Agnipath recruitment schemes: “We can’t keep soldiers on rent,” says Punjab CM

Amid escalating protests against the Agnipath scheme, Punjab chief minister Bhagawant Mann slammed the government over the newly introduced recruitment scheme for the defence aspirants, saying that “India can not keep soldiers on rent”.

“We can’t keep soldiers on rent. How can we make them ex-soldiers merely at age of 21? They protect the country in harsh conditions. Politicians never retire it’s only soldiers, the public who retire. We don’t need the military on rent. Agnipath scheme must be taken back,” 

the Punjab CM said.

He also urged the Centre to withdraw the scheme as it is in discord with the people who aspire to join the defence sector.

In the meantime, several protests rocked many cities in the country over the Agnipath scheme by defence job aspirants. In UP, the protests took the shape of violence leading to the torching of a train in Ballia railway station.

"Forces have been deployed at the station since morning. A few hooligans reached there but they were stopped from damaging much; they attempted stone-pelting. Action being taken," said Ballia DM Saumya Agarwal while talking to the media.