Agnipath Scheme: Govt shuts up AAP's Sanjay Singh; proves caste, religion certificates in Army recruitment not new

New Delhi: Sanjay Singh and Aam Aadmi Party have yet again “scored a self goal,” said government sources slamming AAP leader Sanjay Singh for his statement against the Centre over a section of recruitment application for the Indian Army that asks for caste and religion certificate. Government rubbishes Sanjay Singh’s claims Government sources enlightened Singh that the system of seeking caste and religion certificate has been there since the British era. “Post independence it was formalised in 1949 through a Special Army Order. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has changed nothing. It is just following the established Indian Army procedure being followed for more than seven decades,” sources added. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also rubbished the allegation of Sanjay Singh. He said, “This is just a rumour. The earlier system, existing since the pre-independence era, is going on. No change has been made. Old system is being continued.”

#WATCH | "It's just a rumour. Earlier system, existing since pre-independence era, is going on. No change has been made. Old system is being continued," says Defence Min Rajnath Singh on Opposition's allegations that caste & religion certificates being asked for Agnipath scheme. pic.twitter.com/gtBJAtaSvP

— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2022

Caste, religion certificate: Army says no change for Agniveer recruitment Indian Army said that no change has been made for the Agniveer recruitment scheme and the requirement for aspirants to submit caste certificates and if required, religion certificates was always there. The Indian Army further said that religion is also required for performing last rites as per religious rituals for recruits who die during training and soldiers who die during duty. No caste, religion, region-based recruitment done in Indian Army This is not the first time the issue of caste and religion has cropped up, in 2013, the Indian Army told the Supreme Court it does not recruit candidates on the basis of caste, religion and region basis. The Army also said that grouping of people coming from a region in a regiment is done just for administrative convenience and operational requirement. It emphasised that there is no role of these in the selection process. Sanjay Singh’s claim The politics over the Centre’s recently launched Agnipath recruitment scheme continues. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh attacked the Narendra Modi-led government over caste and religion certificates sought by candidates at the time of submitting the recruitment application form. In a tweet, Singh, who is also AAP’s in-charge for Uttar Pradesh, shared a image of the Indian Army recruitment application, where he has highlighted the section which asks candidates to provide caste and religion certificates.  

मोदी सरकार का घटिया चेहरा देश के सामने आ चुका है।
क्या मोदी जी दलितों/पिछड़ों/आदिवासियों को सेना भर्ती के क़ाबिल नही मानते?
भारत के इतिहास में पहली बार “सेना भर्ती “ में जाति पूछी जा रही है।
मोदी जी आपको “अग्निवीर” बनाना है या “जातिवीर” pic.twitter.com/fxgBre38Ft

— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) July 19, 2022

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  Singh claimed that the Prime Minister doesn’t consider Dalits, backwards, and tribal people capable of joining the Army. “This is the first time in India’s history that caste is being asked in army recruitment. PM Modi, do you want to create ‘Agniveer’ or ‘Jativeer’,” Singh wrote in a post in Hindi on Twitter. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.