Protests against Agnipath rage on; mobs attack Bihar Deputy CM's house

On Friday, protests against the Agnipath scheme intensified as mobs set trains on fire, disrupting railway services across states

One died in Telangana's Secunderabad as protests against the central government's Agnipath recruitment scheme across the country intensified on Friday. Some demonstrators in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh set train coaches on fire. At the same time, a mob attacked the residences of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi and state BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal. 

The central government has defended the new scheme, saying that this model will bring new capabilities to the armed forces and open up avenues for youth in the private sector. However, after continued demonstrations against the Tour of Duty scheme, the government on Thursday relaxed the upper limit for age to 23 years from 21. 

Youths are protesting across India against the Agnipath scheme for several reasons. Most are unhappy with the length of employment offered under the scheme and the absence of pension provisions for those who will be released early. At the same time, some people are angry over hiring youth for the armed forces under this scheme, even as the recruitment rallies after written exams have been suspended for the last two years.

The opposition parties have also asked the government to roll back its recruitment scheme, as senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has said the scheme is "controversial, carries multiple risks, subverts the long-standing traditions and ethos of the armed forces." 

On Friday, protests against the scheme intensified as the mob set trains on fire, disrupting the railway services. A total of 200 train services were affected across the country due to the protests. Thirty-five train services were cancelled while 13 were short terminated, reports ANI. 

In the national capital Delhi, Chatr-Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), the student wing of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), staged protests against the scheme. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation closed all gates of ITO, Delhi Gate and Jama Masjid metro station, given the demonstrations. 

Agitators in Bihar on Friday set trains on fire, and smashed window panes of buses, while some protesters in the morning sat on railway tracks and blocked roads at many places across the state. Students protesting the scheme in Begusarai created ruckus at a railway station and indulged in arson and stone-throwing. In Samastipur, agitators set ablaze two train coaches, while in Lakhisarai, a mob attacked a BJP office. Mob also attacked Bihar Dy CM Renu Devi's residence in Bettiah. 

In Uttar Pradesh, protesters in Ballia district set a train coach on fire while also damaging the property of a railway station. Videos of the protest show young men with lathis breaking shops and benches at the railway station.

In UP's Mathura, protesters created a ruckus on the Agra-Delhi highway. On the other hand, the cops had to fire in the air to control violent demonstrators targeting buses on the Yamuna Expressway. 

In Jharkhand's Jamshedpur, train services were briefly disrupted due to the ongoing protests. 

In BJP-ruled Haryana, Section 144 was imposed in Narnaul and Gurugram amid the ongoing protests. Several cities of Haryana reported violent demonstrations while internet services have been blocked in Ballabhgarh in the Faridabad district. 

In Telangana's Secunderabad, one died, and eight others were injured as protesters at a railway station vandalised stalls and set a train on fire.

Even as youth across India continue to protest against the Agnipath scheme for the second day, the Chief of Air Marshall said that the recruitment process under the Agnipath scheme for the Indian Air Forces would start from June 24. Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army Manoj Pande said that the schedule for the recruitment process would be announced shortly.