By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI: With widespread agitation and protests against the ‘Agnipath’ scheme erupted in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana, the agitation spread to the Cuttack city of Odisha on Friday. Aspirants on Friday resorted to protests in Cuttack’s Cantonment area.
Protesters, most of them job-seekers, blocked the Ring road area of the city. Meanwhile, commission rate Police resorted to lathicharge after armed forces aspirants protesting against the Agnipath recruitment scheme turned violent.
Earlier, in the morning, hundreds of youth gathered in front of the Army office in the Cantonment area to protest against the recruitment scheme. The protestors vented their ire by placing burning tires on the roads and raising slogans against the scheme.
Three bogies of Vikramshila Express were set ablaze by protesting students in Lakhisarai on the third consecutive day of nationwide protests against the centre’s new military recruitment policy Agnipath.
Meanwhile, consequent to the commencement of the AGNIPATH scheme, the entry age for all new recruits in the Armed Forces has been fixed as 17 ½ – 21 years of age.
Cognizant of the fact that it has not been possible to undertake the recruitment during the last two years, the Government has decided that a one-time waiver shall be granted for the proposed recruitment cycle for 2022.Accordingly, the upper age limit for the recruitment process for Agnipath scheme for 2022 is increased to 23 years.
