New Delhi: Massive protests erupted in Bihar and Rajasthan against the Aginipath recruitment scheme as protesters raised concerns over job security and pension. Protesters in large numbers crowded the streets of Bihar and Rajasthan as they shouted slogans against the the Agnipath Yojana. Many also held placards and burned tyres to rollback the Agnipath scheme via which soldiers would be recruited into the Armed Forces on a four-year contract basis. Staging demonstration against Centre, the job seekers voiced apprehensions over the future of their services as the scheme pushes for only 25 per cent of the soldiers recruited to be retained for full term
Agnipath scheme: Why protests being held and what job seekers say
Two days after the Centre announced the Agnipath Yojana, Army aspirants disrupted rail and road traffic in several parts of Bihar in protest against the recruitment scheme which proposes recruitment of jawans on a contractual basis for a four-year-period followed by compulsory retirement for most without gratuity and pension benefits. The protests took a violent turn on Thursday in Bihar’s Munger and Jehanabad as several agitators burned tyres, vandalised buses and set trains on fire while raising slogans against the Agnipath scheme.
Speaking to news agency ANI over taking part in the agitation, a protester voiced concerns over next step after serving in the Army for four years as only 25 per cent of soldiers will be enrolled in the regular cadre.
“Where will we go after working for only 4 years? We will be homeless after 4 years of service. So we have jammed the roads; the country’s leaders will now get to know that people are aware,” a protester in Jehanabad said.
The government’s new recruitment scheme Agnipath has stoked a major debate. While the government has termed it transformative, the lawmakers within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and those in opposition have questioned the intentions of the government. Street Protests were held by youth at various places in the country.
Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Rahul Gandhi termed it an “uncalled for” move that too at the time when India is facing threats on two fronts.
Gandhi Tweeted, “When India faces threats on two fronts, the uncalled for Agnipath scheme reduces the operational effectiveness of our armed forces.”
The BJP govt must stop compromising the dignity, traditions, valour & discipline of our forces, added Rahul.
Questioning the short tenure of service of those who will get inducted under the scheme, BJP MP from Pilibhit Varun Gandhi wrote, “Even the government gets elected for five years. Then why only four years is given to the youth to serve the nation?”
The Cabinet approved the “transformative” scheme Agnipath, the new recruitment scheme for the armed forces, on Tuesday. Under it around 46,000 youth between the ages of 17 and a half years and 21 years will be inducted into the Army, Navy and Air Force for a period of four years.
One of the positives of the scheme is that this will make the age profile of the Units youthful.
Under the old system youth between 16 and half years and 21 years were selected for a minimum of 15 years of service and used to get a pension for serving this much. Under the new scheme, 100 per cent of the recruits will leave after four years and then around 25 per cent will be taken back from among them under a fresh process and will serve on a permanent basis.
The recruitment will be on an “all India-all class” basis which earlier was based on region as well as caste and used to serve in regiments like Dogra, Punjab, J&K, Rajput, Jat and Sikhs.
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