E-Paper
Anti-Agnipath stir: Kerala students march towards Governor's residence as protests continue
The union government on Tuesday announced the Agnipath scheme to recruit young aspirants into the army, the navy and the air force for four years. Under these terms, after four years they will have to retire without any benefits such as gratuity or pension.
Hundreds of Army aspirants took out a huge protest march in Kerala on Saturday as protests against the centre's contentious Agnipath army recruitment scheme continue. The march started from the Thampanoor area and concluded near Raj Bhavan, the official residence of governor Arif Mohammed Khan, with students raising slogans against the government. They also held placards and banners urging the authorities to withdraw their decision at the earliest.
The union government on Tuesday announced the Agnipath scheme to recruit young aspirants into the army, the navy and the air force for four years. Under these terms, after four years they will have to retire without any benefits such as gratuity or pension.
Faced with countywide protests, the defence ministry has announced a one-time waiver for the upper-age limit of the recruits from 21 to 23. It has also announced 10% reservation in posts for those who have to retire after four years; a similar move has been announced by the union home ministry, which said it would reserve jobs in Assam Rifles and the Central Armed Police Force.
Trains were set afire, public and police vehicles attacked, and security personnel injured as protests over the 'Agnipath' scheme snowballed and swept across several states, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, on Thursday and Friday.
The agitating army aspirants say that the scheme would not benefit anyone, but the government says it has been rolled out after extensive consultations with armed forces personnel and that those who have to retire will be given financial aid and education opportunities.
"Many of us have decided to join the army and started preparations for the examination after dropping our graduation studies midway. What will we do if the Centre goes ahead with this scheme? Our future will be in peril. So, we will continue our fight till we get justice," PTI quoted one of the protesters in Kerala as saying.
