Security forces were deployed at the railway station and the Jagraon Bridge Chowk in the wake of the Agnipath protests. (Express Photo/Gurmeet Singh)Agnipath protests, Bharat Bandh Live Updates: Amid the ongoing protests and a call for Bharat Bandh in several states over the Centre’s new Agnipath scheme, Prime Minister Modi said that several decisions may look unfair at first, but help in building the nation later.
Security has been heightened across the country. Major traffic jams were reported en route to Noida, where Section 144 has been imposed, and Gurgaon at Delhi’s borders amid increased security checks by the police. In Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala, police were deployed at key locations to prevent any untoward incidents. In Jharkhand, schools were ordered to remain shut and the ongoing examinations of class 9 and 11 have been postponed.
Nearly 530 trains were cancelled Monday in the wake of the Agnipath protests. The included 348 passenger trains and 181 Mail/Express trains, the Railways Ministry said. As many as four Mail/Express trains and six passenger trains were partially cancelled.
The Congress party leaders gathered at the Jantar Mantar Monday to hold a satyagraha. Ajay Maken, General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), said that they will be meeting the President later in the day to demand the rollback of the Agnipath scheme. “The scheme first should be discussed with the youth and in Parliament,” Maken said at a press conference. The military leadership had Sunday ruled out the rollback of the Agnipath scheme.
Security personnel outside Patna railway station after several trains were cancelled due to protests against Centre's 'Agnipath' scheme, in Patna, Sunday, June 19, 2022. (PTI)
The BJP’s announcement that the party-led Centre’s Agnipath scheme for short-term recruitment of soldiers in armed forces will not be rolled back despite widespread youth protests has a parallel, whose echo might still be ringing in the corridors of power.
In December 2020, when a long winter of discontent was just beginning to set in over Delhi’s borders with thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana reaching there in protest against the three contentious farm laws passed by Parliament in September 2020, the BJP dispensation had categorically ruled out any possibility of repealing these laws.
Eleven months later, in November 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the withdrawal of the farm laws, describing it as a decision taken in the “interest of the nation”. Read more
Amid firestorm over the "Agnipath" scheme, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Monday said the country's youths should not fall for "misinformation campaign" regarding the new recruitment process announced for the armed forces. Calling it an "important scheme" for the country and for those interested in working for the defence forces, Meghwal said some youths are opposing the plan unveiled last week due to misinformation, and advised them not to fall for it. "Agnipath is an important scheme. It offers opportunities to those who want to join the armed forces," the Union Minister of State for Culture told reporters here. --PTI
Amid protests over the Centre's new Agnipath scheme, Prime Minister Modi says several decisions may look unfair at first, but will help in building the nation later.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday attacked the Centre over the 'Agnipath' scheme and said that for the first time in 75 years, service chiefs are being fronted to defend a policy decision taken by the government. With the government standing its ground on the contentious 'Agnipath' scheme for short-term recruitment in the armed forces, the three services on Sunday came out with a broad schedule of enrolment under the new policy and warned that those who indulged in violence and arson will not be inducted. --PTI
Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram on Monday took a dig at Agnipath scheme and tweeted: "If you wish to be trained as a driver, washerman or barber, become an Agniveer If you wish to be trained as a chowkidar, become an Agniveer If you wish to learn to fry pakoras, become an Agniveer If you wish to become a soldier, do not apply,"
The Army on Monday issued a notification for induction of soldiers under the Agnipath military recruitment scheme.
The Army said the online registration on the force's recruitment website is mandatory for all the job aspirants under the new model. It said the online registration will commence from July.
The Army said 'Agniveers' would form a distinct rank in the Indian Army, which would be different from any other existing ranks. (PTI)
In wake of the protests against the Agnipath scheme, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "Our youth, young people in our homes are being misguided and being taken in the wrong direction."
"We are fortunate that the armed forces have always worked as a shield of the society, they have worked as a shield of the country," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday slammed the BJP-led central government over the ‘Agnipath' scheme, alleging that the saffron camp was trying to create its own "armed” cadre base through the new defence recruitment programme.
Terming the scheme as an insult to the armed forces, Banerjee also wondered whether the BJP plans to hire ‘Agniveer' soldiers as "watchmen" at its party offices, after their four-year service period. "The BJP is trying to create its own armed cadre base through this scheme. What will they do after four years? The party wants to give arms into the hands of the youth," the TMC chief said in the assembly.
Banerjee also said the BJP is trying to fool the masses ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls by announcing such schemes. "They had promised two crore jobs every year. But, now they are only fooling the people of the country in the name of these schemes,” she added.
The BJP legislative party staged a walkout from the assembly protesting against Banerjee's remarks. (PTI)
Protesters Monday raised slogans against the Agnipath scheme while stopping a train at Delhi's Shivaji Bridge railway station. According to news agency ANI, the protesters included Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers, who were also protesting against the ED probe into Rahul Gandhi.
Senior Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot staged a satyagraha at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi to protest against the Centre's Agnipath scheme and the ED's probe against Rahul Gandhi.
Haryana Congress leaders and workers who were on their way to Jantar Mantar to hold a satyagraha against the Agnipath scheme and the summoning of Rahul Gandhi by the ED were detained at the Delhi border, Congress MP Deepender Hooda tweeted on Monday.
Nearly 530 trains were cancelled Monday in the wake of the Agnipath protests. The included 348 passenger trains and 181 Mail/Express trains, the Railways Ministry said. As many as four Mail/Express trains and six passenger trains were partially cancelled.
Agitators blocked a road in Haryana's Fatehabad while protesting against the Agnipath scheme.
In wake of the Bharat Bandh on Monday, the issuance of platform tickets has been restricted across railway stations in the Chennai division of Southern Railway, a press release stated.
In view of the Bharat Bandh called on Monday against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme for recruitment to the armed forces, the Delhi Police made special traffic arrangements in and around the city in anticipation of heavy traffic jams.
Officers advised commuters to take alternate routes owing to the heavy traffic on the Delhi-Noida stretch, NH-48 and NH-8. The traffic police posted a tweet saying: “Kindly avoid Motilal Nehru Marg, Akbar Road, Janpath and Man Singh Road between 0800 hrs – 1200 hrs. Due to special arrangements traffic movement will not be possible on these roads”.
The police added that there will be heavy traffic till 1-2 pm and buses will not be allowed near the New Delhi area. Traffic near Janpath and other roads is being diverted via alternate routes. Read more
In the wake of the calls for Bharat Bandh on Monday, security forces were deployed at the railway station and the Jagraon Bridge Chowk in Ludhiana.
Express Photos by Gurmeet Singh
With the Uttar Pradesh police conducting security checks at the border, heavy traffic has been reported on the Delhi-Noida link road at the Chilla border.
Security was ramped up with additional forces and barbed wires at the Vijaywada railway station on Monday amid calls for Bharat Bandh. Forces have been deployed at key locations across the Vijaywada city in Andhra Pradesh, ANI reported.
With police forces on alert amid calls for Bharat Bandh, a major traffic snarl was reported at the Sarhaul border on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway.
Passengers were left stranded at the Gorakhpur Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh after trains were cancelled amid calls for a Bharat Bandh on Monday.