With key NDA ally JD(U) leading calls for an immediate review of Agnipath, the new short-term recruitment policy for the Armed Forces, after violent protests seeking a rollback erupted in several states on Thursday, the Centre announced a two-year relaxation in the upper age limit for the scheme this year since there was no recruitment in the services “during the last two years”.
After a day that saw large groups of youths blocking roads, pelting stones, torching train coaches, and targeting BJP offices and leaders, the Defence Ministry said that it would allow those who were 21 years old in 2020, when recruitments were stalled, to be eligible — only for this year.Under the original scheme announced on Tuesday, only aspirants between 17-and-a-half years and 21 years of age are eligible for recruitment. But on Thursday, the Defence Ministry said that “the upper age limit for the recruitment process for Agnipath scheme for 2022 is increased to 23 years”.
The Ministry said that since “it has not been possible to undertake the recruitment during the last two years, the Government has decided that a one-time waiver shall be granted for the proposed recruitment cycle for 2022”.
Earlier, the protests were most violent in Bihar, where JD(U) and BJP are part of the ruling coalition. In Kaimur, job aspirants set fire to one coach of a stationary train. In separate incidents, protesters torched two other coaches — one at the Sidhwalia station in Gopalganj, where passengers had to rush out to save themselves, and the other in Chhapra. No injuries were reported.
Confirming the damage caused, Bihar ADGP (law and order) Sanjay Singh said the police have so far “arrested 125 people for the violent protests”. The Railways said 34 trains were fully cancelled and eight partially, with 72 trains either detained at stations or running late, because of the agitation.
The Ministry said that since “it has not been possible to undertake the recruitment during the last two years, the Government has decided that a one-time waiver shall be granted for the proposed recruitment cycle for 2022”.
Earlier, the protests were most violent in Bihar, where JD(U) and BJP are part of the ruling coalition. In Kaimur, job aspirants set fire to one coach of a stationary train. In separate incidents, protesters torched two other coaches — one at the Sidhwalia station in Gopalganj, where passengers had to rush out to save themselves, and the other in Chhapra. No injuries were reported.
Confirming the damage caused, Bihar ADGP (law and order) Sanjay Singh said the police have so far “arrested 125 people for the violent protests”. The Railways said 34 trains were fully cancelled and eight partially, with 72 trains either detained at stations or running late, because of the agitation.Heated protests were also witnessed in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and at a railway station in Delhi. Peaceful protests were held in Jharkhand’s Ranchi and Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh, officials said.
The protests resonated in the political arena, too.
JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh demanded a review of the Agnipath scheme. Tweeting in Hindi, he wrote: “There has been an atmosphere of discontent, disappointment and fear of a dark future because of unemployment after the announcement of the Agnipath scheme. The Centre should revisit the Agnipath scheme immediately because it is related to the country’s safety and security.”
Speaking to The Indian Express, JD(U) national spokesperson K C Tyagi said: “Now that students are protesting, the Centre has to find a way out and see if it failed to explain the Agnipath scheme to the youth. But we do not support the manner of protest that has caused a lot of damage to public property.”
Senior JD(U) leader and Bihar Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav called on the Centre to “talk to representatives of the students”.
The Opposition parties attacked the Centre for “ignoring the grievances of unemployed youth”, especially in rural areas, and “not respecting” the Armed Forces.
In Bihar, unrest was reported from at least 10 districts, including Ara, Kaimur, Siwan, Munger, Saharsa and Bhagalpur. Officials said the protesters attacked BJP offices in Nawada and Madhubani, targeted the vehicle of BJP MLA Aruna Devi in Warisaliganj and pelted stones at the house of BJP MLA C N Gupta in Chhapra.Heated protests were also witnessed in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and at a railway station in Delhi. Peaceful protests were held in Jharkhand’s Ranchi and Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh, officials said.
The protests resonated in the political arena, too.
JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh demanded a review of the Agnipath scheme. Tweeting in Hindi, he wrote: “There has been an atmosphere of discontent, disappointment and fear of a dark future because of unemployment after the announcement of the Agnipath scheme. The Centre should revisit the Agnipath scheme immediately because it is related to the country’s safety and security.”
