Mumbai/New Delhi/Kolkata, Jun 20 (UNI) The youth-wing of Nationalist Congress Party on Monday took to the streets across Maharashtra to protest against the central government’s newly launched ‘Agnipath’ defence recruitment scheme for youths.
NCP state chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase participated in the agitation in Nashik, while Youth state president Mehboob Sheikh in Amravati and working president Ravikant Warpe in Pune.
Agitation was also carried out in Nanded-Kinwat, Aurangabad-Sillod, Pune-Purandar, Thane, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur and other districts of the state.
At this time, a demand was made to the collectors and tehsildars to scrap the ‘Agnipath’ scheme, which has brought ‘agnipath’ (the path of fire) into the lives of youngsters seeking to become soldiers.
The protests across the country continued even as the Indian Army on Monday issued notification for recruitment of Agniveers on its website detailing salient aspects, terms and conditions of service for individuals enrolled through the Agnipath scheme. As per the notification, the registration for recruitment will be opened in July for Agniveer general duty, technical (aviation/ammunition examiner), clerk, store keeper technical and tradesman.
Going ballistic against the scheme, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday described it as BJP’s “lollipop” for making “thugs” and getting cadres “to loot votes”.
Speaking at the state Assembly, Banerjee said “Agnipath is actually a BJP cadre formation project”.
“It is a different matter if the centre gives permanent jobs to the youth. But Agnipath is actually a four-year-old lollipop. After four years, they will have firearms approval. What will they do after that? If that is the case then the BJP is making thugs!” she said.
