Protests have been raging across the country over the Centre's new recruitment scheme. (Photo: AP)Agnipath protests Highlights: Amid protests over the Centre’s new recruitment policy for the Armed forces, Lt General Anil Puri, the Additional Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs, said that the main motive behind implementing the Agnipath scheme was to bring in more youth into the forces. “This reform was long pending. We want to bring youthfulness and experience with it. Today, a large number of jawans are in their 30s and officers are getting command much later than in the past,” he added.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Sunday attacked the Centre over it’s Agnipath scheme and said “This scheme will kill the youth of the country, will finish Army.” Urging the youth to recognise “fake nationalists”, Gandhi assured her party’s full support to those peacefully protesting the Centre’s Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the armed forces. She made the remarks as Congress MPs and leaders sat on a ‘Satyagraha’ at Jantar Mantar here in solidarity with the youths protesting the controversial scheme.
Amid widespread protests against the new military recruitment scheme, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said by repeatedly giving false hope of jobs, he has forced the youth to walk on ‘Agnipath’ of unemployment.
BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said Sunday that if he had to hire a guard for his party office in Indore, he would prefer to hire an Agniveer. After the comment was met with swift criticism, including from his party MP Varun Gandhi, he sought to clarify the statement and shifted the blame to the “toolkit gang”. Read more
Against the backdrop of the raging countrywide protests against Agnipath — the Narendra Modi-led central government’s recently-unveiled scheme for short-term recruitment of soldiers in the armed forces — the by-elections to 10 Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies in half-a-dozen states are going to take place on June 23. The anti-Agnipath stir being undertaken by a section of youths and students in a slew of states may impact these bypolls, even as it has already started influencing the campaigning of various political parties and candidates in several constituencies in a significant way. Read full story here
Explaining the future path having implemented the Agnipath scheme, Lt General Anil Puri, the Additional Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs, said: “In the next 4-5 years, our intake (of soldiers) will be 50,000-60,000 and will further increase to 90,000-1 lakh subsequently. We've started small at 46,000 to analyse the scheme... and to build up our infrastructural capacity.”
Addressing a press conference, Lt Gen Anil Puri, Additional Secretary, Department of Military Affairs, Sunday said, "This reform was long pending. We want to bring youthfulness and experience with this reform. Today, a large number of jawan are in their thirty's officers are getting command much later than in the past."
BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday said the Centre's new military recruitment scheme 'Agnipath' has made the youth of the country feel "disappointed" and "desperate."
"At a time when barring a handful of people, a vast majority of the country's population, especially the youth, is forced to walk on the 'Agnipath' (path of fire) of poverty, inflation, unemployment and tension, the Centre's 'short-term' Agnipath military recruitment scheme has made them feel disappointed and desperate," she said in a series of tweets in Hindi.
At least 14 people were detained in Gujarat's Ahmedabad city on Sunday after they assembled without permission to protest against the Centre's 'Agnipath' scheme announced for the recruitment of youth in the armed forces, police said. Some of the protesters claimed they had gathered to protest against the scheme in a peaceful 'Gandhian' manner.
Around 100 people, mostly locals, assembled at a spot in the city's Meghaninagar area to protest against 'Agnipath,' the scheme announced by the Centre for the recruitment of youth in the defence forces for a four-year tenure. 'We detained 14 of them as they had gathered without permission,' Meghaninagar police station's inspector J P Chauhan said. (PTI)
When those we elect to rule us disrespect the law, they lose the right to impose it. Has this message gone home to Bulldozer Baba as his admirers call him? When he saw trains and buses being burned in his own state last week, did Yogi Adityanath discover that bulldozers may terrorize those whose homes they crush, but they are incapable of bringing law and order? This happens only when the state is seen to be fair, compassionate, and just. Not even his most ardent fans would use these words to describe the Chief Minister of our largest state. Tavleen Singh writes
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor Sunday weighed in on the protests against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme, which have been raging in Bihar, as he talked about the war of words between the JD(U) and the BJP, who are in alliance in the eastern state.
“There should be agitation against Agnipath, not violence and sabotage. The people of Bihar are bearing the brunt of the conflict between JD(U) and the BJP. Bihar is burning and the leaders of both the parties are busy sparring and pointing fingers at each other instead of solving the matter,” tweeted Kishor. Read more
Congress MP KC Venugopal Sunday said that the party will demand the withdrawal of the Agnipath recruitment scheme.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Sunday attacked the Centre over it's Agnipath scheme and said "This scheme will kill the youth of the country, will finish Army."
