AMN / WEB DESK
Violent protests against the new ‘Agnipath’ recruitment scheme for the armed forces spread in different parts of the country. Protests against India’s new recruitment model ‘Agnipath’ turned violent in Bihar’s Chhapra where protestors set a train on fire. In Bhabhua, also located in the eastern state, protestors set a coach of a train on fire. Meanwhile, in Haryana’s Palwal, police vehicles were reportedly set on fire.
The aspirants are unhappy with the length of service, no pension provisions for those released early, and the 17.5 to 21-year age restriction that now makes many of them ineligible. Protesters blocked roads and damaged public properties in states, including Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Uttarakhand.
More than 34 trains have been cancelled and eight more partially cancelled owing to protests against the ‘Agnipath’ scheme. Railways said that as many as 72 trains were running late as well due to the ongoing agitation across India. A total of 22 trains were cancelled in the East Central Railway zone alone
The protests spread from Bihar to Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, as well as parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and even national capital Delhi on Thursday. The ‘Agnipath’ scheme was announced on Tuesday by defence minister Rajnath Singh and the three service chiefs. Under this scheme armed forces recruits can serve for a four-year-period followed by compulsory retirement for 75 per cent – in most cases without gratuity and pension benefits. The new scheme has met with agitations from armed forces aspirants across the country, with opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Arvind Kejriwal all speaking up. The government, though, has defended the new scheme, saying it was introduced after extensive consultations with serving armed forces officials over two years.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday (June 14) announced the ‘Agnipath’ recruitment scheme after the Union cabinet committee on security gave a green signal to it. Under the policy, Indians, including women, aged 17-and-a-half and 21, will be recruited in the armed forces for only four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them after the completion of the stipulated time period. Those retained will then be inducted into the regular cadre for 15 more years after another round of screening. Some veterans have criticised the scheme saying that the disadvantages will outweigh the advantages.
Quoting Haryana’s Faridabad Police, ANI reported that a Section 144 has been imposed in the district in wake of the protests. Police added that forces have been deployed at every corner of Faridabad, and rioters will be “strictly” dealt with. “CCTV cameras [have been] installed at all important points. Directions given to all DCPs, ACPs, station and outpost in-charges to conduct continuous police patrolling. Appealed to the citizens not to fall prey to gossip-mongering and rumors,” police said.
Protests have now been reported in Jammu as well where several army aspirants, who have already cleared their medical and physical tests for their recruitment in the forces last year and were awaiting the written examination, staged a stir in the region. Their written examination now stands cancelled due to the announcement of the new ‘Agnipath’ scheme.
The stir occurred in many parts of Uttar Pradesh as well, including Meerut, Agra, Gonda, Gorakhpur (BJP leader and chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s constituency), Bulandshahr and Mathura. In Bulandshahr, protestors blocked the busy GT Road, and also assembled in Khuja neighbourhood and the city area demanding witdrawala of the scheme. Some army aspirants who staged a protest in Agra pelted stones at a government bus, news agency PTI reported. Police rushed to the spot and was successful in bringing the situation under control. Some passengers trains in Uttar Pradesh were affected due to the protests.
The agitation happened in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh too, with visuals showing the Birlanagar railway station ransacked. Trash cans were set on fire and left on the railway tracks and the windows of some trains were broken. One video showed the station master’s room ransacked as well, with people in the video claiming that protesters had broken the control system and attempts were being taken to fix it. Nearly 1,000 to 1,200 youth were part of the stir at Gwalior and Birlanagar railway stations.
They threw stones at trains, and railway employees present at the spot said they somehow escaped to prevent themselves from getting hurt. Delhi-Mumbai track was completely affected owing to the ransack of the railway stations, with North Central Railways informing that as many as seven trains have been impacted so far.