Saamana editorial takes a dig at Centre's 'Agniveer' scheme, draws parallels with Israel

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Saamana, the editorial publication of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), Monday took a dig at the central government's 'Agniveer' scheme, drawing parallels with Israel.

In its latest editorial, Saamana said that just like Israeli citizens have to serve for some time in the military, on the same lines, PM Modi started the 'Agniveer' scheme for soldiers on contract.

"Military education and military service are necessary for Israeli citizens. The women there have to serve in the army for 22 months and the men generally have to serve in the army for five years. This army is like a gust of wind. After two to five years, these soldiers again have to find another job. On the same lines, PM Modi started the 'Agniveer' scheme of providing soldiers on contract. Wear a military uniform on your body for two to five years and then become unemployed and keep frying 'pakodas' on the road," the Saamana said.

The editorial went on to note that despite Israel's formidable security posture, it has not been able to resolve the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict even after 15 days.

"The Israel-Hamas conflict has continued for over two weeks. This demonstrates the limitations of relying solely on technology and science in warfare. Despite boasting advanced technology and a substantial military force, Israel has not shown a ground fighting mentality," Saamana stated.

Saamana also delved into the historical context, emphasizing that Israel was established through hard work and sacrifice, but religious tensions have fuelled continuous conflicts.

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"The establishment of Israel was marked by clashes between different religious groups, sparking an enduring flame of war. Even though Jews gained a homeland, they have not achieved lasting peace," the publication added.

Furthermore, the editorial suggested that countries embracing democratic values should learn from the Hamas-Israel conflict, highlighting the vulnerabilities of relying solely on technological defenses.

"Even today, Israel insists only on air strikes. It killed thousands of Palestinians by attacking hospitals and civilian settlements in the Gaza Strip. Countries that believe in democracy should learn a lesson from the Hamas-Israel war. No matter how strong a wall is built on the country's border with technology and science, it is still not impenetrable and invincible. Hamas does not have any technology, yet in the morning, Hamas people crossed the wall and entered the Israeli border and attacked 12 places. The illusion that Israel was a country conscious of its security was broken here," the Saamana said. (With inputs from ANI)