Kathmandu, September 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):Questions of serious nature are being raised in Nepal over Nepalese Gorkha recruits in the Indian army under Modi government’s new controversial military hiring plan known as the Agnipath Scheme.
The Nepal government is in a fix on whether to allow the Indian Army to recruit Nepali youths under the newly launched Agnipath scheme that has received a fair share of criticism even in India. The issue of the Agnipath Scheme was first heard in Nepal’s parliament on July 26, which was just 46 days after it was announced in India.
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka has already informed Indian ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava that the recruitment of Gorkhas under the Agnipath scheme does not conform with provisions of the Tripartite Agreement, which was signed by Nepal, India and Britain on 9 November 1947. The Tripartite Agreement allows Nepalese soldiers to serve in the Indian Army while assuring them of financial security and benefits at par with the Indians.
Khadka said, “There is widespread apprehension in Nepal about its soldiers returning without pension on demobilisation and the impact of these out-of-job young men on society and economy”. The Interesting Modi Govt has not consulted Nepal regarding the Agnipath scheme also applying to the recruitment of Gorkhas.
Ram Karki, Deputy Head of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) Foreign Relations Department, said that Agnipath scheme has become controversial even in India and BJP has been accused of attempting to politicize the Indian Army and that it is now up to India to decide about the Gorkha recruitment process.
Karki says, “It is a loss to us. Earlier, Nepalis used to serve in the Indian Army for 18-20 years and after retirement there was pension. Now people will come back after four years after serving in the Indian Army. What will they do after coming back? This issue we need to discuss before responding to the government of India.”
Defence analysts are also worried about the social impact of the Agnipath scheme on Nepal. They say, “The social impact on Nepali society must also be considered when youth trained in warfare and weaponry are sent back to Nepal, rather than spending a full career in the Indian Gorkhas. There is even sociological evidence that such a situation is likely to raise the level of gun-violence and other types of violence in society”.
Moreover, some analysts in Nepal fear that India may be aiming to bring military coups in Nepal through various channels and gateways by using these trained youth. Besides, these analysts say, there are various provisions under the name of training through which the Indian army can enter Nepal and that could be a major threat to Kathmandu.
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