Akhilesh Yadav, Anurag Thakur clash in Lok Sabha over Agnipath scheme

New Delhi: A war of words took place between Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BJP MP Anurag Thakur over the Agnipath scheme in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Speaking during a discussion on the Union Budget in Lok Sabha, Yadav accused the government of initially orchestrating supportive tweets from major industrialists to promote the Agnipath scheme.

"When the Agniveer scheme was first introduced, prominent industrialists were made to tweet that there was no better plan and that they would offer jobs to Agniveers. Perhaps the government remembers this because it admits that the scheme is not right, which is why they are asking their State governments to provide quotas and jobs for returning Agniveers," Yadav stated, challenging the members on the treasury benches to stand up and declare the scheme beneficial.

In response, former Union minister Thakur stood in defence of the Agnipath scheme, invoking the military legacy of his home state Himachal Pradesh. "I come from Himachal Pradesh which gave the first Param Vir Chakra awardee Somnath Sharma, and had the highest number of martyrs in the Kargil War. Yes, I say that the long-standing demand for 'One Rank One Pension' was fulfilled by Narendra Modi's government. And let me make it clear, Akhilesh ji, that the Agniveer scheme guarantees 100 per cent employment," he said.

Yadav pressed further, questioning if that was the case and if the scheme was so effective, then why the government felt the need to provide a 10 per cent quota for Agniveers in Uttar Pradesh and other states. "I asked a very simple question. Why does the government need to offer a quota in UP and other states if the scheme is truly beneficial?" the former UP chief minister said.

The exchange prompted uproar in the Lok Sabha, with Yadav continuing to assert his stance. He emphasised his own military school education and countered Thakur's claims about the Param Vir Chakra recipients, pointing out that Uttar Pradesh also had a notable record.

Thakur retorted by highlighting his own military service, "I have served as a captain. Akhilesh ji, don't just preach. Sitting with Rahul Gandhi has made you accustomed to spreading rumours and lies." In a final rebuttal, Yadav suggested that Thakur's defensiveness stemmed from political insecurity. "Perhaps you are more troubled because you are no longer a minister, and you won't understand our pain. Your distress is visible on your face," he said.