Agnipath protests: Aspirants block roads in elements of Haryana; safety stepped up

By PTI

CHANDIGARH: More protests had been witnessed in elements of Haryana on Monday towards Agnipath as armed forces aspirants blocked roads and demanded that the scheme be rolled again.

In Fatehabad, a gaggle of youth blocked the Lal Batti Chowk, whereas a number of others staged a protest on roads in Rohtak district.

Amid persevering with protests in Haryana and Punjab towards the scheme, which seeks to recruit jawans into the military, the navy and the air drive for a four-year-period, safety has been stepped up at key installations within the two states, officers stated.

There was a heavy deployment of police at railway stations, together with these in Ambala, Rewari and Sonipat in Haryana and Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar in Punjab to stop any untoward incident, they stated.

In a communication to all police commissioners and senior superintendents of police within the state on Sunday, Punjab’s Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) stated workplaces and installations of the central authorities departments wanted stronger safety whereas safety round different important installations wanted to be enhanced.

Noting that the protests and requires Bharat Bandh are being mobilised by social media, the ADGP stated there’s a must activate devoted social media cells and monitor their actions, the communication stated.

The Centre had final Tuesday unveiled the Agnipath scheme below which youths between 17-and-a-half and 21 years could be inducted within the three providers for a four-year tenure. Twenty-five per cent of the recruits will likely be retained for normal service.

The authorities projected this scheme as a serious overhaul of the decades-old choice course of to reinforce the youthful profile of the providers. On Thursday, it relaxed the higher age restrict to 23 years for recruitment this 12 months as protests towards the scheme intensified.

The announcement of the brand new scheme got here within the backdrop of recruitment into the navy remaining being stalled for over two years resulting from Covid-19.

On Saturday, the house ministry introduced that 10 per cent of vacancies within the Central Armed Police Forces and the Assam Rifles could be reserved for ‘Agniveers’ and likewise gave a three-year rest within the higher age restrict.

Further, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh authorized a proposal to order 10 per cent of vacancies within the defence ministry for ‘Agniveers’ who meet the eligibility standards.