Agnipath: Protesters set vehicle on fire in Mahendergarh; injure two cops in Sonepat - Hindustan Times
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Agnipath: Protesters set vehicle on fire in Mahendergarh; injure two cops in Sonepat

BySunil Rahar and Neeraj Mohan, Rohtak/karnal
Jun 19, 2022 04:55 AM IST

Protesters allegedly setting a pick-up vehicle and a generator on fire at the Mahendergarh railway station and pelting police personnel with stones at Sonepat’s Gohana city

The protests against the central government’s new recruitment scheme Agnipath escalated dramatically in Haryana on Saturday with protesters allegedly setting a pick-up vehicle and a generator on fire at the Mahendergarh railway station and pelting police personnel with stones at Sonepat’s Gohana city.

Jobless youths led by AAP leader Naveen Jaihind take out a protest march against the Agnipath scheme in Rohtak on Saturday. (Manoj Dhaka/Hindustan Times)
Jobless youths led by AAP leader Naveen Jaihind take out a protest march against the Agnipath scheme in Rohtak on Saturday. (Manoj Dhaka/Hindustan Times)

In Mahendergarh, the protesters blocked the Rao Tula Ram Chowk, but were dispersed by the police. They then proceeded towards the railway station and pelted stones at vehicles and shops en route. As per police officials, the agitators also indulged in stone-pelting inside the railway station.

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Mahendergarh superintendent of police (SP) Vikrant Bhushan said unidentified protesters have been booked for rioting and damaging public and private properties. “Efforts are on to identify the culprits to take action against them,” he added.

Rohtak-Panipat highway blocked; 200 booked

At least 200 people have been booked in Sonepat’s Gohana for allegedly attacking cops and damaging public property, besides blocking the Rohtak-Panipat national highway for nearly 90 minutes. At least two cops sustained injuries in stone-pelting witnessed in Gohana, where windowpanes of police vehicles were smashed and tyres punctured.

Youths from Tosham start march towards Delhi

Hundreds of youths from Bhiwani’s Tosham started a march to Delhi to express their resentment against the Agnipath scheme. On Saturday, they got a rousing welcome in Rohtak from Meham’s Independent MLA Balraj Kundu, who assured them of support.

Praveen Sangwan, a protester from Tosham, said, “Does the government want to make us eligible for being security guards outside banks, big companies, and malls after four years of service? Most of the youths in rural areas even become a suitable match for marriage after getting a job.”

Southern, central Haryana turn epicentre of protests

While the last year’s farm stir had negligible effect in southern Haryana, the region has become the epicentre of protests against the Agnipath scheme. So have the central Haryana’s districts such as Jind, Rohtak, Hisar , Jhajjar and Sonepat.

Jatin Yadav, an army aspirant from Rewari’s Aliyawas village, said the BJP had started its 2014 campaign from Rewari with then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi assuring one rank, one pension. “Now, they are reducing the service years in armed services by bringing in Agnipath scheme,” he added.

Hundreds of youths from Panipat district also took to streets and slammed the new recruitment policy. A youth, who was preparing for army recruitment for the past four years, broke down in tears when they went to submit a memorandum addressed to the President. The protest remained peaceful, but the agitators warned of a stir on June 20.

CM Khattar hails Agnipath policy

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday condemned the protests against the Agnipath policy, saying the scheme will help the youths in getting more career opportunities even after the services.

He was in Karnal to convene a meeting of party workers and leaders from the poll-bound towns. He said this policy will prove beneficial for the youths, but there is a need to understand it in detail.

Khattar said 46,000 Agniveers will be recruited this year. He urged the youths not to hold protests and get misled by false information about the new recruitment policy.

He said the government is going to make recruitments to fill 26,000 posts of Group C in different departments.

Haryana Cong leaders submit memorandum to guv

A delegation of Congress leaders submitted a memorandum to a representative of the Haryana governor in Chandigarh on Saturday against the ED action against party leaders and Agnipath scheme for military recruitment.

Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda said it is neither in the interest of the country nor the youngsters.

“Contractual recruitment is playing with the future of youngsters and the security of the country,” he said in a statement. The Congress leader said the youngsters of Haryana would suffer the most due to the scheme because joining the armed forces and serving the country is their dream.

(With inputs from PTI)

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