Project Agnipath: Congress to hold Satyagraha in solidarity with protesters amidst violence

 The Congress party announced on Saturday that it will organize Satyagraha on June 19 in solidarity with young people protesting the army's new recruitment program, Agnipath. All MPs, members of the Congress Working Committee, and members of the AICC office will attend the Delhi riots, he said.

The party says the plan to enlist young people for four-year terms in the armed forces could be "frugal" but "security-crazy". At a news conference on Thursday, Congress said the new curriculum was controversial, posed several risks, overwhelmed the armed forces' long tradition, and did not guarantee better training.

The call for "solidarity" comes amid aggressive protests and violence from misinformed young people demanding the scrapping of the Agnipath program. Army recruits are dissatisfied with the changes introduced as part of the new recruitment system, particularly length of service, no pension, and age limit, making many of them unelectable.

The protests continued for the third straight day despite the center raising the age limit for recruiting Agnive staff from 21 to 23. In addition, the government has also announced a post-retirement opportunity for soldiers after a four-year term.

Agnipath protests

Violence, vandalism, burning trains, stone-throwing, and attacks on police personnel were observed in several parts of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Telangana.

The unrest spread to several districts in Bihar as young people protested by lying on railroad tracks and blocking roads, demanding the abolition of the Agnipath program. Huge crowds rallied in Chhapra, Jehanabad, Munger, and Nawada in Bihar demanding the withdrawal of the Agnipath program. A group of protesters at Bhabua Road railway station blocked the tracks before setting a train on fire.

A similar protest against the program was observed in Balia, Uttar Pradesh, where a huge crowd destroyed a train at Ballia railway station. A train at Secunderabad railway station was also set on fire by angry protesters in Telangana.

Agnipath is a pan-Indian short-term youth recruitment program for the armed forces. Those accepted into service are called "magnifiers" and are employed for four years, where they undergo rigorous military training. The age range for eligibility is between 17.5 and 21 years (23 years, exceptionally for the year 2022). The initial annual fee is Rs 4.76 lakh which can be increased to 6.92 lakh by the end of the service. Referral Link