News Analysis India

Tag: Agnipath scheme

  • 35 WhatsApp groups banned by government for ‘spreading fake news’ about Agnipath scheme

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: As many as 35 WhatsApp groups that were allegedly spreading fake news about the Agnipath military recruitment scheme were on Sunday banned by the government, officials said. The move came amid violent protests against the scheme in different parts of the country since it was announced a few days ago.

    ALSO READ| Agnipath applicants will have to give undertaking they didn’t take part in protests, arson

    As many as 35 WhatsApp groups were banned by the government for allegedly spreading fake news about the Agnipath scheme, the government officials said. However, information about these groups or if any action has been initiated against their administrators was not immediately known.

    Ruling out the rollback of the ‘Agnipath’ recruitment scheme despite widespread protests, the three services of the military on Sunday came out with a broad schedule of enrolment under the new policy and asserted that it was aimed at bringing down the age profile of the armed forces.

  • Agnipath applicants will have to give undertaking they didn’t take part in protests, arson

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: All applicants aiming to join the three services under the ‘Agnipath’ military recruitment scheme will have to give an undertaking that they were not part of any protest, arson or vandalism, a senior military official said on Sunday.

    The comments by Lt Gen Anil Puri, Additional Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs, came amid violent protests against the new model of recruitment of soldiers into the three services.

    The government on Tuesday announced the ‘Agnipath’ model of recruitment under which soldiers will be inducted into the three services for four years with a provision of retaining 25 per cent of them for an additional 15 years following a selection process.

    ALSO READ| Is there a hidden agenda of the RSS behind Agnipath? asks Tejashwi Yadav

    “The foundation of the Indian armed forces is discipline. There is no space for arson. There is no problem if you show your anger and engage in talks. But there is no space for arson and vandalism,” Lt Gen Puri said at a tri-services media briefing.

    He said every individual wanting to join the three forces through the ‘Agnipath’ scheme will have to give an undertaking that they were not part of any protest, arson or vandalism.

    Lt Gen Puri said the youths who are part of the arson and violence against the scheme will not be able to join the three services as a police verification process will be carried out before enrolling anyone under the scheme.

    “Every individual who wants to join the armed forces through the ‘Agnipath’ scheme they will have to submit a pledge that they were neither part of any protest nor were involved in any violence. Nobody can join the forces without police verification..We have made the provisions,” Lt Gen Puri said.

    He also claimed that the protestors were instigated by “inimical forces” as well as some of the coaching institutes. Lt Gen Puri said around 70 per cent of the aspirants studying in these coaching centres to prepare for entry into the armed forces are from villages. “They were studying taking loans. They were given assurances by these coaching institutes and they have significant contributions in sending them to the streets,” he said.

    Lt Gen Puri also appealed to the youths to start preparing for the recruitment tests, saying it is not easy to clear the physical fitness tests. “The Army, Navy and Air Force are giving time of 45 to 60 days to the youths to prepare for the physical fitness tests and understand the terms and conditions so that you are ready to join us,” he said.

    The tri-services media briefing at the headquarters of the defence ministry took place hours after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with the chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force for the second straight day.

    Lt Gen Puri said the major reform initiative in the armed forces has been introduced to bring down their age profile and it has been finalised after years of deliberations and studying the recruitment process in several countries.

    At the press conference, the three services announced a broad timeline for recruitment of the youths under the ‘Agnipath’ scheme. Unveiling the scheme on June 14, the government had said youths between the ages of 17 and-a-half and 21 years would be inducted for a four-year tenure under the scheme.

    The government on Thursday night increased the upper age limit for recruitment under the ‘Agnipath’ scheme to 23 years from 21 for the year 2022. The announcement of the new scheme came in the backdrop of recruitments into the military remaining stalled over the coronavirus pandemic for two years.

    The Army annually recruits 50,000 to 60,000 soldiers.

