Protests continue across several cities in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh as army aspirants took to the streets against the Centre’s Agnipath army recruitment scheme over pensions and security after the completion of four years. Here’s what we know so far.
Violent protests in Bihar and several other states over the Centre’s Agnipath army recruitment scheme left vehicles vandalised and trains burnt on Thursday. Later in the day, the government addressed the concerns of the defence job seekers and clarified that the future of the recruits is stable and that the intake would go up in the future.
Agitated students had expressed concerns over their future after four years as only 25 per cent of the Agniveers would be retained and the rest could be relieved without benefits. Even after the Centre clarified myths from facts, fierce protests raged across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on Day 2.
n Bihar, students indulged in stone-pelting, vandalised vehicles and set fire to trains. Following this, police arrested 16 protesters for vandalism, looting and arson at Ara railway station and booked 650 unidentified people.
DAY 2
However, the situation remains tense as students reached the Bihiya railway station in Bihar on Friday to continue the protests against the recruitment scheme. The protesters also injured the in-charge of the Bihiya railway station and a media person had also been attacked and his phone was broken. Protestors are also rampaging across the Kulharia railway station. In Samastipur station, a train was set ablaze and stone-pelting was reported, while protests also broke out at the Begusarai railway station.
Hundreds of students have gathered at the Lakhminia railway station in Bihar and have threatened to block the railway tracks and warned that the protests will continue until the scheme is withdrawn by the government. There is also a heavy police presence at the railway station.
The national highway has been blocked by protesters in Bihar”s Khararia and the service of the Koshi Express has been halted over protests on railway tracks.
WHAT POLITICAL PARTIES SAY?
Political parties, largely, reacted along partisan lines but there were contrarian voices as well.
BJP ally JD(U)’s national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan came out with an impassioned tweet urging the Centre to do an “avilamb punarvichaar” (a rethink without delay) on the scheme which has “given rise to fears and anxieties in the minds of a large number of youths in Bihar and other parts of the country”. Former Punjab chief minister and BJP ally Amarinder Singh also struck a note of caution and suggested a rethink.
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, said.
The Congress hit out at the government, saying the new scheme carries multiple risks and subverts the longstanding traditions and ethos of the armed forces, and may turn out to be a case of “penny wise and security foolish”. Congress leader P Chidambaram said the government should keep the scheme in abeyance and hold wide consultations and then take further action on it.
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.
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”.
However, Union minister and BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Choubey and BJP chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand defended the scheme.
WHAT IS THE AGNIPATH SCHEME?
The Centre on Tuesday, June 14, launched the for the armed forces. The scheme, meant to be a reformative step, targets youth in the armed forces. It is envisaged that the average age profile of the Indian armed forces would come down by four-five years by the implementation of this scheme. It is a pan-India short-term service youth recruitment scheme for the armed forces. Recruits, known as Agniveers, will serve in varied terrains — desert, mountain, land, sea, or air. Under the Agnipath scheme, Agniveers will be employed for four years and rigorous military training will be imparted to them.
All Agniveers, after four years, will be offered an opportunity to voluntarily apply for enrolment in the permanent cadre. These applications will be considered based on merit and performance during service. As much as 25% of applications will be accepted. Training for Agniveers would be on a par with that of the regular armed forces cadres and would involve rigorous military exercises. The training standards would be clearly defined and monitored by the highest authorities in the Armed Forces.
