Widespread protests held in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chhatisgarh — Farm organizations, Trade Unions, Civil Society Organizations, and Students came together in strong protest against the anti-military, anti-farmer, and anti-national scheme
A Nationwide Day of Protest against Agneepath scheme was observed by SKM today. Farm organizations, Trade Unions, Civil Society Organizations, and Students came together in strong protest against the anti-military, anti-farmer, and anti-national scheme
Peaceful demonstrations were held and memorandum submitted at district and block headquarters. Widespread protests held in hundreds of different locations in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chhatisgarh, and other states.
The farm unions placed the following demands before the President of India — cancellation of Agnipath scheme immediately and completely, restoring regular recruitment in the army against the previous 1,25,000 vacancies and about 60,000 posts to be vacant this year, ongoing recruitment to be completed and in lieu of non-recruitment for the last two years, age relaxation of 2 years to be given to the youth for general recruitment, no imposition of the condition to make an affidavit, withdrawal of all false cases registered against youths involved in anti-Agnipath protests, and release of arrested youths.
SKM termed the Agnipath Scheme a big fraud upon the nation, for the youth aspiring to join the armed forces, and for the farmer families of the nation. SKM said, “Stopping the recruitment process which had started in 2020-21 is playing with the dreams of the youths, and reducing the number of recruits in the army, reducing the length of service to 4 years, and ending pension is an injustice to all the youth and families who saw the armed forces as a career along with the service of the country”.
SKM termed the Agnipath Scheme as part of a wider campaign of this Government to establish company rule over agriculture. All permanent government jobs are being given on contract or changed into contract jobs, the national resources are being sold to private companies, and the policy of the whole country is being made to serve the interests of a few corporate houses. All such policies are being made hidden from the public and public representatives, and those who oppose them are being brutally repressed.
SKM also said “It is surprising that the government did not follow any minimum procedure before announcing such big and far-reaching changes. No “pilot” exercise of the new recruitment process was done anywhere. There was no discussion on these proposals before either the Houses of Parliament or the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defense Affairs. No consultation was ever held with the stakeholders (aspirants of recruitment, serving jawans and officers, public representatives of the areas of intensive recruitment and general public) who were affected by this scheme”.
