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That’s when the protests turned into massive violence and arson.
On the third day of protests against the new defense recruitment scheme, another train has been torched by a group of job-seeking youth. After burning a bogie of a train in Bihar on Thursday, another train was set on fire on Friday. Rioters continue to block roads and rail across the states. Several people also pelted stones at police officers in Gurugram on Thursday. In Bihar’s Buxar, on Friday morning, protesters burnt tires at a railway station.
In West Bengal, rioters tried to block the Bongaon train line in the early hours of Friday. The protesters also tried to block the Howrah Bridge. To lift the blockade, the police lathi-charged and arrested the protesters. Several arrests have been made in the states.
The All India Students’ Union (AISA) has called for a nationwide protest on Friday. After protests in several states, the government raised the upper age limit for recruitment under the scheme from 21 to 23 years for the year 2022, without reference to the turmoil.
Over 34 trains were canceled on Thursday and eight more were partially cancelled, due to the protests. Railways said that 72 trains were also running late due to the protest. Five mail and express trains and 29 passenger trains were cancelled. There are reports of protests against the Agneepath scheme from many places across the country.
As the protests intensify, the authorities have started helpline numbers for various railway stations. People can contact the officials by dialing 8252912031 in Khargaria, the official helpline for Hajipur is 8252912078, and for Barauni it is 8252912043.
In an apparent attempt to quell the raging anger, Government released ‘Myth vs Facts’ document To address the concerns raised about the scheme. The information dissemination wing of the government issued a series of social media posts in support of this.
The government said extensive consultations have been held with serving officers of the armed forces in the last two years. According to the report, the plan was developed by the Department of Military Officers, which are employees of military offices. This government established the department, and many former officials recognized and welcomed the benefits of the scheme.
The protesting youths claim that the new scheme reduces the tenure of serving in the defense forces to just four years. It claims that the protesters will be too precarious and cause a lack of job security for them. Also, no pension for those retiring after four years of tenure is one of the major concerns of those who reject the Agneepath scheme.
Under this plan, approximately 45,000 to 50,000 soldiers would be recruited annually, and most would leave the service in just four years. Out of the total annual recruitment, only 25 per cent will be allowed to continue under permanent commission for the next 15 years. The move will significantly reduce the standing force level for the over 13 lakh strong armed forces in the country.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Thursday that shortcomings, if any, in a government scheme can be plugged to ensure that everyone gets its benefits. “To ensure that the scheme is beneficial for all, if there is any loophole, it can be removed,” Pawar told reporters in Pune in response to a question on the protests.
On Thursday, trains were set ablaze, public and police vehicles were attacked and several others were injured during ‘Agneepath’ protests and swept away in several states. Railway property was vandalized and protesters torched vehicles parked at Bhabua and Chhapra stations and broke window panes of coaches at many places.
Officials said the protests by the protesters disrupted road traffic in districts like Jehanabad, Buxar, Katihar, Saran, Bhojpur and Kaimur, where several locals were injured in stone pelting incidents. The details of police action, including the FIR registered in connection with the violence and the arrests made in this regard, were not immediately known.
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