"...Please see the intent of this govt and topple it. Bring a govt that is true to the nation, protects country's assets. I urge you to do peaceful protest but don't stop," Gandhi said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday met the three service chiefs amid escalating protests against the 'Agnipath' military recruitment scheme in several parts of the country. It was Singh's second meeting with the chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force for the second straight day on the issue.
There was no official comment on the meeting. It is learnt that the focus of the deliberations was on pacifying the protesters. As the protests intensified in various parts of the country, the defence minister on Saturday approved a proposal to reserve 10 per cent of the jobs in various organisations under the ministry for recruits under the 'Agnipath' scheme if they meet the requisite eligibility criteria. (PTI)
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Sunday appealed to youth to protest peacefully against Agnipath scheme and assured the party's full support. (PTI)
National Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule Sunday said that the "haphazard and illogical implementation" of the Agniveers scheme for recruitment in the armed forces has resulted in loss of lives, arson, and mayhem pan India. "With well placed recruitment procedures already in place, that has given us defence forces that have protected our borders and us from external aggression, clearly shows the process has succeeded since Independence," Sule tweeted.
Sule said that the security of the country is at stake, and the future of new generations of deserving soldiers, airforce personnel and navy personnel.
The Centre is not working for the poor and youth, but for industrialists, said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at the 'Satyagraha' taking place against the Agnipath scheme at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The youth protesting against the Agnipath scheme are those who are unaware of its benefits to them as well as the Indian armed forces, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said on Sunday and urged them to withdraw from their agitation. Speaking to reporters here, Muraleedharan said the youth need not be apprehensive about the scheme for the recruitment of youths aged between 17 and a half and 21 in the Army, Navy and the Air Force, largely on a four-year short-term contractual basis.
He said youngsters were protesting against it without knowing about it. The Union Minister further said that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has not been found lacking where the future of the youth, welfare of armed forces and national security was concerned. He urged the youth protesting against the scheme to withdraw from it. (PTI)
From a 21-year-old in Banka, Bihar, who hopes to be the first in his family to get a job to a 19-year-old from Jammu’s Reasi town who seeks to follow his brother into the armed forces, The Indian Express talks to young defence aspirants from some of the states that bore the brunt of the protests against the Agnipath scheme. Read the full story here
Speaking at the 'Satyagraha' organised by the Congress at Jantar Mantar Sunday, Youth Congress president Srinivas BV asked the Centre what the youth would do after four years of serving for the nation. 'What will youth do after four years, will they fry pakoras outside your office or become a bouncer outside big offices,' he asked.
"This government had promised one rank one pension and now they have brought no pension scheme. This government is bent on destroying youth. Amit Shah son Jay Shah has a scheme of putting in 50,000 and earning 80 crore. I think this is not Agnipath, this is RSS path," Srinivas said.
Amid widespread protests against the Agnipath military recruitment scheme in Bihar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday said there were many doubts about the scheme in the minds of the youth and demanded that it be withdrawn. Addressing a press conference here, he asked whether this was a MGNREGA-like initiative for the educated youth or there was a 'hidden agenda' of the RSS in it.
Yadav also appealed to the youth to protest peacefully against the scheme. Why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi silent on the whole issue, he asked. He said the government talked about 'one rank, one pension', but has come up with a scheme of 'no rank, no pension'. (PTI)
Congress leader Sachin Pilot Sunday urged the Centre not to be "stubborn" and immediately withdraw the new military recruitment scheme Agnipath for wider consultations to avoid a repeat of the farm laws episode. He also asserted that the country had been kept "on a permanent boil" in the last few years, and a culmination of factors such as rejection of the 'Agnipath' scheme, unemployment and economic and agrarian distress had resulted in the "severe backlash" from the youth.
Amid widespread protests against the new military recruitment scheme, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said by repeatedly giving false hope of jobs, he has forced the youth to walk on 'Agnipath' of unemployment. He also said 16 crore jobs were to be given in eight years, but the youth only got knowledge on "frying pakoras".
His attack came on a day Congress MPs and top leaders, including general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, sat on a "Satyagraha" at the Jantar Mantar in solidarity with the youths protesting against the Agnipath scheme.
"By repeatedly giving false hope of jobs, the prime minister has forced the youth of the country to walk on the 'Agnipath' of unemployment," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi. (PTI)
At the Satyagraha protest organised by the Congress against the Centre's Agnipath scheme at Jantar Mantar, Congress leader Digvijay Singh said, "First you brought farmers on road and now aspirants. I request you not to be stubborn. I appeal to the government to leave your arrogance because Agneepath will not be successful."
