Agnipath Protests: Security forces deployed in Bihar amid Bharat Bandh

In view of the Bharat Bandh called by some organisations as a protest against the Agnipath recruitment scheme security personnel was seen deployed across the country as a precautionary measure on MondayThe Union Cabinet on June 14 approved a recruitment scheme for Indian youth to serve in the three services of the Armed Forces called Agnipath and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as AgniveersMeanwhile security has been beefed up in several states on Monday amid protests against the Centres new Agnipath recruitment schemeDue to ongoing students agitation against the Centres Agnipath scheme across the nation eight trains were cancelled and six trains have been rescheduled in the east zone said East Central Railway on SundayAlso read Eastern Railway cancels reschedules several trains due to Agnipath protestsAfter the policy which allows Indian youths to serve in the regular cadre of the Armed Forces for a period of four years was announced on June 14 protests erupted in various states including Delhi Uttar Pradesh Bihar Haryana Telangana Odisha West Bengal Madhya Pradesh Punjab Jharkhand and Assam As the agitation intensified in some places protestors went on the rampage setting trains on fire torching vehicles and damaging both private and public propertiesCongress will also hold peaceful protests across the country on Monday against the antiyouth Agnipath recruitment schemeTaking to Twitter Congress General Secretary incharge Communications Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday Tomorrow lakhs of Congress workers across the country will continue peaceful protests against the antiyouth Agnipath scheme and against Modi governments vendetta politics targeting its MP Rahul GandhiSeveral organisations will stage protests against the Agnipath scheme at Jantar Mantar in the national capital today Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai too will join the protestA joint movement will be organized at Jantar Mantar in Delhi at 11 am on June 20 against the Agnipath scheme Rai had said in a tweet on FridayA total of 46000 Agniveers will be recruited this year but a top military officer said it will go up to 125 lakhs in near future The entry age for all new recruits in the Armed Forces has been fixed as 175 to 21 years of ageHowever following protests the Central government announced an increase in the upper age limit for the recruitment of Agniveers from 21 years to 23 years for the recruitment cycle of 2022 as it has not been possible to undertake the recruitment during the last two yearsMeanwhile police in several states have announced measures and tightened security for June 20 protest In Delhis neighbouring areas Faridabad and Noida Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure CrPC which prohibits the assembly of four or more persons has been imposedUttar Pradesh Police said that strict action will be taken against those found involved in jeopardising peaceAmid protests against Agnipath Scheme antisocial elements may jeopardise peace Section 144 imposed in Gautam Buddha Nagar and strict action will be taken against those found involved in such incidents said Ashutosh Dwivedi ADCP Law and Order NoidaIn Rajasthans Jaipur prohibitory orders under section 144 have been imposed from 6 pm on Sunday till midnight of August 18 in the view of the possibility of disturbance to law and order due to the protestsPunjab Polices ADGP Law and Order has directed the CPs and SSPs across the state to be on alert and asked them to monitor the activities of social media groups which are actively mobilizing or spreading instigating information about the schemeAs a precautionary measure all schools in Jharkhand will remain closed today in the wake of the protests called by certain organisations the state education official informed on SundayAll schools in Bihars Muzaffarpur will also remain shut as per the order by the district administrationWhile the government points out that the Agnipath scheme gives a golden opportunity to the youth to join the defence system and serve the country Congress had said the recruitment policy is controversial carries multiple risks subverts the longstanding traditions and ethos of the armed forces and there is no guarantee that the soldiers recruited under the scheme will be better trained and motivated to defend the countryAgniveers will be enrolled for a service duration of 4 years including the training period After four years only 25 per cent of the Agniveers will be retained or reenlisted in the regular cadre based on merit willingness and medical fitness These 25 per cent Agniveers will then serve for a full term of another 15 yearsAs the protests continue a senior Army officer on Sunday clarified that the scheme will not be rolled back and said that it is the only progressive step to make the country youngMeanwhile the registration process for the first batch of Agniveers under the Centres newAgnipath recruitment scheme will begin on June 24 and the online examination would be held on July 24Congress has urged the government to keep the Agnipath scheme in abeyance hold wide consultations with serving and retired officers and address the issues of quality efficiency and economy without compromising on any of the three considerationsAddressing the concerns over the future of Agniveers and their job security the Centre approved a proposal to reserve 10 per cent of the job vacancies in the Ministry of Defence for Agniveers meeting requisite eligibility criteria and also decided to give priority to them in the recruitment of the Central Armed Police Forces CAPFs and Assam RiflesSeveral state governments like Assam Uttar Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Haryana Arunachal Pradesh Uttarakhand and Karnataka have announced to give Agniveers priority in state government jobsProtests have disrupted rail services in several parts of the country A total of 491 train services have been affected throughout the country due to the ongoing agitation informed railway officials on Sunday