Here are the latest developments of the ongoing protests against the Agnipath plan from across the country
Despite the Center’s steps to alleviate the concerns and the police arresting hundreds of people for the violence, the anti-Agnipath protests did not stop. The Union’s Home Affairs Minister Ajay Kumar Bhalla chaired a meeting of the Directors General of Police and Chief Secretaries of all states on Sunday to discuss the violence over the Agnipath plan and the Bharat bandh call for Monday. It is unclear which organization announced the nationwide protest. Still, police have imposed Article 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in several areas, prohibiting gatherings of more than four people based on social media posts.
Explained | The Armed Forces Agnipath Schedule
On June 16, protests broke out in several states against the Center’s Agnipath plan to recruit soldiers between the ages of 17.5 and 21 in its three services for four years, followed by mandatory retirement for most without tip and retirement benefits. Several student organizations, including the CPI-ML (Liberation), affiliated AISA, convened a state-wide bandh in Bihar on June 18. Opposition Grand Alliance spearhead RJD extended its support to the bandh. The Center announced several incentives on June 18, including a 10% reservation in Defense Department and paramilitary troops for Agnipath retirees. It sought to quell the violent protests raging in many states against the new military recruiting program, and the opposition parties resigned. Press for a rollback.
Here are the latest updates
13:00 | West Bengal
BJP tries to create its cadre base: CM Mamata
BJP is trying to create its cadre base through the Agnipath scheme, says West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Assembly. – PTI
12:50 | Haryana
Aspirants block roads in parts of Haryana; security ramped up
Protests against Agnipath increased in parts of Haryana on Monday as armed forces aspirants blocked roads and demanded that the plan be reversed. In Fatehabad, a group of youths blocked the Lal Batti Chowk, while several others protested on streets in the Rohtak district. Amid ongoing protests in Haryana and Punjab against the settlement, officials said security at key installations in the two states has been stepped up. – PTI
12:40 | New Delhi
Youth Congress workers stopped the train near Connaught Place, and several arrested.
Indian Youth Congress workers stopped a train at Shivaji Bridge train station near Connaught Place in the national capital on Monday to push their demand for a rollback of the Agnipath defense recruitment program. Police and security personnel cleared the track, and train movement resumed after about half an hour, sources said. Several protesters were arrested as police personnel tried to remove them from the tracks and the station, a senior police official added. “The government must reverse the Agniveer scheme. The Youth Congress will fight for the unemployed youth in this country who want to serve the country,” Srinivas BV, president of the Youth Congress, told reporters. IYC members also staged protests in nearby Connaught Place. – PTI
Noon | Railways
Railways cancel 529 trains.
Over 500 trains were canceled on June 20, with operations again disrupted by protests against the Agnipath Defense recruitment program. While 539 trains were affected, 529 trains were canceled, including 181 mail/express trains and 348 passenger trains, the Railways said in a statement. The railways have also partially compensated for four postal/express trains. – PTI
Opinion
Agnipath, a fire that could scorch India
On September 15, 2013, Narendra Modi addressed a gathering of ex-servicemen in Rewari, Haryana as the candidate for Prime Minister of the Bharatiya Janata Party, where he loudly called for ‘One Rank One Pension (OROP) for all soldier’s supported. Mr. Modi then campaigned in poetry, and nine years later, when the Agnipath plan for recruiting short-term contracted soldiers was announced, he had to face the reality of governing in prose. As hard as the government tries to cover it up, economics is the driving factor behind this shift — from ‘One Rank One Pension to ‘No Rank No Pension’ —.
TH explains
Explained | Why is Agnipath under widespread attack?
Agnipath, or Tour of Duty, is now the only way to recruit soldiers, sailors, and pilots. It is intended that young people between the ages of 17.5 and 21 – the upper limit has been extended to 23 this year following protests – for only four years, including their training time. At the end of their contract, only 25% of these soldiers, the so-called Agniveer, will be returned to regular military service.
11:00 AM |
Great potential for employment of Agniveer in the corporate sector: Mahindra
Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra expressed dismay at the violence against the Center’s Agnipath plan on June 20, claiming that the agricultural equipment for the aerospace conglomerate welcomes the opportunity to recruit trained, capable, and young people for the program. Recruit.
