New Delhi, June 20: More than 80 trains have been cancelled on Monday amid the protests in various parts of the country against 'Agnipath' — the new recruitment scheme in the armed forces.
A total of 18 East-bound train services scheduled from different Northern Railway terminals have been cancelled on Monday, according to the Northern Railways. It further informed that as many as 71 Delhi area-bound commuter trains (including return services) have also been dismissed in the wake of the protests against the Centre's Agnipath recruitment scheme.
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Train services of the Western Railway zone remained affected on Sunday as well.
Security has been beefed up in several states on Monday amid protests against the Centre's new Agnipath recruitment scheme.
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'Agnipath' protests: Over 80 trains cancelled; check details[/caption]
After the policy, which allows Indian youths to serve in the regular cadre of the armed forces for a period of four years, was announced on June 14, protests erupted in various states including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Jharkhand and Assam.
As the agitation against 'Agnipath' intensified in some places, protesters went on the rampage setting trains on fire, torching vehicles and damaging both private and public properties. The Congress will also hold "peaceful" protests across the country on Monday against the "anti-youth" 'Agnipath' recruitment scheme.
Taking to Twitter, Congress general secretary in-charge, Communications, Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday, "Tomorrow lakhs of Congress workers across the country will continue peaceful protests against the anti-youth Agnipath scheme and against Modi government's vendetta politics targeting its MP Rahul Gandhi."
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'Agnipath' protests: Over 80 trains cancelled; check details[/caption]
Several organisations will stage protests against the Agnipath scheme at Jantar Mantar in the national capital on Monday. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai too will join the protest. "A joint movement will be organized at Jantar Mantar in Delhi at 11 am on June 20 against the Agnipath scheme," Rai had said in a tweet on Friday.
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A total of 46,000 'Agniveers' will be recruited this year but a top military officer said it will go up to 1.25 lakhs in near future. The entry age for all new recruits in the Armed Forces has been fixed as 17.5 to 21 years of age. However, following protests, the Central government announced an increase in the upper age limit for the recruitment of Agniveers from 21 years to 23 years for the recruitment cycle of 2022 as it has not been possible to undertake the recruitment during the last two years.
In Rajasthan's Jaipur, prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been imposed from 6 pm on Sunday till midnight of August 18 in the view of the possibility of disturbance to law and order due to the protests.
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'Agnipath' protests: Over 80 trains cancelled; check details[/caption]
-PTC News
