VaranasiViolent protests against the Agneepath scheme have spread across the state of Uttar Pradesh. Trains have been set ablaze at many places and public property has been damaged. In Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi government had already created a controversy by bulldozing the houses of those involved in such violent sabotage. This time the Varanasi administration has gone a step further and said that compensation will be collected from those who destroy government property in the name of protest.
The Varanasi administration has already started the process of identifying those involved in the violent protests over the Agneepath military recruitment project. Once the work is completed, the Varanasi administration will compensate the accused for the damage caused to the damaged public property.
36 buses damaged, loss of Rs 12.97 lakh: District Magistrate Varanasi
An official of Varanasi Municipality said this on Tuesday (June 21). District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma said that 36 buses were damaged in the protest on June 17 and there was a loss of Rs 12.97 lakh. He told that so far 27 people have been arrested in this case. Several others involved in the sabotage have been identified.
A Varanasi Municipality official also said that a list of government properties destroyed during the protests is also being prepared by the administration to collect compensation from those involved in the vandalism. He said that more information about the people involved in such acts is being collected from the government employees.
Gathering information about violent protesters
Information about violent protesters is being collected from ‘secret’ sources in rural areas of Varanasi and also from officials of other districts. Earlier, the Varanasi magistrate had appealed to the youth not to get “misled” by the Agneepath project and indulge in any such chaotic activity that may ruin their future.
Applicants cannot be part of anti-Agneepath protests: Department of Military Affairs
Incidentally, a large section of the country’s military leadership has also said that applicants for the Agneepath project should be told that they did not participate in any arson or violent agitation against the project.
Lt Gen Anil Puri, Additional Secretary, Department of Military Affairs, said, “The foundation of the Indian Army is discipline. There is no room for arson and sabotage. Applicants for the Agneepath project will have to give a declaration to each person that they will oppose the Agneepath protest or Were not part of the sabotage. Police verification is 100 percent required and without this no one can join the fire. And the police will also do a proper investigation of this declaration.