  • IAF releases details of recruitment plan under Agnipath Scheme

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Sunday released details on the recruitment plan under the Centre’s new Agnipath Scheme including eligibility criteria, age limit, educational qualifications, period of service, career options for Agniveers after completion of service, training, and more.

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on June 14 unveiled a recruitment scheme for Indian youth to serve in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force called Agnipath and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as Agniveers.

    Agniveers once enrolled into the Indian Air Force, will be governed under the Air Force Act 1950, for a period of four years. Endeavour will be made to enrol candidates as Agniveers from all parts of the nation, utilising contemporary technology, specialised rallies and campus interviews at recognised technical institutes such as Industrial Training Institutes, NSQF etc, said the statement issued by the IAF.

    It further stated that Agniveers would form a distinct rank in the IAF, different from any other existing rank. For personnel below the age of 18 years, the enrolment form will need to be signed by the parents or guardians, in accordance with extant provisions.

    ALSO READ | Secunderabad station Agnipath protests: Terrified, passengers left their luggage and fled

    As per the statement, “After four years, all Agniveers will go back to the society. However, based on organisational requirements and policies promulgated by the IAF, Agniveers who have exited will be offered an opportunity to apply for enrolment in the IAF in the regular cadre, according to Air Force.”

    It further informed that these applications will be considered by a centralised board in a transparent manner and not more than 25 per cent of the strength of the specific batch of original Agniveers will be enrolled in the IAF based on performance during their four-year engagement period as Agniveers.

    Under this scheme, the eligible age will be in a range from 17.5 years to 21 years. Other educational qualifications and physical standards would be issued by the Indian Air Force.

    Agniveers will have to meet the medical eligibility conditions laid down for enrolment in the IAF as applicable to respective categories or trades. No permanent low medical category Agniveer will be eligible for continuation of his engagement after being placed on medical category.

    On being enrolled, individuals will be imparted military training based on organisational requirements. IAF will endeavour to maintain a centralised high-quality online database of ‘Agniveers’ and will follow a transparent common assessment methodology.

    ALSO READ | Anti-Agnipath protests continue in Bihar; railway station, police jeep torched, cops injured

    An objective assessment system to ensure fair and impartial assessment will be introduced. Skills attained by Agniveers will be systematically recorded.

    Broad guidelines will be framed before the appointment of the first batch of Agniveers and the same along with any subsequent changes would be circulated.

    The candidates enrolled under this scheme will be paid an Agniveer package of Rs 30,000 per month with a fixed yearly increment. In addition, risk and hardship, dress and travel allowances will be paid.

    A non-lapsable dedicated ‘Agniveer Corpus Fund’ will be created in the interest-bearing section of the Public Account head. The fund will be administered and maintained under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence. Each Agniveer is to contribute 30 per cent of his monthly income to the ‘Agniveer Corpus Fund’. The Government will provide an interest rate equivalent to the Public Provident Fund on the amount accumulated in the fund.

    In case of death, insurance cover and compensation will be admissible to Next of Kin (NOK) from the Agniveer Corpus Fund.

    On completion of the engagement period of four years, Agniveers will be eligible to receive the ‘Seva Nidhi’ package, which shall comprise their contribution (into the Agniveer Corpus Fund) and a matching contribution from the Government and interest on the accumulated amount.

    In the case of individuals who are subsequently selected for enrolment into the IAF as regular cadre, the ‘Seva Nidhi’ package to be paid to them will comprise only of their contribution including accrued interest thereon. The ‘Seva Nidhi’ will be exempt from income tax.

    ALSO READ | Agnipath scheme: Amid protests, Rajnath Singh meets tri-service chiefs for 2nd consecutive day

    In case of Agniveers exiting before the end of their engagement period at their own request, the ‘Seva Nidhi’ package to be paid to them will comprise only their contribution including accrued interest thereon.

