New Delhi: Massive protests have been taking place against the newly launched Agnipath scheme in different parts of the country with thousands of youth taking to the streets to oppose the scheme introduced by the centre.
Angry agitators had set ablaze the Jammu Guwahati Express train in Bihar's Samastipur to demonstrate their anger against the Agnipath scheme.
Two bogies of the train were reportedly burned down in the blaze and visuals showed smoke billowing out of the burning Jammu Guwahati Express train in Bihar's Samastipur.
The incident occurred on the morning of June 17 in Mohiuddinnagar railway station of Hajipur Barauni railway junction. Five train stations in Bihar have been closed down including Bihiya, Lakhisarai and Umrao amid violent protests in the state.
Meanwhile, violent protests erupted across several states including Bihar, Rajasthan and Haryana, as trains were set on fire, roads were blocked, police personnel and vehicles were attacked over the Agnipath scheme.
From Bihar's Ara to Haryana's Palwal, from Agra in Uttar Pradesh to Gwalior and Indore in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, hundreds of young aspirants seeking jobs in the armed forces marched to the streets and created a ruckus.
Bihar had to endure the brunt of the violence with trains being set on fire, window panes of buses smashed and passersby, including a ruling BJP MLA, pelted with stones on June 16.
Notably, the agitators are demanding for the repeal of the scheme and the resumption of recruitment under the normal process
They raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and accused them of compromising the future of the youth.
Many of them alleged that the Centre was not hiring 'Agniveers' but "Bali Ka Bakra" (Scapegoats) for four years.
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