Negative elements provoking youth against Agnipath scheme: Sajjan Jindal

New Delhi, Jun 18 (PTI) Industrialist Sajjan Jindal on Saturday said negative elements in the society are provoking the country's youth against the Agnipath scheme.

The government recently unveiled the 'Agnipath' scheme for recruitment of soldiers in the armed forces on a short-term contractual basis, but the move has triggered protests in various parts of the country.

Negative elements in the society are provoking young individuals by saying that this will militarise our country, the JSW Group chairman and MD said in a statement.

Instead, the initiative will make India more stronger against any external threat, he added.

Jindal further said it was disheartening to see how some people use every opportunity to mislead the nation and project every positive development as a negative move.

"I admire the foresight behind Agnipath and am confident that it is in the interest of our nation. For a young country like ours, having access to a larger pool of disciplined and educated young individuals- Agniveers available for recruitment by organizations is a boon," he noted.

Four years of military training will groom the individuals to get the best jobs available in the market, Jindal said, adding countries like Switzerland, Israel, Singapore etc mandatorily make their citizens undergo military training.

"Values of nationalism and discipline taught by the Military build character and strength of a nation...Don't we all feel safer around our strong and disciplined Armed Services Men?,' Jindal added.

JSW Group has significant presence in core sectors of steel, energy, cement and infrastructure. PTI ABI ABM ABM