    The first-year salary package of Rs 4.76 lakh with upgradation of up to Rs 6.92 lakh in the fourth year. There’s also a non-contributory insurance cover of Rs 48 lakh. Provided the individuals receive an Agniveer skill certificate which will assist in post-release job opportunities.

    The ‘Agniveers’, as the recruits are named, will be eligible for 30 days of annual leave per year and sick leave as per medical advice. They may be absorbed into the formal service at the end of the four-year period at the discretion of the government, as per the statement.

    However, release at own request prior to completion of the engagement period will not be permissible for Agniveers except in exceptional cases, with approval of the Competent Authority.

    Agniveers will not be required to contribute to any Provident Fund of the Government. There shall be no entitlement to gratuity and any kind of pensionary benefits in the case of Agniveers.

    At the end of the engagement period, a detailed Skill-set certificate will be provided to the Agniveers, highlighting the skills and level of competency acquired by them duringtheir engagement period. The scheme allows patriotic and motivated youth to serve in the Armed Forces for a period of four years.

  • What if unemployed youths after 4 years form gang of criminals?: Chhattisgarh CM on Agnipath row

    Express News Service

    RAIPUR: Amid the ongoing ‘Agnipath’ row, the Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel questioned the Centre’s intention on rolling out the scheme for short-term recruitment of personnel in the army and said that it was playing not just with the future of youths but also the security of the country.

    “After four years the youths in 23-24 years of age trained in weapons will return and fail to find any employment then they might indulge in criminal activities forming a gang. Many had earlier speculated on who gave the training to the Maoists? Why new short-term instead of regular full-time recruitment of soldiers for the army? Such a directionless decision should be immediately withdrawn’” said the chief minister and further added that the youths join the Armed Forces with a resolve to serve the nation.

    He further criticised the BJP-ruled states that had declared to offer preference to be given to ‘Agniveers’ who are de-inducted into police recruitment and related services.  “Army and police are two differently aimed professions. An army man knows only two things—friend and foe but the police usually engage with maintaining law and order and are not related with the former’s approach,” Baghel added.

    ALSO READ | All you need to know about Army recruitment scheme that has India on the boil

    However, the opposition BJP strongly objected to the views of the CM. “It is unfortunate that the head of the state gave out such a statement and attempted to link it with the Maoists. He should first get the facts straight,” said Dharamlal Kaushik, the leader of the Opposition.

    Calling Baghel’s remark a figment of his imagination, the state BJP president Vishnu Deo Sai said, “The youths are joining the army and not the Congress party”.

    On Saturday, besides the 10 per cent reservation and upper-age relaxation for Agniveers in Central Armed Police Forces, Assam Rifles recruitment, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also declared a 10 per cent quota in defence ministry positions.

  • Plea in SC for SIT probe into violent protests against Agnipath scheme, damage to properties

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the damage to public properties including that of railways and violent protests against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme.

    The PIL has been filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, who also sought directions to the Centre and Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Haryana and Rajasthan governments to submit a status report on the violent protests.

    Tiwari in his plea also sought a direction to set up an expert committee under the chairmanship of retired apex court judge to examine the scheme and its impact on national security and Army.

    He further sought directions to the Centre and the states arrayed as parties to appoint claim commissioners under the guidelines laid down by the apex court in its verdict of 2009 passed in a suo motu case initiated after incidents of damages to public properties.

    “The petitioner through this present Public Interest Litigation (Civil) under Article 32 of the Constitution of India would like to bring to the court’s attention the devastated condition of the country resulting from the Agnipath scheme launched by the Respondent No. 1 (Union of India) through its Ministry of Defence,” the plea said.

    It said that the consequence has been far-reaching for the citizens of this country resulting in intensified vandalism and protest leading to severe destruction of public property and goods.

