Protestors violently agitating against the recently announced Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the armed forces created a ruckus in Rajasthan at various places over the past 2 days. The protestors vandalized the private and public properties in several places including the railway tracks in Bharatpur on the Jaipur-Agra route. The protests erupted in cities like Jodhpur, Jaipur, Sri Ganganagar, Sikar, Nagaur, Kota, and Bharatpur. In Bharatpur, agitators reached the railway station in large numbers and jammed the railway track bringing the railway traffic to a standstill.
The protesters also clashed with the police in some places. Violent protests took place in six districts including Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer, and Alwar. The Benar railway station in Jaipur city has been vandalized. At the same time, roadways buses were stopped in Bharatpur.
In Kota, Collector Harimohan Meena has imposed Section 144 in the district for a month. According to the order, Section 144 will remain in force in the district from 6 am on Sunday 19th June 2022 to 12 pm on July 18. In Behror in Alwar district, youths preparing for the army held a protest resulting in a jam on the Jaipur Delhi national highway. When police tried to intervene, stones were pelted on the police. There were similar attempts of traffic jams during the protests that took place in Jhunjhunu. There was a heated clash between the students and the police in the Chirawa block of Jhunjhunu. Attempts were also made to block the railway tracks and cause a serious disruption in the smooth operation of the trains.
A video of protestors vandalizing the railway tracks has appeared on social media. A retired military man has posted a video of the same from his Twitter handle named Thakur Sahab. In the caption, he wrote, “Opposing BJP or Modi is a different thing. But by doing this, the opposition is playing with the lives of lakhs of people. If an FIR is filed on these youths they will never get a government job. If a train passes on this damaged track, who knows how many lives will be endangered?” In this video, protestors are seen damaging the railway tracks. As said in the video, these protests were taking place near Bharatpur.
भाजपा मोदी से नफ़रत अलग बात है …
— ठाकुर साहब (@Narpats62770513) June 18, 2022
पर ये सब करवाके के विपक्ष लाखों लोगों की जान से खेल रहा है …
इन लड़कों पर FIR होगी तो सरकारी नौकरी भूल जाओगे ।
अगर इस पटरी से भूल वंश रेल गुजर जाए तो कितने लोगों की जान जाएगी ? pic.twitter.com/StLH1RWbWm
Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Rajasthan government took out a Tiranga Rally in protest against the Agnipath scheme. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot flagged off the rally by showing the tricolor from Amar Jawan Jyoti in Jaipur. The Tiranga rally was attended by several senior party leaders and workers. The Ashok Gehlot government has also passed a resolution against the Agnipath scheme. Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas informed that a resolution was passed in a meeting to withdraw the Agnipath scheme.
The government announced Agnipath scheme on 14th June 2022
On Tuesday (June 14), the Indian government, along with the chiefs of the three armed forces, launched the Agnipath scheme for the recruitment of youth in the armed forces. The new recruits under the scheme will henceforth be known as ‘Agniveer’.
Soon after, a lot of misinformation and apprehension were being spread against the scheme and its utility, resulting in protests across the country. Alleged army aspirants took to the streets and destroyed public property under the pretext of peaceful protests and demonstrations against the Agnipath scheme. While demanding a rollback of the government scheme, they vandalized public property, burnt trains, and brought life to a standstill across various Indian States.
