The opposition to the ‘Agneepath scheme’ brought for recruitment in the army has intensified. Along with political parties, common youth are also protesting against it. The ruckus is increasing especially in Bihar. Apart from this, there has also been a demonstration in Gurugram today. Today, students have created a ruckus in Bihar’s Jehanabad, Buxar.
The opposition to the ‘Agneepath scheme’ brought for recruitment in the army has intensified. Protests against Agnipath, a radical recruitment plan for the armed forces, turned violent today as Army aspirants disrupted rail and road traffic in several parts of Bihar for the second consecutive day. Baton-wielding protestors smashed the glass windows of the intercity express train at the Bhabhua Road railway station and set one coach on fire.
Holding a banner saying “Indian Army lovers,” they raised slogans rejecting the new recruitment scheme. There the students blocked the roads and there was arson. Students set fire to NH-83 and NH-110 in Jehanabad.
At the railway station in Arrah, police had to resort to tear gas shelling to disperse a huge crowd of protestors who pelted stones at the police. Visuals showed railway staff using fire extinguishers to put out a fire caused by protesters throwing furniture on the tracks and setting them alight.
In Nawada, groups of young men burnt tyres at a public crossing and raised slogans demanding the rollback of the tour of duty scheme. They also blocked the railway tracks at the Nawada station and burnt tyres on the track. Visuals from the spot show a huge crowd damaging railway property and shouting expletives at PM Modi. Many can be seen doing pushups on the railway tracks while the police try to appeal for peace through a handheld public address system.
Agnipath, the tour of duty scheme, proposes the recruitment of jawans on a contractual basis for a four-year period followed by compulsory retirement for most without gratuity and pension benefits.
The fierce demonstration of students in Arrah against the Agneepath scheme started by the government for reinstatement in the army continues for the second day. Students have blocked the railway track in Arrah in protest against Agneepath. Students are protesting fiercely against the central government. From the road to the railway track, the students are protesting furiously.
Opposition to the “Agneepath” scheme is also taking place in Gurugram. Delhi-Jaipur highway has been blocked in Gurugram. Hundreds of youths have blocked NH 48 adjoining the Bilaspur police station area. The youth say that the army has not been recruited for the last 3 years and now only 4 years will be recruited.
The protesting youth had said that they were disappointed that despite being physically clear, the army had not recruited them for two years. Meanwhile, the government has come up with a new scheme. Hundreds of youth blocked the road by putting up barricades on Safia Sarai Bhagalpur-Patna NH 80. Many local RJD leaders were also seen supporting him in the protest by angry candidates.
The Agnipath Scheme:
For the first time in the Indian Army, such a scheme has been launched, in which soldiers will be recruited for the short term. Under this scheme, about 40-45 thousand youth will be inducted in the army every year. These youths will be between the age of 17 and a half years to 21 years. These recruitments will be done on the basis of merit and medical test. In these four years, the soldiers will be given basic military training of 6 months. Along with 30-40 thousand monthly salary, other benefits will also be given. 30 thousand in the first year, 33 thousand in the second year, 36500 in the third year, and 40 thousand in the fourth year. After the completion of four years, the service of all these Agniveers will end and then new recruitments will be made. 25 percent of the Agniveers who complete their service will be recruited in the permanent cadre.
On Monday, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh launched Agnipath Recruitment Scheme for a 4-year job in Armed Forces. Under this, about 46 thousand recruitments are to be done within 90 days. It has been told that these recruitments will be from all 773 districts of the country. But many young people are not happy with this. It is being said that this has left no justification for the examinations held in the last two years because it was told that those recruitments will also be under this program. Many students who are waiting for the result after giving the exam are angry with this decision of the government.
Anger is being seen on the streets as well as on social media. The youth are questioning that 25 percent of Agniveers will be included in the permanent cadre after the end of the contract, but what will happen to the remaining 75 percent Agniveers after four years. The government will give them an allowance, but where will the job come from? The main concern of the youth and the opposition parties is what will happen to the ‘agniveers’ after four years? Amidst such concerns, the Ministry of Home Affairs yesterday announced that Agniveers who have completed 4 years under this scheme will be given priority in recruitment in CAPFs and Assam Rifles. After this, the state governments also made different announcements.
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