Mussoorie: Protests were called on Saturday, June 18, 2022 in Mussoorie to protest against the Centre’s ‘Agneepath’ plan, after protesters torched vehicles during the Bihar bandh.
Highlight
- Violent protests continued across the country for the fourth consecutive day over the Agneepath scheme.
- Railways canceled 369 trains amid violent protests and passengers faced trouble
- The Center announced several incentives like reserving 10% vacancies in the Defense Ministry; there were riots
agniveer protestViolent protests continued across the country for the fourth consecutive day on Saturday regarding the central government’s ‘Agneepath’ scheme. The Center on Tuesday unveiled the ambitious Agneepath scheme to recruit youth in the age group of 17-and-a-half to 21 years in the Army, Navy and Air Force, largely on a short-term contract basis of four years.
Protesters torched Taregana railway station in Bihar and ransacked Ludhiana railway station in Punjab during the shutdown on Saturday as protesters continued to target railway properties on the fourth day of the strike and in several states including West Bengal, Haryana. Roads and railway tracks were blocked. Rajasthan, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh. Despite the central and state governments’ efforts to quell the protests by promising jobs to ‘Agnivars’, the riots did not stop.
Trains canceled
The Railways canceled 369 trains on Saturday and passengers faced problems. More than 200 trains were canceled a day before the Railways had to bear the brunt of the protests. Railways in Bihar have suffered heavy losses during the protests in the last three days., More than 60 train coaches, 10 engines and some stations have been set ablaze. East-Central Railway said that in view of the current situation, 32 trains have been canceled in the state.
Patna: Passengers gather at ticket counters to cancel tickets on Saturday, June 18, 2022, after several trains were canceled due to the Bihar bandh called in protest against the Centre’s ‘Agneepath’ plan.
incentive provided
Center announced several incentives including reservation 10 percent vacancies in Defense Ministry and paramilitary forces for Agneepath retirees. The Ministries of Home Affairs and Defense announced concessions and incentives that would aid retirees in their further employment. After several BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Assam encouraged youth to apply under the Agneepath scheme and assured them of reservation, the central government indicated that other departments were also working in this direction. Huh.
The government called it a ‘misunderstanding’
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh strongly defended the plan, saying it was brought up after extensive consultations and suggested that misunderstandings were being spread for political reasons, while Union Minister Anurag Thakur urged the youth to stay away from violence and talk. To come forward, saying that the government is ready to look into their grievances with an “open mind” and make changes “if necessary”. Singh also met Air Chief Air Chief Marshal VR Choudhary, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and Chief of Army Staff General BS Raju and is understood to have discussed the speedy rollout of the Agneepath plan and ways to pacify the agitators.
Buxar: Burnt remains of a police vehicle at Dumraon police station after protesters set it on fire during a Bihar bandh called to protest against the Centre’s ‘Agneepath’ plan, in Buxar on Saturday, June 18, 2022.
internet services suspended
Internet services have been suspended in the past few days due to the massive violence. except those controlled by the Government of Bihar, in 12 severely affected districts. Mobile internet and SMS services have already been suspended in Mahendragarh, Palwal and Ballabgarh due to the protest.
Opposition demands return
Congress president Sonia Gandhi termed the plan as “directionless” and said her party would work to withdraw it, appealing to the youth to adopt peaceful and non-violent methods for their demands. party leader Rahul Gandhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have to take back Agneepath like agricultural laws, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann demanded a rollback and said those who passed the physical test in the last two years should get a chance to appear in the written test to join the Army. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader claimed that the Agneepath scheme would “weaken” the fighting ability of the soldiers and render the youth jobless.
the protest spread
The movement also spread to the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, with candidates performing push-ups on the streets in some places to register their protest. Bandh supporters in Patna and its outskirts were stopped by the Bihar Police from forcibly closing shops. But they threw stones and set Taregana railway station on firen A jeep of the Mussoorie subdivision and railway police.
Cross-firing also took place and journalists covering the conflict were attacked. Kolkata Police clashed with agitating members of Left-affiliated AIDSO and AIDYO when they tried to block roads in the city’s Hazra area, a hundred meters from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence.
In Dharwad, Karnataka, police resorted to mild lathi-charge to disperse anti-Agneepath protesters as they attempted to take out a march. In Uttar Pradesh, protests were held in Meerut, Jaunpur and Kannauj, roadways buses were set ablaze by protesters. Police have registered a case against 400 unknown people In connection with the violence in Ballia on Friday.
Officials said that a large number of youths landed on the Yamuna Expressway and briefly disrupted traffic in Delhi’s adjoining Gautam Buddh Nagar, following which the police registered a case against 225 protesters and arrested 15.
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(with inputs from agencies)