He gave his opinion on the plan to recruit young people between the ages of 17 and 23 for a four-year term in defense services amid widespread violence in the states against it, saying there is great potential for the employment of “Ignition” in business.
Saddened by the violence surrounding the #Agneepath program. When the scheme was suggested last year, I said – and I repeat – the discipline and skills that Agniveer acquire will make them eminently employable. The Mahindra Group welcomes the opportunity to recruit such educated, capable young people
— anand Mahindra (@anandmahindra) June 20, 2022
10:10 | Delhi
Traffic in central Delhi affected by the congressional protest
Traffic police say traffic in parts of central Delhi on June 20 will be affected by the congressional protest against the Center’s Agnipath plan and the “vendetta politics” against Rahul Gandhi. Mr. Gandhi is being questioned by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the National Herald money laundering case and will appear before the agency for a fourth time on Monday. – PTI
10:00 AM | Noida
CrPC 144 already imposed, don’t break the law: Noida agents warn ahead of proposed Bharat Bandh.
Young people shout slogans during a protest against the Agnipath scheme, in Meerut, on Thursday, June 16 20,22. | Photo credit: PTIA
Amid an appeal for ‘Bharat Bandh’ on June 20 regarding the Agnipath scheme, Gautam Buddh Nagar police reiterated on Sunday that CrPC Section 144 had been imposed in the district and asked people not to engage in any activity that could impair the disturbs public order. The police’s appeal came even after ex-servicemen filed a memorandum with authorities demanding strictness against ‘antisocial’ elements involved in the violence during protests against the Center’s new plan to recruit soldiers into the army. The Navy, and the Air Force. So far, 225 people have been booked, and 15 have been arrested for the violent protest at Jewar toll plaza on Friday at the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida. – PTI
10:00 AM |
Activate to have rank and insignia different from existing ranks
Agniveer enlisted under the Agnipath Scheme would constitute a separate rank distinct from any other existing position and also wear distinctive logos on their uniform, according to the Scheme Terms and Conditions. The Indian Air Force (IAF), in a detailed description of the “Agnipath Forces Enrollment Scheme,” said that Agnipath is a “new HR (Human Resource) Management Scheme” for the armed forces.
10:00 AM |
Center bans 35 WhatsApp groups for spreading fake news about the Agnipath scheme.
As many as 35 WhatsApp groups allegedly spreading fake news about Agnipath’s military recruiting program were banned by the government on Sunday, officials said. The move came amid violent protests against the plan in various parts of the country since it was announced a few days ago.
Congress
Agnipath is the first step to outsourcing the Indian military: Congress leaders.
The Telangana Congress demanded a rollback of the Agnipath plan and held a day-long Deeksha in Gandhi Bhavan on Sunday. The Deeksha was addressed by Sangareddy legislator T. Jayaprakash Reddy, Manthani MLA D. Sreedhar Babu, senior leaders J. Geetha Reddy, Mahesh Kumar Goud, V. Hanumantha Rao, G. Chinna Reddy, and Mallu Ravi, among others. They called the new arrangement the first step to outsourcing the military.
bandh call
Minister of the Interior assesses law and order about bandh call.
The Union’s Home Affairs Minister Ajay Kumar Bhalla chaired a meeting of the Directors General of Police and Chief Secretaries of all states on Sunday to discuss the violence over the Agnipath plan and the Bharat bandh call for Monday. It’s unclear which organization had announced the nationwide protest on Monday. Still, police in several areas imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which banned gatherings of more than four people at a time based on social media posts.
BJP
BJP accuses the opposition of doing politics with national security after it opposes Agnipath
On Sunday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused opposition parties of national security politics as protests continued against the new short-time schedule launched by the government for recruitment into the armed forces, dubbed “Agnipath”. On a day when Congress protested the plan, the BJP made strong remarks against the opposition’s support for opponents of the Agnipath plan.
Congress
PM Modi forced young people to walk on Agnipath of unemployment: Rahul Gandhi.
Amid widespread protests against the new military recruiting program, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 19, saying by repeatedly giving false hopes for jobs, he has forced the youths to walk on ‘Agnipath’ of unemployment. He also said that 16 crore jobs would be given in eight years, but the young people were only given knowledge about “frying pakoras”.