    “The country is yet again witnessing another such societal upset and fatal condition due to the recent launch of the Agnipath scheme dated June 14, 2022 by the Respondent No.1 through its Ministry of Defence. The Agnipath scheme was designed for the recruitment of young personnel in the all three armed forces divisions. It is a scheme which entails a recruitment process for individuals with ranks below that of the officer with the goal of deploying fitter and younger troops on the front lines which will be based on a four year contract,” it said.

    ALSO READ | Agnipath: All you need to know about Army recruitment scheme that has India on the boil

    The plea said that since the launch of the scheme, the country is facing severe and uncontrolled mass violence and protests against the scheme.

    “The concern which rises through this scheme is primarily the length of service that is 4 years is not reasonable and there remains no pension benefits. The defence aspirants during their protests have alleged that this Agnipath scheme leads to a road of uncertainty for soldiers who will have to leave the services after 4 years. After the completion of the 4 years contract, 25 percent of the total force will be retained and the rest of the personnel will have to leave which puts a serious uncertainty on their future,” it said.

    It added that along with no job security and protection, there will be no pension benefits including the disability pension, the soldiers will get a lump sum of a little more than Rs 11 lakh when they end their fourth tenure.

    “As opined by various experienced military veterans, this scheme of contractual fixed recruitment could compromise on training, morale and commitment in comparison to the permanent recruits. Such experimental radical change in the structure and pattern of the military can lead to severe strategic uncertainties which could compromise the national security of the country,” it said.

    The petition said that this issue have led to severe protest in various parts of the country and as the agitation intensified in Bihar on June 17, the angry aspirants of Army has set fire to at least 20 bogies of the New Delhi-Bhagalpur Vikramshila Express and New Delhi-Darbhanga Bihar Sampark Kranti Express at Lakhisarai and Samastipur stations and blocked several highways of the state.

    “The intensity of such protest has been hard-hitting as the consequence has resulted in Eastern Central Railway has cancelled 164 trains, the official reports have also confirmed that a large number of passengers were seen stranded on the different railway stations including Patna Junction, people are also standing in bus terminals waiting for buses as the highways are also blocked due to the protest,” the plea said.

  • Agnipath scheme will shatter our dreams, spoil our careers: Jarkhand army aspirants

    By PTI

    RANCHI: Rohit Kumar Singh is a worried young man. He fears his dreams of carving out a life as a soldier in the Indian Army may well be a chimera once the new Agnipath scheme rolls out.

    The son of a fruit seller in Jharia area of Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district, Singh has strived for three years and cleared the physical and medical examinations for recruitment in the armed forces.

    He was waiting for the written examination, which was pending due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, he is worried that his dream of joining the armed forces will be shattered due to the Agnipath scheme.

    Under the scheme, youngsters between 17.5 and 23 years of age will be recruited for a period of four years, following which 75 per cent of them will have to take compulsory retirement sans pension while the remainder will continue serving.

    The selection will be made based on their performance. “I have cleared physical and medical examinations in 2019 and 2020 respectively. We were told that the written test will be conducted once the COVID-19 situation normalises.”

    “We were hopeful that the examination will be conducted soon as the pandemic situation is normal now. However, suddenly we see that the government has introduced this new Agnipath scheme, under which all examinations will be conducted,” Singh said.

    The aspirant said he has prepared for several years for the permanent service commission, and not for contractual employment of only four years. Singh is not alone in expressing his grievances.

    He and 10 other aspirants who practice together at Jharia’s Lodhna Ground and have qualified for the written examination, face a similar fate.

    These aspirants, along with hundreds of others, had staged protests against the Agnipath scheme in different parts of Dhanbad district on Friday. They had also blocked railway tracks, forcing railway authorities to cancel five trains.

    Sagar Kumar, another aspirant, said, “We demand rollback of the new scheme as it will not only shatter our dreams of serving the nation but also spoil our careers.” Similar protests were witnessed in other districts including Bokaro, Palamu and East Singhbhum.