Launching a fresh attack against the Centre, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Sunday said, "By repeatedly giving false hope of jobs, the Prime Minister has forced the youth of the country to walk on the "firepath' of unemployment."
"In 8 years, 16 crore jobs were to be given but the youth only got the knowledge of frying pakoras. Only the Prime Minister is responsible for this condition of the country," Gandhi tweeted.
Protesting against the Agnipath scheme and demanding that Army recruitment written exam be held at the earliest, a group of youths went on rampage in Ludhiana, Saturday, as they stormed inside the railway station and vandalised property. Before damaging the property at the railway station, they also damaged a police vehicle near Durga Mata Mandir, said police. Read more
AIMIM President Asaduddin Oswaisi Sunday attacked the Centre on its latest Agnipath recruitment scheme and said, "Modi government is playing with Nations security,deceived lakhs of youth who wanted to join the Honourable profession to serve the country."
Ahead of the 'Satyagrah' protest organised by the Congress against Centre's Aginapth recruitment scheme on Sunday, tight security arrangments have been made with police and Rapid Action Force personnel deployed at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Department of Military Affairs Additional Secretary Lt General Anil Puri will address a press conference at the South Block Sunday on the issue of Centre's Agnipath recruitment scheme. (ANI)
Amid the countrywide stir against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme for short-term recruitment of soldiers in the armed forces, Bihar has witnessed most widespread and violent protests. The state’s principal Opposition RJD’s national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha speaks to The Indian Express over the raging row. Read the full interview here
Police in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh have so far taken around 80 people in custody in connection with the violent protests in the district against the Centre's Agnipath scheme, officials said on Saturday. Of those held since the protests on Friday, 35 people, including nine operators of coaching institutes, were arrested for their role in the violence, Aligarh Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kalanidhi Naithani said.
"Four FIRs have been registered under serious charges of the Indian Penal Code in connection with the violence during the protests in the district. Two of these FIRs have been lodged on complaint by police personnel, one by the UP roadways and another by a civilian,” Naithani said. (PTI)
Amid the nationwide protest against the Centre's Agnipath scheme, political strategist Prasant Kishor tweeted and said, "There must be an agitation against Agnipath scheme, not violence."
"The people of Bihar are bearing the brunt of the conflict between JD (U) and BJP. Bihar is burning and the leaders of both the parties are busy sparring and counter-alleging each other instead of solving the matter."
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday called for review meeting at his house in New Delhi at 10:15 am. According to ANI, Singh will conduct the meeting in presence of tri-service chiefs and will the Agnipath scheme amid nationwide protests.
The Indian Air Force Sunday released details of the Central government’s ‘Agnipath’ plan, detailing various aspects like eligibility criteria, age limit, educational qualifications, and more.
The IAF document said that all Indians are eligible for the “new HR management scheme for Armed Forces” as long as they are between 17.5 years and 21 years of age. They will have to meet specific medical eligibility conditions and will have a distinctive insignia that should be worn on their uniforms for the duration of the training. Read more
BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Saturday took a swipe at the Centre over the Agnipath scheme, saying it is not appropriate for a sensitive government to “strike first and think later” when it comes to the armed forces, security and youth’s future. Gandhi cited the changes brought in the scheme, a short term employment for youngsters in the armed forces as soldiers, soon after it was announced, saying it shows that its various dimensions were not considered when the policy was being framed, he said.
As the protests against Agnipath, the Centre’s new recruitment scheme for the armed forces, continued for the third consecutive day on Saturday, including in Bihar, it sparked a war of words between the JD(U) and the BJP, members of the ruling coalition in the state.
While Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal targeted the JD(U) over its party offices coming under attack, calling it a “conspiracy” that police didn’t stop the protesters, JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh hit back, asking why police hadn’t acted against protesters in states where it is in power. Santosh Singh and Mahendra Singh Manral write
Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Saturday urged Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to “immediately” roll back the Agnipath scheme and resume the regular process of recruitment for defence services for the current year, saying the new recruitment plan has “justifiably” caused “great anguish” among the potential recruits across the country. In a letter to the Defence Minister, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader listed a host of deficiencies in the Agnipath scheme and said it negates “regimental honour” and “erodes the quality of our troops”. (PTI)
Scores of Army job aspirants staged a protest in Chennai on Saturday against Centre’s Agnipath recruitment initiative for the armed forces, while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister voiced concern against the proposal which however found the backing from the state Governor R N Ravi, who described it as “a revolutionary and transformative policy.” Stalin alleged the proposal was against national interest and wanted a re-think from the Centre. Ravi urged the youth to be “not misled by hostile elements.”
