As anti-Agnipath agitations continued for the fourth successive day with more states joining in to protest the newly-announced scheme, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced a 10 per cent reservation for 'Agniveers' in recruitment in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Assam Rifles.
Rajnath Singh held a meeting with the top brass of the Army, Navy and the Air Force on the overall situation. The focus of the meeting was to ensure a quick rollout of the 'Agnipath' scheme and ways to pacify agitators.
Singh also approved the proposal to reserve 10 per cent of the job vacancies in the defence ministry for 'Agniveers' who meet requisite eligibility criteria. He further appealed to young people to apply under the new scheme.
The MHA also decided to give three years age relaxation beyond the prescribed upper age limit to 'Agniveers' for recruitment in CAPFs and Assam Rifles. For the first batch of 'Agniveers', the age relaxation will be for five years beyond the prescribed upper age limit.
As per the Agnipath scheme, jawans will be recruited on a contractual basis for four years, following which 75 per cent of them will have to take compulsory retirement sans pension while the remainder will be allowed to continue service. The selection will be made based on their performance.
Youths across the country took to the streets to protest against the new short-term recruitment scheme for entry in the armed forces.
In Uttar Pradesh, a total of 260 people were arrested and six FIRs across four districts were lodged in in connection with violent protests over the scheme.
The agitation in the East Central Railway jurisdiction resulted in eight more trains including six originating from different cities of West Bengal and two originating from cities in Bihar to be cancelled.
In Bihar's Jehanabad, agitators protesting over the Agnipath scheme set fire to a bus, truck and two other vehicles. The violent mob also pelted stones on a police party which led to a sub-inspector rank officer getting injured.
Telangana's Secunderabad Railway Station, which witnessed arson and violence resulting in the death of a protester yesterday, witnessed tight security while train services resumed. The funeral procession of the youth killed in Friday's police firing at Secunderabad railway station was under way in the Warangal district amid shutdown and protest. Hundreds of people participated in the procession which began from MGM Hospital in Warangal to Narsampet.
In Tamil Nadu, youth organised a protest against the scheme near the War Memorial in Chennai. They were later removed from the spot and detained by Police.
In Kerala, youth took out huge protest rallies in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode demanding to conduct the pending written examination for the army recruitment at the earliest.
In Karnataka's Dharwad, police had to resort to mild lathi-charge in Karnataka's Dharwad after hundreds of youth raising anti-BJP slogans organised a protest rally demanding to scrap the scheme and hold regular army recruitment. Protests raged in West Bengal, Delhi, and other states as well.
Speaking to the media about the issue, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said armed forces cannot be "contractual", it is a disciplined force.
Meanwhile, AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) MP Raghav Chadha wrote to Rajnath Singh, requesting him for "roll-back and re-deliberation" of the Scheme.
Weighing in on the matter, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said that just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to withdraw the farm laws, he will have to accept the demand of the youth and rollback the Agnipath recruitment scheme.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi appealed to protesting youth in the country to adopt non-violent means of protest. She dubbed the scheme as "directionless", and said it is unfortunate that government has 'ignored' the voices of the youth. Gandhi also pledged to stand with the youth and work towards the withdrawal of this scheme.
Congress also announced a protest to be held on the Agnipath scheme at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Sunday. All CWC members and MPs are expected to join.
(With inputs from PTI)
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