    Railway and road traffic were disrupted in many areas. In Palamu, protesters pelted a goods train with stones at Daltonganj Railway Station, prompting the police to resort to lathi-charge to control the situation.

    Agitators had also blocked railway tracks in Bokaro station. A similar protest was witnessed in Jamshedpur. Sociologists, however, feel the protests are a natural reaction because of shrinking employment opportunities.

    “Armed and police forces have been a major source of employment for youths, especially those from rural areas. These jobs also contributed to their economic and social upliftment. “They don’t find Agnipath scheme lucrative as they fear they won’t find jobs after four years of service amid rising unemployment. The protests are natural reaction and not politically motivated although political parties may try to cash in on the situation,” Dr Prabhat Kumar Singh, associate professor at the Sociology Department of Ranchi University said.

    As per monthly unemployment data provided by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), Jharkhand’s unemployment rate in May was 13.1 per cent.

    Meanwhile, the state’s ruling alliance partners JMM and Congress have protested against the scheme and demanded its rollback. “We see our jawans with pride.But the Centre is trying to undermine that pride by employing them for only four years, after which 75 per cent will have to work as security guards at ATMs or man the gates of restaurants,” JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said.

    State Congress chief Rajesh Thakur said, “The Centre is playing with the future of the youths by introducing this short-term recruitment scheme.”

  • Agnipath protests: Congress announces solidarity ‘Satyagrah’ at Jantar Mantar

    By PTI

    Congress MPs and leaders will sit on a “Satyagraha” at the Jantar Mantar here Sunday morning in solidarity with the youths protesting against the Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the armed forces.

    Youths across the country have taken to the streets against the contentious scheme, and incidents of violence have been reported from several cities and towns.

    Sources said Congress MPs, its working committee members, and All India Congress Committee office-bearers will be part of the “Satyagraha” that begins at 10 AM at Jantar the Mantar on June 19.

    “The decision was taken as the Agnipath scheme has enraged the youths of our country and they are protesting on streets,” a party leader said. “It is our responsibility to stand by them.”

  • Several trains cancelled or diverted at Secunderabad Railway Station amid violent protests

    By Express News Service

    HYDERABAD: In the light of violent protest that broke out at Secunderabad Railway Station on Friday morning against the Central government’s ‘Agnipath’ scheme for recruitment in the armed forces, several trains which were to arrive and depart from Secunderabad Railway Station have been either cancelled or diverted to other railway stations like Kacheguda, Nampally and Begumpet railway station.

    Every day, the Secunderabad  Railway Station carries three lakh passengers.  Nearly 300 trains arrive and depart from Secunderabad.

    Over half a dozen trains which were stationed at Secunderabad and ready to depart have either been burnt and damaged by the protestors, protestors resorted to stone-pelting by picking stones from the railway tracks which were easily available and damaged glass panes of few trains. Several stalls and canteens were damaged by the protestors.

    SCR officials told Express that several trains which were to arrive at Secunderabad have been diverted to other railway stations as precautionary measures. Many trains which were scheduled to depart have been either cancelled or will run late till the situation normalises.

    ALSO READ | Agnipath protests in Telangana: Angry mob set trains on fire, ransack stations

    The damages to the railway stations and properties is being assessed and will be known in the evening. Passengers who came to the station to catch the trains ran away from the stations to save their lives. Women passengers with children bore the brunt as they were caught in the violent incident by the mob and ran for safety.   

    ALSO READ | Protest over Agnipath scheme escalates in Bihar, four trains set ablaze

    Due to agitation at Secunderabad Railway Station, certain train services were cancelled or diverted on Friday.

    Hyderabad – Shalimar, Umdanagar – Secunderabad, Secunderabad – Umdanagar, Umdanagar – Secunderabad, Secunderabad – Umdanagar, Umdanagar – Secunderabad were cancelled.

    Secunderabad – Repalle is partially cancelled and will originate from Cherlapalli on city outskirts.

