Chennai: DYFI cadres protest against Agnipath demanding scheme's withdrawal

DYFI cadres raised slogans against the Central government and demanded the rollback of the Agnipath Scheme.

Chennai police placed barricades stopping the protesters from reaching Sasthri Bhavan.

Protesters tried to pull and throw the barricades. They were detained by Chennai Police.

Saravanan, a DYFI protester said, "We are protesting against the Central government on their recent announcement of Agnipath Defence Scheme as we feel it's the privatization of recruiting army men countrywide. This will make way to weaken our defence system. We appeal to the Modi-led central government to immediately roll back this Agnipath scheme. We tried to stage a protest against the Central government but were not allowed to go near Sasthri Bhavan. Now police are arresting us."

Security has been beefed up in several states on Monday amid protests against the Centre's new Agnipath scheme.

After the policy, which allows Indian youths to serve in the regular cadre of the Armed Forces for a period of four years, was announced on June 14, protests erupted in various states including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Jharkhand and Assam. As the agitation intensified in some places, protestors went on the rampage setting trains on fire, torching vehicles and damaging both private and public properties.

Congress will also hold "peaceful" protests across the country on Monday against the "anti-youth" Agnipath recruitment scheme.

Taking to Twitter, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday, "Tomorrow lakhs of Congress workers across the country will continue peaceful protests against the anti-youth Agnipath scheme and against Modi government's vendetta politics targeting its MP Rahul Gandhi."

Several organisations will stage protests against the Agnipath scheme at Jantar Mantar in the national capital today. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai too will join the protest."A joint movement will be organized at Jantar Mantar in Delhi at 11 am on June 20 against the Agnipath scheme," Rai had said in a tweet on Friday.

A total of 46,000 Agniveers will be recruited this year but a top military officer said it will go up to 1.25 lakhs in near future. The entry age for all new recruits in the Armed Forces has been fixed as 17.5 to 21 years of age. However, following protests, the Central government announced an increase in the upper age limit for the recruitment of Agniveers from 21 years to 23 years for the recruitment cycle of 2022 as it has not been possible to undertake the recruitment during the last two years.

Meanwhile, police in several states have announced measures and tightened security for June 20 protest. In Delhi's neighbouring areas Faridabad and Noida, Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which prohibits the assembly of four or more persons, has been imposed.

Uttar Pradesh Police said that strict action will be taken against those found involved in jeopardising peace.

After the Agnipath scheme, which allows Indian youths to serve in the regular cadre of the Armed Forces for a period of four years, was announced on June 14, protests erupted in various states including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Jharkhand and Assam.

As the agitation intensified in some places, protestors went on the rampage setting trains on fire, torching vehicles and damaging both private and public properties.

A total of 46,000 Agniveers will be recruited this year but a top military officer said it will go up to 1.25 lakhs in near future. The entry age for all new recruits in the Armed Forces has been fixed as 17.5 to 21 years of age.

However, following protests, the Central government announced an increase in the upper age limit for the recruitment of Agniveers from 21 years to 23 years for the recruitment cycle of 2022 as it has not been possible to undertake the recruitment during the last two years. (ANI)