who did not build a war memorial...These are the same people who did not provide adequate bulletproof jackets to our soldiers deployed on the border...
