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Kerala CM urges Modi to put ‘Agnipath’ scheme on hold, cites ‘sentiments’ of youngsters
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan's appeal to Modi comes amid violent agitation across the country, with protestors resorting to stone pelting, ransacking Railways properties and even burning trains.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put the newly unveiled ‘Agnipath’ recruitment scheme on hold amid nationwide protests over the policy.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader said the protests against the scheme, which continued for the fourth day on Saturday, is a “clear indication of the sentiments of India's youngsters”.
Catch live updates of Agnipath protests here
“In the interest of our country, requested the PMO India to put the scheme on hold, address criticism by professionals and duly consider the apprehensions of our youth,” Vijayan wrote in a tweet.
Vijayan joins a host of Opposition leaders who have spoken against the ‘Agnipath’ scheme and demanded the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre rollback the recruitment model or put it on hold.
Earlier in the day, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi took yet another swipe at the Centre over the ‘Agnipath’ scheme, saying ‘Mahaveer’ Modi will have to take back the recruitment policy. On Friday, he said the Prime Minister only listens to his ‘friends’.
Congress general secretary and Rahul's sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav, and CPIM leader Sitaram Yechury are among opposition leaders who have criticised the ‘Agnipath’ scheme.
Also Read | Opposition parties, BJP ally JD(U) seek a rethink on Agnipath scheme
The Kerala chief minister's appeal to Modi comes amid violent agitation across the country, with protestors resorting to stone pelting, ransacking Railways properties and even burning trains.
Hundreds of trains have been affected in the protests so far in which many were cancelled, while some were either terminated or short terminated.
In Bihar, one of the worst-hit states, more than 60 coaches and seven locomotive engines of 18 trains were destroyed over the past few days. This caused the Railways a loss of over ₹200 crore. Internet services were temporarily suspended in 12 of 38 districts on Friday evening till June 19.
In Telangana, one person - an armed forces' aspirant belonging to a farmers' family - was killed after police allegedly opened fire at the Secunderabad Railway Station to control the protestors.
The protests took a violent turn in Uttar Pradesh as well, especially in Varanasi, Aligarh and Ballia districts where mob vandalised and torched trains, pelted stones at state government roadways buses and blocked several highways, causing hours-long traffic snarls.
Protests were also reported from West Bengal, Odisha, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, among others.
