GHAZIABAD: A group of aspirants for jobs in the armed forces held a protest against the Centre’s ‘Agnipath’ scheme on the Meerut-Tiraha road in Sihani Gate on Thursday evening. The youths set a tyre on fire and raised slogans against the government.
They said the government, despite promises of increasing induction in the armed forces, hadn’t conducted exams for three years and many of them had crossed the age limit for appearing in the tests. The new scheme, they said, would also render them jobless after four years. Most of the protesters, police said, come for training daily at the Mahamaya sports stadium.
Around 4.30pm, the youths started gathering on the road near the stadium and started the protest. A police team, led by the SP (City 1), circle officer and other senior officials, reached the spot to prevent a law and order situation.
A protester demanded that the government roll back the new scheme and hold exams like earlier. “No one wants to join the Army for just 4 years. I want to serve the nation as a soldier longer,” he said.
The Centre approved the Agnipath scheme on Tuesday. Under it, around 46,000 soldiers, aged between 17.5 and 21 years, would be recruited in the armed forces on a 4-year contract. Youths selected under the scheme would be known as ‘agniveers’. “We have been training so hard for this. We don’t want a job on contract. The Prime Minister should roll back the scheme immediately. The protest today was just the trailer. If the scheme is not taken back, we will come out with the real picture,” another protester said.
Nipurn Aggarwal, the SP (City 1), told TOI that no arrests were made. “We let them go with a stern warning,” he added.