    Shirdi Sai Nagar –  Kakinada Port is diverted at Sanathnagar, Ammuguda, Cherlapalli while   Bhubaneswar – Mumbai CST  is diverted at Cherlapally, Ammuguda, Sanathnagar.

  • Amid protests, Modi government increases upper-age limit to 23 for recruitment under Agnipath scheme

    By Online Desk

    NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday increased the upper-age limit to 23 years from 21 years for recruitment under the Agnipath scheme for the year 2022 amid widespread protests against the new model for enrolment of soldiers into the three services.

    Unveiling the scheme on Tuesday, the government had said the entry age for all new recruits will have to be between 17 and a half and 21 years.

    “Cognizant of the fact that it has not been possible to undertake the recruitment during the last two years, the government has decided that a one-time waiver shall be granted for the proposed recruitment cycle for 2022,” a defence ministry spokesperson said.

    He said the upper-age limit for the recruitment process under the Agnipath scheme for 2022 has been increased to 23 years.

    Trains were set afire, public and police vehicles attacked and personnel injured as protests over ‘Agnipath’ swept across several states on Thursday amid partisan political voices in favour and against the new recruitment scheme for the defence forces that has set off a firestorm.

    ALSO READ | Defence veterans divided over cause of protests against ‘Agnipath’ scheme as government faces heat

    From Bihar’s Ara to Haryana’s Palwal, from Agra in Uttar Pradesh to Gwalior and Indore in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, hundreds of young aspirants for jobs in the armed forces took to the streets, pouring their anger on public and private property.

    Bihar bore the brunt of the violence with trains set ablaze, window panes of buses smashed and passersby, including a ruling BJP MLA, pelted with stones on Thursday, the second day of the protest against the scheme which envisages a short four-year term for soldiers in the three armed forces entailing no gratuity or pension upon retirement.

    Police fired teargas shells and used batons to break up protests by angry youngsters who blocked railway tracks, threw burning tyres on roads, and performed push-ups and other drills on the streets against the new recruitment policy.

    In Nawada, the vehicle of BJP MLA Aruna Devi, who was on her way to a court, was attacked by the agitators, leaving five persons, including the legislator, injured.

    Railway property was vandalised and protesters set fire to stationary carriages at Bhabhua and Chhapra stations and smashed window panes of coaches at many places.

    Protesters torched government vehicles in Palwal, forcing the authorities to impose prohibitory orders and suspend mobile internet services to stop the spread rumours through social media platforms.

    Altogether 20 young men were rounded up over the violence.

    Five government vehicles were set on fire by the protesters while stones were thrown at the residence of the Palwal deputy commissioner.

    Protests also took place in Gurugram, Rewari, Charkhi Dadri, Hisar and Rohtak of Haryana.

    Violent demonstrations were held in Gwalior and Indore in Madhya Pradesh.

    Protesters hurled stones and set shops on fire near a railway station in Gwalior, affecting train operations.

    They also damaged a few shops, officials said, prompting police to baton-charge and fire tear-gas shells.

    A state-run bus was pelted with stones near Agra and hundreds of slogan-shouting youth staged protests in Bulandshahr and Ballia districts of Uttar Pradesh.

    Protests were also held in Jodhpur, Sikar, Jaipur, Nagaur, Ajmer and Jhunjhunu districts of Rajasthan but no violence was reported.

    Army aspirants, most of whom had cleared their medical and physical tests for recruitment last year and were awaiting the written examination, which has now been cancelled, protested in Jammu.

    “We submitted our forms for the recruitment in the Army in February 2020 but the process started a year later due to COVID-19 outbreak.

    The written test was initially scheduled for April 25 last year but was postponed several times,” Munish Sharma, an army aspirant, said.

    “Today, we came to know that the process for our recruitment stands cancelled and we have to re-apply in accordance with Agnipath. It is great injustice to us,” an exasperated Sharma said.

