Agnipath scheme has not come overnight: NSA Ajit Doval

New Delhi: India's National Security Advisor (NSA) ruled out withdrawal of Agnipath, the armed forces short-term recruitment scheme.

Ajit Doval said the scheme has been discussed and debated for decades.

Everybody realised it was necessary but nobody was willing to take the risk, he said.

Ajit Doval was speaking to news agency ANI when he quoted PM Modi as saying if the scheme was to make India strong and secure, no risk was big enough and no cost high enough.

There will be no rollback of the scheme, Ajit Doval confirmed saying the scheme was not "a knee-jerk reaction".

He said the scheme was part of Modi administration's prime priorities to make India secure through many steps including equipment, changes in the system, technology and futuristic ideas, according to The Indian Express.

One of the priorities of Modi government when it came to power in 2014 was to make India secure and strong, he told ANI.

Reacting to protests, he said raising voice is justified but vandalism is not permitted in democracy.

Since Agnipath scheme was announced, protests erupted in several places across the state.

Protesters ransacked railway stations, burnt trains, and blocked national highways

Aspirants have raised job security and post-service benefits as their major concerns.