Rajasthan government on Saturday unanimously passed a resolution that the Agnipath Scheme must be withdrawn keeping in mind the larger public interest and the sentiments of the youths
In a notification in this regard, the state government pointed out that the Central Government recently implemented the Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the Army. There have been massive protests across the country regarding the provisions made in this scheme. This scheme has created many doubts among the youths regarding their future. Due to this, youths are protesting on the roads and railway tracks in many areas of the country.
“… many military experts are of the opinion that the Agnipath scheme will neither secure the future of the youths, nor will the country’s Army face the challenges with full confidence.”
“Therefore, the State Government is of the view that the Central Government should have had a comprehensive discussion with all the stakeholders before introducing any such scheme,” it said, adding, “The State Council of Ministers unanimously passed a resolution that the Agnipath scheme must be withdrawn keeping in mind the larger public interest and the sentiments of the youths.”
Congress, AAP criticises Agnipath
Several other state governments and opposition parties have also harshly criticized the scheme. Congress president Sonia Gandhi termed the scheme as “directionless”. She further said that said her party will work for its withdrawal while appealing to the youths protesting against the scheme to adopt peaceful and non-violent means to fight for their demands.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann demanded a rollback of the scheme and said those who cleared physical tests in the last two years must get a chance to appear in written exams for joining the Army.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader claimed that the Agnipath scheme will “dilute” the fighting ability of soldiers and render the youth jobless without any security for the future
Protests across the nation
In Bihar, where a bandh had been called, a railway station and a police vehicle were torched, an ambulance attacked and security personnel injured in stone-pelting incidents on the fourth consecutive day of the agitation, while protesters vandalized Ludhiana railway station in Punjab and blocked roads and rail tracks in West Bengal, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.
Railways cancelled 369 trains on Saturday and passengers faced a harrowing time. Over 200 trains were cancelled a day earlier after the railways faced the brunt of the protests.
The agitation also spread to southern states including Karnataka and Kerala, with aspirants doing push-ups on roads at some places to register their protest.
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