Just days after the central government announced the rollout of the Agnipath scheme, protests and agitations were staged across India against its implementation. Several army aspirants and youth organizations participated in the protests that soon turned violent, leading to vandalisation and the destruction of public property.
As violence erupts across the states against the Agnipath army recruitment scheme, let us remember the words of our former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), late General Bipin Rawat. CDS General Rawat delivered these words on December 13, 2018, but they still remain relevant, especially in today’s climate.
All the young protestors agitating against the Agnipath scheme of the central government must pay heed to the words of CDS General Bipin Rawat, who highlighted some important points for the youth of the country who wished to join the Indian Army.
What did General Bipin Rawat say on Indian Army recruitment?
During his speech, the former CDS said that the army is not just a means of providing jobs. General Bipin Rawat said that to join the Indian Army, one needs to be physically and mentally strong, and have a passion for defending their motherland.
Despite his words, the youth of India are protesting against the Agnipath scheme. Some have argued that these youths don’t want to serve the nation, but rather want to join the Indian Army for a long line of career, and then get a pension after retirement. People who are standing with the government on the Agnipath scheme seem to believe that the youth of India are viewing the Indian Army as an Employment Guarantee Scheme.
Important updates in the Agnipath scheme row
There are three major updates regarding the Agnipath scheme row and protests in the country today. First, protests against the scheme have now spread to 18 states and are growing with each passing day. Second, the government has increased the age limit for recruitment from 21 to 23 years so that the youth preparing for the last two years can also join the army.
The third, and one of the most significant updates is that the recruitment of Agniveers under the Agnipath scheme will start in the Indian Air Force from June 24, 2022. Though the government is starting the recruitment of youths in the army soon, many army aspirants are standing firmly against the scheme.
Today in Telangana, hundreds of protesters vandalized the Secunderabad railway station, setting fire to around 6 train coaches during the agitations. As the protests grew more violent in Telangana, the police had to resort to firing shots in the air to disperse the crowd, due to which a young student lost his life, and 14 more got injured.
Similarly, the protests against the Agnipath scheme got very violent in the Darbhanga city of Bihar, where hundreds of protestors started pelting stones at the police force and nearby vehicles. During the violent demonstrations, heartbreaking visuals of scared schoolchildren stuck inside buses in Bihar surfaced.
Despite massive agitations, the Indian government is moving forward with the Agnipath scheme, and the recruitment drive against this new military plan is set to commence soon across the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy.
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