    Over 34 trains were cancelled and eight more partially cancelled due to the protests, railway sources said in New Delhi.

    They said 72 trains were also running late due to the agitation.

    As violent protests raged in multiple states, the government issued a clarification, asserting that the new model will not only bring in fresh capabilities to the armed forces but also open up avenues for youth in the private sector and help them become entrepreneurs with the aid of the severence package they will be entitled to on retirement.

    Apart from issuing a ‘Myth vs Facts’ document to address the concerns raised about the scheme, the government’s information dissemination arm issued a series of social media posts in its support.

    “The scheme will bring in new dynamism to the armed forces. It will help the forces bring in new capabilities and take advantage of the technical skills and fresh thinking of the youths. It will allow the youths to serve the nation,” the Press Information Bureau said in a Facebook post.

    ALSO READ | ‘No change being done to Army’s regimental system’: Government sources on Agnipath scheme

    Referring to the financial package of around Rs 11.71 lakh to be given to each of the recruits at the end of the four-year tenure from the ‘Seva Nidhi Package’, it said it will provide financial independence to the youth and even help them venture into entrepreneurship.

    On the criticism that the short tenure of ‘Agniveers’, the defence personnel recruited under the new system, will harm the effectiveness of the armed forces, government sources said such systems exist in several countries, and the one introduced in India is already “tested out and considered best practice for an agile army”.

    The numbers of ‘Agniveers’ to be recruited in the first year would only make up three per cent of the armed forces, they said, adding their performance will be tested before re-induction into the army after four years.

    “Hence Army will get tested and tried personnel for supervisory ranks,” they said.

    The sources said the new scheme will bring about a right mix of “50 per cent-50 per cent” youth and experience in the supervisory ranks in the long run.

    Political parties, predictably, reacted along partisan lines with the Opposition stepping up its attack on the government and demanding that the scheme be scrapped.

    “No rank, no pension, no direct recruitment for 2 years, no stable future after four years, no respect shown by the government for the army,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

    “Listen to the voice of unemployed youths of the country, don’t take ‘agnipareeksha’ of their patience by making them walk on ‘Agnipath’, Mr. prime minister,” the former Congress chief said.

    ALSO READ | Agnipath protests: Union ministers, CMs urge students not to be ‘deceived’; political blame game starts

    The Left parties, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, BSP leader Mayawati and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also voiced displeasure over the scheme which the government insists is “transformative”.

    There was the lone voice of disapproval from the BJP–MP Varun Gandhi– who said the new reform will give rise to more disaffection among the youth.

    However, Union minister and BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Choubey and BJP chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand defended the scheme.

    Chaubey urged the youth protesting against the Agnipath scheme to stop their agitation and keep away from those inciting them, as he asserted that the initiative is in their interest and that of the armed forces and the country.

    Choubey, a senior party leader from Bihar where protests started first on Wednesday, also claimed that some people are using students for political gains.

    In a statement, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi always thinks and works for the welfare of the youth and the nation.

    “We assure you that this programme is a constructive step to bring in long-term positive results. Lakhs of youngsters will not only benefit from this but nationalistic sentiments within them will also be strengthened,” Choubey said.

    Urging youngsters to not get “deceived”, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the scheme will give a “new dimension” to their life.

    “Agneepath Yojana’ will give a new dimension to your life as well as give a golden base to the future. Don’t be deceived. Our ‘Agniveer’, determined to serve Mother Bharati, will be an invaluable fund of the nation and @UPGovt will give preference to Agniveers in police and other services, ” tweeted Adityanath in Hindi.

    His Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “Uttarakhand’s association with the armed forces is well known.

    The history of the country’s armed forces is full of the stories of the valour of soldiers from our state which is also called sainyabhoomi (the land of soldiers).

    “Almost every family in Uttarakhand has someone in the armed forces. The Agnipath yojana is a good opportunity for the youth,” he told a press conference.

