KATHMANDU: A meeting of the International Relations Committee (IRC) of the House of Representatives called to discuss Indian Army’s Agneepath scheme to recruit Nepali youths has been postponed.
The IRC had summoned Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka for discussion in the meeting, however, the minister abstained from the meeting.
Only seven members of the total 25-strong IRC appeared for the meeting, thereby making the quorum insufficient.
The quorum for the meeting was insufficient as members of the CPN-Unified Socialist were busy celebrating the party’s founding day and the members of the UML had Politburo meeting.
IRC Chairperson Pabitra Niraula Kharel said that the meeting had been postponed until further notice.
Earlier, the recruitment process of Nepali youths into the Indian Army had also been suspended.
The Nepal government conveyed to the Indian government that Nepali youth recruitment in the Indian Army had been suspended until it is made clear about the “Agneepath” scheme implemented by India to recruit soldiers.
Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka on Wednesday met and discussed the issue with the Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava.
Minister Khadka made it clear to the Indian side that Nepalis will not be recruited immediately as there was no clarity about “Agneepath”.
In the first week of last June, India introduced a new scheme called Agneepath for new recruits in the military.
Youths between the ages of 17-and-a-half to 23 years can be recruited under the Agneepath scheme.
According to this scheme, the recruits will be allowed to serve only for 4 years.
Only a few would then be employed as full-time soldiers while the rest would be sent home. They will not get a pension facility.
“If the Nepalis are to be recruited only for 4 years and not given pension, we should discuss this matter with the political parties and all stakeholders,” Foreign Minister Khadka had told Ambassador Srivastava.
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