Two days after the government announced its radical recruitment plan for the armed forces, Army aspirants on Thursday went on a rampage in Bihar and held demonstrations in UP, Haryana, and NCR. In Bihar, the protesters set trains on fire, disrupted road traffic and even pelted stones at the car of a BJP legislator. They want the Centre to withdraw the short-term scheme. Job aspirants and RLP activists in Rajasthan took out rallies in Jodhpur, Sikar, Jaipur, Nagaur, Ajmer and Jhunjhunu districts, while scores of youngsters in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr and Ballia districts held similar demonstrations. Amid the protests, the Opposition stepped up its attack on the government over the scheme demanding that it be scrapped.

Protesters block tracks, at Bhabua station