The protest against the ‘Agnipath’ scheme erupted in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana on Thursday with hundreds of angry Army aspirants and other people burning tires and disrupting rail and road traffic, demanding the withdrawal of the scheme. The protestors also set a train ablaze at Bhabua Road railway station.The agitation began after the Centre launched the scheme on Tuesday, which proposes the recruitment of jawans on a contractual basis for a four-year period followed by compulsory retirement for most without gratuity and pension benefits.
In the Kaimur district, the protestors blocked railway tracks and set a train on fire at Bhabua Road railway station. "We prepared for long and now they have brought ToD (Tour of Duty) as a 4-year job. We do not want that but the old recruitment process," the protestors said.In Nawada, a huge crowd gathered to protest. The protestors vented their ire by placing burning tires on the roads and raising slogans against the scheme.The Centre on Tuesday, June 14, launched the Agnipath recruitment scheme for the armed forces. The scheme, meant to be a reformative step, targets youth in the armed forces. It is envisaged that the average age profile of the Indian armed forces would come down by 4-5 years by the implementation of this scheme.