    However, former Punjab chief minister and BJP ally Amarinder Singh struck a note of caution and suggested a rethink on the Agnipath scheme.

    In a statement, he wondered why the government needed to make such “radical changes” in the recruitment policy, which has been working “so well for the country for so many years”.

    “Hiring soldiers for four years, with effective service of three years, is not at all militarily a good idea,” said Amarinder Singh, a former Army captain whose party Punjab Lok Congress is an ally of the BJP in Punjab.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Protest over Centre’s ‘Agnipath’ scheme turns violent in Bihar, train services disrupted

    By Express News Service

    PATNA: Protest over the Centre’s ‘Agnipath’ scheme for short-term recruitment of Army personnel spread to other districts of Bihar on Thursday. Braving scorching sun, hundreds of Army aspirants put up road blockades, burnt tyres and disrupted movement of trains in Jehanabad, Nawada and Saharsa districts in early hours of Thursday.

    Reports said the job seekers put up a road blockade and held demonstration near Prajatantra Chowk in Nawada town. They later proceeded towards railway station, squatted on tracks and disrupted movement of trains. As a result, several trains, including Howrah-Gaya Express and Gaya-Kiul passenger remained stranded at Warsaliganj and Tilaiya railway stations, respectively. Nawada sub-divisional Umesh Kumar Bharti along with other officials rushed to the spot and tried to remove the protestors, who were not in a mood to relent.

    Sub-divisional police officer Upendra Prasad said efforts were on to pacify the protestors and restore traffic on the route. “We have sought additional forces to deal with the situation,” he said.

    #WATCH | Bihar: Youth demonstrate in Chhapra, burn tyres and vandalise a bus in protest against the recently announced #AgnipathRecruitmentScheme pic.twitter.com/Ik0pYK26KY
    — ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2022
    Similar protests by job aspirants were held in Saharsa and Jehanabad districts. The district authorities deployed armed police forces to bring the situation under control. Alarmed over protest spreading to other districts, the state police headquarters alerted all the SPs and asked them to initiative preventive steps accordingly.

    Earlier on Wednesday, hhundreds of job aspirants took to the streets and blocked National Highway 28 in Muzaffarpur by burning heaps of tyres and hoardings. They also squatted on railway tracks at Buxar railway station on Howrah-New Delhi line. The protesting job aspirants claimed that their career would be jeopardised if Agnipath scheme was implemented as only up to 25 per cent of the recruits or Agniveers may get regular commission.

    Regular recruitment rallies were stopped around two years ago after the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic. After two years of waiting for the regular recruitment, the government has offered them the short-term recruitment scheme, which will only create uncertainties in their lives, job aspirants were heard shouting in protest across the state.

    ALSO READ | Protests against Agnipath scheme, Gurugram-Jaipur highway blocked

    “Bharti do ya arthi do’ (recruit us or kill us) was among the slogans as the protesting jobseekers burnt tyres and hoardings in heaps on NH-28 in Muzaffarpur, which connects Bihar’s Barauni with Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. In Muzaffarpur, hundreds of people laced with wooden sticks took to the streets and registered their protest outside the Army recruitment office. Later, they blocked a road in Maripur by burning tyres. They also insisted that an Army officer should come to the spot and listen to their grievances.

    In Buxar, demonstrators squatted near parcel godown of Buxar railway station, disrupting the movement of a train for at least one hour. Later, they cleared the tracks following intervention by the RPF, GRP and district police personnel. A protester said, “The Army should raise the age bar as youths have lost two years due to the pandemic.”

    “The government is playing a game with us like PUBG,” quipped a protester. Another protester in Buxar said, “What can we do in these just four years as even MPs and MLAs get five-year term.”

    In Begusarai too, NCC cadets and youths preparing for Army jobs put a road blockade at Har Har Mahadev roundabout. They also carried placards demanding rollback of the Agnipath scheme and revival of the old recruitment process.