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Bharat Bandh: Amidst raging protests in the country against the Centre’s ‘Agnipath’, an army recruitment scheme, several protestant groups have called for a Bharat Bandh on 20 June. Considering the widespread violence and dissatisfaction amongst the youth against the new model for recruitment of soldiers into three armed services, the Centre had decided to increase the upper age limit for recruitment under the “Agnipath” scheme to 23 years from 21 years for the year 2022.
Earlier on Tuesday, during the launch of the Agnipath scheme, the Centre had said youngsters between the of 17-and-a-half and 21 years would be inducted for a four-year tenure in the Indian Army/Indian Air Force/Indian Navy.
Thereafter, the Central government also announced several incentives including reserving 10% vacancies in its paramilitary and the Defence Ministry for Agnipath retirees and said it would look into any grievance about the new military recruitment scheme “with an open mind’.
The authorities on Sunday decided to close the schools in Jharkhand on Monday in view of the bandh called over the Agnipath recruitment scheme. The ongoing examinations of classes 9 and 11 have also been postponed, officials said.
“In view of the bandh called by certain organisations, it has been decided that all government, as well as private schools, will remain closed on Monday,” School Education and Literacy Department secretary Rajesh Kumar Sharma told PTI on Sunday.
“We do not want school students, especially those who travel by bus, to face any trouble. We have seen in Bihar that students were forced to get down from a bus as it was set ablaze,” he added. Fresh dates for the postponed exams will soon be announced, he said.
Kerala police has said its entire force would be on duty to arrest anyone engaging in violence or destruction of public property. State police chief (SPC) Anil Kant issued guidelines to the personnel to prevent violence against the public as well as forced closure of businesses, a release issued by the State Police Media Centre said.
The SPC directed district police chiefs to ensure protection to courts, KSEB offices, KSRTC, private buses as well as government offices and institutions on June 20, it said.
Faridabad police have tightened security in view of the call for a possible Bharat Bandh tomorrow and appealed to the people not to pay heed to rumours. Various parts of the country witnessed protests against the scheme of the government while some states reported violent incidents.
“All preparations related to security arrangements have been completed by the Faridabad Police in terms of law and order on the call for Bharat Bandh. Law and order in Faridabad is completely tight. For this, elaborate security arrangements were made by putting up various police checkpoints in Faridabad,” said the police on Sunday.
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