The Agnipath scheme has now become a hotbed with tensions escalating across the nation as hundreds of protesters demand the Centre annul the scheme of what the opposition claims to be against the interest of the armed forces and the fighting spirit. Several parts of the country have been witnessing the agitations and arson while the centre is committed to rolling out the scheme. 

The Agnipath scheme has been shelved as yet another contentious programme of the Modi regime and it comes with a contract-based offer to serve in the Indian Armed forces. The Union Cabinet has on June 14 approved a recruitment scheme for Indian youth to serve in the Armed forces. The scheme is called 'Agnipath' and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as Agniveers.

The government has claimed that the Agnipath scheme allows patriotic and motivated youth to serve in the Armed Forces for a period of four years. Several opposition leaders including Congress have said that the Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the armed forces is a cruel joke on the jobless youth in the country. Thousands of youngsters had taken to the streets to protest against this contract-based recruitment service in the armed forces. 

What has begun as a demonstration in parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh has later progressed to widespread protests across the nation as the young people have taken to the streets against the Agnipath scheme. The protests were turned destructive as the protesters damaged the public properties and torched several trains across the country. As the sequel to the unprecedented rail rampage in several areas, Indian Railways has cancelled over 200 trains across the country. 

The Railways has on Friday - June 17 said that over 200 trains have been cancelled so far due to protests against the Agnipath. According to the zonal railways, 164 trains were cancelled in the East Central Railways (ECR), 34 in North Eastern Railways (NER), 13 in Northern Railways (NR) and around three in Northeast Frontier Railways. The officials have said that the coaches of seven trains were set on fire by the protesters. They also had damaged several coaches on the East Central Railways. 

PTI has reported that one coach of a train was also damaged in the washing line at Uttar Pradesh's Ballia. So far, 64 trains were short terminated in ECR. In an official statement, the Southern Railways said that all trains moving from its jurisdiction towards the destinations in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh will be short terminated due to widespread protests and arson in the wake of the Agnipath scheme. 

While the law enforcement agencies resort to using weapons against the protesters across the nation, the events of arson have been rampant with the Railway Minister asking the protesters not to damage the property of the Railways. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, "I appeal to the youth to not indulge in violent protests and not damage the property of the Railways." 

The East Central Railways had suffered major devastation as the areas like Bihar, Jharkhand, and parts of Uttar Pradesh have witnessed widespread protests and the ECR has decided to monitor the operations of some trains due to the agitations. Several trains run by the Northeast Frontier Railways pass through ECR and three of them have been hit by the widespread protests. 

The Railways has also said that 13 trains have been cancelled in the Northern Railway Zone, which is the biggest railway zone in the country. Secunderabad's railway station in Hyderabad had also witnessed protests where the agitators had torched up the train. One person was killed in police firing in Secunderabad, the first casualty of protests against Agnipath. The protesters had also torched up the residence of the Deputy Chief Minister and the BJP leader in Bihar. 

Showcasing the escalating tensions, the wave of protests has reached Chennai as hundreds of young people across Tamil Nadu have gathered in Chennai to voice out against the Agnipath scheme. The protesters who were passionate to join the armed forces had expressed their disappointment and frustration over such contract-based recruitment to serve the nation. The protesters in Chennai have questioned when MPs and MLAs can serve for five years, why they are restricted to serve in the armed forces only for four years. 

The protesters, holding the Indian tricolour, further asked how they can become the best soldier in the armed forces if they were recruited on a contract. They were protesting near the war memorial in Chennai and the protesters were later arrested by the police and were housed at Rajarathinam stadium in the city. As the Agnipath protest wave has hit Chennai, the government has increased the security apparatus in important places including Marina Beach in Chennai to curb the gathering of more people. 

On the national stage, the Congress party has been staunching demanding the revocation of the Agnipath scheme and said that it is neither in the interest of the country nor its security. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has on Saturday - June 18 said that the Centre would be pushed to take back the Agnipath scheme like how it had withdrawn the three farm bills. Gandhi has slammed the BJP regime that it has been insulting the army personnel and the farmers for the past eight years. 

Besides the Congress party, Bihar's JD(U), which observes an alliance with the BJP, has urged the Modi regime to review the Agnipath scheme. On the other hand, the Centre has been claiming that the Agnipath scheme will benefit a large number of youngsters. Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the recruitment process in the Army was affected for the last two years due to the Covid pandemic and the Prime Minister has taken a sensitive decision by showing concern for the youngsters.