In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, protesters have set trains on fire, public and police vehicles have been attacked over the ‘Agnipath’ scheme
Anti-Agnipath protesters torch a train in Bihar on 16 June, 2022. News18
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attacked the government over the Agnipath scheme, saying the BJP dispensation requiring to amend rules under the scheme soon after its announcement indicates it was imposed on the youth in “haste”, and demanded its immediate withdrawal.
Raising slogans ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Agnipath Vapas Lo’, youths protesting against the Centre’s new scheme to recruit soldiers on Friday set an empty train on fire and vandalised a few other trains here, prompting the police to lathi charge them.
Police sources said that the protesters gathered at the Veeri Lork Stadium and then marched to the Ballia railway station.
A video of the youths raising the slogans and vandalising the Ballia-Varanasi Memu and Ballia-Shahganj trains has gone viral.
They also allegedly pelted stones near the railway godown and targeted private shops at the railway station platform.
Buses outside were targeted too, sources said.
District Magistrate Saumya Agarwal said, “Considering the possibility of youths protesting, police was deployed from the morning itself. Some unruly youths came and tried to pelt stones, but the administration did not allow them to succeed. One portion of Ballia railway station was vandalised. Action is being taken against the unruly elements.”
Superintendent of Police Raj Karan Nayyar said that the youths are being persuaded to call off the protest and sent back.
“The incident has been videographed. So far, no arrests have been made,” he said.
In a tweet in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi said “not even 24 hours had passed” that the BJP government had to change the rules of the new army recruitment scheme. This means the scheme is being imposed on the youth in haste, the Congress general secretary said.
“Narendra Modi ji, withdraw this scheme immediately. Give appointments and put out the result of the stalled recruitment in Air Force,” Priyanka Gandhi said. “Conduct army recruitment (with age relaxation) as before,” she demanded.
Trains were set afire, public and police vehicles attacked and personnel injured as protests over ‘Agnipath’ snowballed and swept across several states on 16 June.
Telangana Minister for IT and Industries K T Rama Rao on Friday said the stir indicates the unemployment problem in the country.
“The violent protests against #AgniveerScheme is an eye-opener & acute indicator of the magnitude of unemployment crisis in the country
Pehle Desh ke Kisan Ke Saath ??????? Aur Ab Desh ke Jawan Ke Saath ???????
From One Rank – One Pension to proposed No Rank – No Pension!,” Rama Rao, known as KTR, tweeted.
Protests have erupted in several states since 15 June, 2022, against the Agnipath scheme to recruit jawans into the army, the navy and the air force for a four-year-period followed by compulsory retirement for most without gratuity and pension benefits.
Following violent protests in Palwal against the Agnipath scheme, Haryana government has suspended mobile internet and SMS services for 24 hours in Ballabhgarh area of Faridabad district as a precautionary measure.
The order, which was issued by the Home department and came into effect after 12 am on Friday, led to the suspension of mobile internet services, all SMS services, including bulk SMS (excluding banking and mobile recharge), and all dongle services provided on mobile networks to maintain law and order and prevent the spread of rumours, officials said.
The department in a statement said that there is a likelihood of “tension, annoyance, obstruction or injury to persons, danger to human life and property, disturbance of public peace and tranquillity” in Ballabgarh sub-division by the agitated protesters, in view of the potential law and order situation in the adjourning Palwal district over the Agnipath scheme.
“In order to stop the spread of disinformation and rumours through various social media platforms, on mobile phones and SMS, for facilitation and mobilisation of mobs… in the exercise of powers conferred upon me by virtue of Section 5 of Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 to be read along with Rule (2) of Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety ) Rules, 2017, Home Secretary, Haryana, I do hereby order the suspension of mobile internet services… all SMS services… and all dongle services etc. provided on mobile networks except the voice call in the territorial jurisdiction of Sub Division Ballabgarh,” the order read.
With inputs from PTI
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