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Protests against Agnipath scheme: 'It is like being a Guest Sainik'

Defence job aspirants share their concerns regarding the new recruitment scheme.

armed forces job candidates oppose Agnipath scheme
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New Delhi, First Published Jun 16, 2022, 4:15 PM IST

Two days after the Narendra Modi government announced the Agnipath recruitment scheme for the youths who are vying for armed forces jobs, protests have erupted in several parts of Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Some job seekers in Bihar resorted to stone-pelting and setting ablaze train compartments. 

Also Read: 'This is not some Bollywood movie...': Veterans slam Agnipath scheme

The scheme, which was announced by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the three Service chiefs, on June 14 in the national capital seeks to provide job security for four years and thereafter only up to 25 per cent of them will be retained in the forces.

Asianet Newsable spoke to several defence job aspirants and tried to understand their concerns regarding the new recruitment scheme.

Ritwik Bhardwaj, who had cleared the Indian Air Force Group X examination and was waiting for his enrolment number, demanded the pending selection process be completed.

"When I filled the form in 2019 I was around 19.5 years of age and now I have crossed the maximum age limit (21 years) under the Agnipath scheme. Where would I go now," Bhardwaj, who hails from Jhajjar in Haryana, asked.

Bhardwaj also raised apprehension about the soldier once he retired at 24 years of age. He said that the youths from villages have two sources of income -- agriculture and defence jobs. "What will we do post-retirement? Who will give us a job? When people who have better education are not getting jobs, how it would be possible for us to get employment."

Also Read: 'Agnipath' scheme sparks outrage in Bihar; road, railway traffic disrupted

When asked about why aspirants like him were protesting against the Agnipath scheme, Bhardwaj said: "The scheme would not bring any outcome at the soldiers' level. It is an effort to keep the youths from rural backgrounds at bay."

Kundan Kumar, who hails from Bihar's Hajipur said, "We are waiting for the result for a long time. On numerous occasions, we have protested and raised our voices but got nothing. One fine day, we got to know that the government has scrapped all the previous recruitments."

"Our friends had even met the defence minister and we were given assurance that the pending process will be initiated in a month's time. But on June 14 the government announced a new scheme."

Job security and pensions are the two major things that have hit the aspirants from rural India.

Another aspirant Shubham Kumar said, "When there is no job security and pension schemes in the defence forces, why would we join it? What is the point in wasting years for preparation?"

Also Read: Don't be fooled: UP CM Yogi advises youngsters, assures to prioritise 'Agniveers' in police

Bijendra Singh said, "It seems the government is disconnected from the ground reality. In Bihar, the youths usually get married around 25 years of their age. This government wants us to retire at 24 and then study for our next job."

"The fact is that in rural areas the youths have a dual responsibility to manage family’s well-being and work. This would be the third responsibility that the government wishes to burden on us,” Bijendra added.

"The Agnipath scheme is nothing but it is like 'Guest Sainik', come and go," Aman Kumar said, adding, "The government has no right to play with our future. It should be rolled back."

Also Read: AGNIPATH scheme launched: Armed Forces to get 45000 new 'Agniveers'

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