About 150-odd anti-Agnipath aspirants staged a protest near the War Memorial here today, alleging it would affect their dreams of joining the army. Many of them were seen carrying the Indian tricolour and wanted immediate conduct of the Common Entrance Exam 2021. Read more
Over 180 trains were cancelled and six were terminated on Saturday due to prevailing law and order problem and threat perception to railway property and passengers in Bihar as violence and arson marked the fourth consecutive day of protests against the Agnipath recruitment scheme for the armed forces. According to East Central Railway (ECR) Chief Public Relations Officer Virendra Kumar, 189 trains were cancelled during the day while six were short terminated. Read more
Protests against Agnipath, the Centre’s new recruitment scheme for the armed forces, continued for the fourth consecutive day, spreading to states such as Punjab and Kerala that were until now untouched by the violence. The Central Railways cancelled 369 trains on Saturday due to the agitation, including 210 mail/express trains and 159 local passenger trains.
Over 180 trains were cancelled and six were terminated on Saturday due to prevailing law and order problem and threat perception to railway property and passengers in Bihar as violence and arson marked the fourth consecutive day of protests against the Agnipath recruitment scheme for the armed forces.
According to East Central Railway (ECR) Chief Public Relations Officer Virendra Kumar, 189 trains were cancelled during the day while six were short terminated.
“As a precautionary measure, plying of trains originating in other zones will remain suspended till 2000 hours,” news agency PTI quoted him as saying. “The restrictions will be re-imposed between 0400 hours and 2000 hours on Sunday to ensure safety and security of passengers and railway property.” Read more
Centre has provided 'Y' category security by the CRPF to 10 BJP leaders in Bihar including Deputy CMs and MLAs, news agency ANI quoted sources as saying. "CRPF is taking over the security cover from today after it received the Home Ministry's order on Friday," it reported.
BJP chief JP Nadda, who is in Karnataka at present, said, "I want to appeal to my young friends that this Agnipath is a revolutionary scheme. I know that efforts are being made to mislead the youth...But I want to tell them to have faith in PM Modi. I appeal to them to understand this scheme thoroughly."
Over 60 trains cancelled and two terminated due to prevailing law and order problem and threat perception to railway property and passengers in Bihar: East Central Railway
The Ludhiana railway station in Punjab was vandalised by agitators on Saturday. RS Brar, Jt CP, Ludhiana, said, "Police immediately took action. Around 8-10 persons have been rounded up. Some people have called them & misused them. We've videos available & are identifying them."
The Defence Minister's office on Saturday announced that 10% of the job vacancies in the ministry will be reserved for ‘Agniveers’ meeting requisite eligibility criteria.
Congress president, who is recovering from post-Covid complications in a hospital at present, in a message to the youths protesting against the Agnipath recruitment scheme, on Saturday appealed to them to stick to peaceful and non-violent protests. "Congress stands with you in all its strength and will fight to get the scheme withdrawn," she said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday held a meeting with the top brass of the Army, Navy and the Air Force on the overall situation arising out of the rollout of the 'Agnipath' military recruitment scheme as protests against it intensified in several parts of the country.
The meeting was attended by Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and Vice Chief of Army Staff Gen B S Raju.
It is learnt that the focus of the meeting was to ensure a quick rollout of the 'Agnipath' scheme and ways to pacify the agitators. Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande could not attend the meeting as he is in Hyderabad on an official tour. (PTI)
As protests against the ‘Agnipath’ scheme intensified, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday strongly defended the new military recruitment model saying it was rolled out after wide-ranging consultations including with the ex-servicemen and suggested that a “misunderstanding” is being spread for political reasons. The Defence Minister held a high-level meeting with the chiefs of the three Armed Forces at his residence in New Delhi on Saturday afternoon. (PTI)
Police arrested more than 100 protestors accused of involvement in arson at Secunderabad railway station yesterday, news agency ANY reported. Special teams have been formed to nab the accused and a search operation is underway. An FIR was registered by the Railway police against protestors who torched vehicles.
Train services on the Sealdah-Barrackpore route in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district were disrupted for around one hour on Saturday as a group of anti-Agnipath agitators blocked railway tracks and did push-ups to register protest against the new scheme for recruitment in armed forces.
