Farmers lend support to Agnipath protesters in Jalandhar

Jalandhar, June 25

Showing solidarity with aspirants who are against the implementation of short-term four-year recruitment scheme Agnipath in the Armed Forces, farmers across the region on Friday organised a protest outside the District Administrative Complex here.

Members of 22 farm unions had announced to offer support to the state youth on the issue in a recent meeting held in Jalandhar. They held their dharna today to lodge their protest against the registration for Agnipath scheme which too got underway today.

The protest was led by Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee state secretary Sukhwinder Singh Sabhra and district president Salwinder Singh Jania. The unions demanded that the Agnipath scheme be rolled back immediately. They demanded that 1.25 lakh vacant posts and nearly 60,000 more posts which were set to fall vacant soon be filled through the old regular process soon. They said the recruitment process for jawans, which had been started in Punjab two years ago, be completed and the recruits be given two-year relaxation in the upper limit of age owing to the delay. They also demanded that the aspirants who have recently come down on roads to lodge a protest against the launch of the scheme should not face any discrimination during induction and all cases lodged against them by the police should be withdrawn.

Memo handed over to Hoshiarpur DSP

Hoshiarpur: Members of the Azad Kisan Sangharsh Samiti Doaba Lachowal staged a protest in front of Lachowal Toll Plaza against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme.

Farmer leaders Gurdeep Singh Khun Khun, Omkar Singh Dhami, Randhir Singh Asalpur, Parminder Singh Lachowal and Harpreet Singh Lalli jointly said the party which won with the people’s vote should work for the welfare of the country and people. But, by implementing anti-national schemes, Modi government had been limited to ensuring profits only for rich families.

They said Samyukt Kisan Morcha would fight for the rights of the youth. A memorandum was also handed over to DSP Prem Kumar on the occasion.

Scheme may compromise national security: Assns

Garhshankar: Members of various organisations staged a protest against the Agnipath scheme today at Adda Jhungian in Garhshankar and burnt an effigy of the Prime Minister Narendra Modil-led central government. Addressing the protesters, the office bearers of various outfits said the Agnipath scheme has betrayed the youngsters. Protesters said the central government had earlier implemented the policies against farmers and now it’s compromising on national security and and future of the youths. They said this scheme should be revoked and recruitment in the Army Forces should be done as before. The protest was led by block committee member Mohan Lal, Garib Dass Beaton, Ramji Das Chouhan of JPMO, Ajaib Singh Boparai of All India Jat Mahasabha, former sarpanch Davinder Singh, Naresh Dhiman, Ramesh Dhiman and Naresh Rana. Ashok Sharma, chairman, Lok Bachao Sadak Bachao Samiti, Capt Parkash Ladi, Capt Telu Ram and Harbans Chaudhary were also present. OC