New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi has once again hit out at the Union government on the Agnipath scheme, which is drawing severe criticism and has resulted in violent protests across the country.Taking to Twitter on Friday, June 24, Gandhi, who wrote in Hindi, said, “If the Agniveers who serve for a short time are not eligible for pension, then why this ‘facility’ to public representatives… Can we, MLAs and MPs, not give up our pensions so that Agniveers get pension?”अल्पावधि की सेवा करने वाले अग्निवीर पेंशन के हकदार नही हैं तो जनप्रतिनिधियों को यह ‘सहूलियत’ क्यूँ?राष्ट्ररक्षकों को पेन्शन का अधिकार नही है तो मैं भी खुद की पेन्शन छोड़ने को तैयार हूँ।क्या हम विधायक/सांसद अपनी पेन्शन छोड़ यह नही सुनिश्चित कर सकते कि अग्निवीरों को पेंशन मिले?— Varun Gandhi (@varungandhi80) June 24, 2022According to the Lok Sabha website, anyone who served as a member of either House of Parliament for any period is entitled to a pension of Rs 20,000 per month. “Where any person has served the Parliament for a period exceeding five years, he/she shall be entitled for an additional pension at Rs 1,500/- per month for every year in excess of five years,” it adds.Gandhi’s latest barb comes days after he had sent out a missive to defence minister Rajnath Singh questioning the recruitment scheme. He had said recruitment of soldiers on a short-term contractual basis will not merely create disaffection among the youth but also burden the defence budget disproportionately, given the evidently restricted gains for the armed forces through the scheme. He said, such a recruitment system, would not only aggravate the unemployment problem being witnessed in the country but also warned the government of “more disaffection”.Also read: Violent Protests Erupt Against Agnipath, BJP’s Varun Gandhi Says ‘More Disaffection’ LikelyAlthough Gandhi is part of the ruling BJP, he has lately been slamming the Modi government on a number of issues. He has been outspoken lately on the record-high unemployment levels in the country.In his earlier tweet, Gandhi had put out a graphic which carried the details of the number of vacancies in various ministers and departments, which AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi referred to in his speech recently.“These statistics are startling when unemployment is at its highest level in three decades. While crores of youth are frustrated and disappointed due to the non-availability of jobs, there are 60 lakh ‘sanctioned posts’ vacant in the country if ‘government figures’ are to be believed. Where did the budget that was allocated for these posts go? Every youth has the right to know this!” Gandhi had said.When the farmers’ movement was at its peak too, Gandhi lent his support to their demand for the three farm laws to be revoked. His support and remarks went against BJP leaders, including members of the government, who had slammed the protests. He has been taking stance on people-centric issues which are not in line with the BJP’s official position.Even in the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh election, the three-time MP was conspicuously absent from the BJP campaign.