Around 20 protesters blocked both up and down lines at a level crossing from around 10 AM thus also affecting vehicular traffic, a spokesperson of the Eastern Railway said. "We love our country, please don't play with our future. We have been preparing for the army for several years, and now the Centre implements Agnipath scheme. We demand its immediate rollback," one of the protesters, carrying 'Boycott Agnipath' placard, told reporters.
The demonstration affected railway services during office hours, and many commuters waiting at Barrackpore Railway Station reached the protest site and an altercation ensued with the agitators. The protesters were removed from the spot around 11.15 AM and railway services and movement of vehicles resumed, a GRP official said. (PTI)
In a letter to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, AAP MP Raghav Chadha called for "roll-back" and "re-deliberation" of the controversial 'Agnipath' scheme, announced by the Centre earlier this month.
Train services at Secunderabad Railway Station, which witnessed arson and violence resulting in the death of a protester aspiring to join the armed forces, are limping back to normalcy, a senior official of the South Central Railway said on Saturday.
D Rakesh, a 24-year-old Army aspirant from Warangal district, died and several people were injured after security personnel opened fire on hundreds of agitators at the Secunderabad railway station here on Friday as the protests against the Centre's new Agnipath military recruitment scheme escalated into large-scale violence and arson.
Violence and protests marred the station blocking rail services causing inconvenience to passengers for several hours. Train operations originating from the station were cancelled or partially cancelled and they resumed subsequently later in the evening. Additional Director General of Police (Railways) Sandeep Shandilya told PTI that the situation at Secunderabad station is peaceful and the police continue to deploy addition forces to thwart any untoward incident. (PTI)
Even as violent protests are being witnessed over the Centre's Agnipath scheme in parts of the country, several ex-servicemen from a village in Maharashtra' Satara, known for having at least one member of every family in the armed forces, have supported the recruitment plan, saying it would not only provide an employment opportunity to youngsters, but also open up several avenues for them.
The village named Apshinge, located around 15 kms from Satara city, is also known as Apshinge Military for its contribution to the armed forces. For generations virtually every home in this village has someone serving in the army. The veterans in the village say that local youths, aspiring to join the armed forces, are approaching them to know what the Agnipath scheme was all about, and they are being provided guidance.
"Though there are protests going on in some parts of the country over the Agnipath scheme, we, as a village, are positive about it and think that it will bring more opportunities as more number of youths will be inducted into the armed forces, which will help address the issue of unemployment," said Subedar Sudhir Karande (retd), whose great grandfather and his brothers had served in the World War-I. (PTI)
Hundreds of youth on Saturday took out a massive protest march here against the Centre's decision to implement the new Agnipath scheme for the recruitment of soldiers, airmen and sailors.
Large number of army job aspirants, who have been reportedly waiting to get enrolled into the defence service, gathered at Thampanoor, located in the heart of the city, in the morning and marched to Raj Bhavan, the official residence of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. They could be seen raising slogans against the Union government's new military recruitment scheme and holding placards and banners urging the authorities to withdraw their decision at the earliest.
The protesting youth were reportedly hailing from various parts of the southern state. An agitating man said they would continue the strike till the Centre rolls back its decision and justice is ensured to them. (PTI)
Violent anti-Agnipath protests continued rocking Bihar for the fourth consecutive day on Saturday, with agitators torching vehicles parked on the premises of a police outpost in Jehanabad district, officials said.
A large number of protestors gathered outside Tehta police outpost around 8.30 AM and started pelting security personnel with stones. Later, they set several vehicles, including a bus and a truck, on fire, they said.
Normal life was affected in Gaya, Buxar and Jehanabad districts, as well as some other parts of Bihar, as vehicles remained off the roads and shops and business establishments were shut, barring those selling essential items, due to a statewide bandh called by student organisations led by Left-wing All India Students' Association (AISA). (PTI)
Amid widespread protests against the Agnipath scheme, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is holding a high-level meeting with the chiefs of the three Armed Forces in New Delhi on Sunday.
A plea was moved in the Supreme Court on Saturday seeking a probe by a Special Investigation Team into the recent wave of violent protests against the Government's new 'Agnipath' scheme. The plea also sought an examination of the damage to public property, particularly the Indian Railways during the protests.
The petition also sought directions to set up an expert committee under the chairmanship of a retired Supreme Court judge to examine the scheme and its impact on national security and the Army. (ANI)