New Delhi: The police crackdown on agitators has failed to douse the flames of anger among the youth against the Central Government’s Agnipath scheme. The Delhi police arrested one person and detained 18 others on Saturday. Deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) M Harsh Wardhan said nearly 60 youngsters began to protest at Dhansa bus stand near the gate of the office of Municipal Corporation of Delhi, but they were dispersed and 18 of them were detained, he said.
In Patna, nearly 86 youngsters were arrested after Friday’s violence and arson in Danapur and other places. The officials are also investigating the roles of operators of coaching centres, seven of them are on the radar of the district administration. The agitated youth set Farakka Express on fire at Danapur railway station on Friday and also torched a car near a petrol pump. District Magistrate of Patna Chandrashekhar Singh said, “We have arrested 86 youths related to the violence at Danapur railway station and Didarganj toll plaza.” A report from Chennai says, as the protests against Central Government’s army recruitment scheme Agnipath saw attack on railway properties, the Southern Railway has increased security at all major stations across Tamil Nadu, including Chennai Central, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, Jholarpet, Arkonam. The Tamil Nadu Police have cordoned off the main road in Chennai leading to the Army officers mess and other army installations. Small protests were held at Kancheepuram and Kumbakonam areas.
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PIL filed in Supreme Court
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking for an expert committee under a former apex court judge to examine the Agnipath military recruitment scheme, and its impact on national security and the Army. In the plea, petitioner Vishal Tiwari also sought setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to inquire about the violent protests that have emerged against the scheme and about the damage caused to public property including Railways. The petitioner further sought a status report on the violent protests. “Since its launch, the country is facing severe and uncontrolled mass violence and protests against the scheme. The concern which rises through this scheme is primarily the length of service that four years, which is not reasonable and there remain no pension benefits,” the plea stated.
