Left trade, farmers unions organized protest rally against Agnipath scheme

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, June 25, 2022

As part of the nationwide protest, the Tripura unit of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) along with other Left Front trade union supporters staged a protest rally in Agartala on Friday against central government’s new army recruitment scheme “Agnipath”.

Terming scheme as against national security, which has been signed by the President of India on Friday and the recruitment notification has also been issued on the same.

During the protest rally, speaking with media persons AIKs state secretary Pabitra Kar said that the majority of Army jawans are the sons of farmers of the country and farmers of the country through a united voice have urged the union government to roll back the decision of army recruitment only for four years.

After the protest rally, which passes various thoroughfares of Agartala city and ended at Orient Chowmohani area, where former minister and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) state president Manik Dey addressing the gathering cited the examples of three farm bills which were rolled back earlier in the face of continued protests by farmers.

He said that a large number of youths and people from different sections of the society are protesting against the Agnipath scheme, which is against the national interest of the country.

He alleged that since the formation of Narendra Modi led BJP government in centre, they started a contract regime across the country and virtually handed over the jobs of youths to some corporate contractors for the political benefit. He said that the Indian Army never is a strong army with such a scheme and it will be hazardous for the country's security.

Dey added that the government should immediately roll back the scheme, else people of the country will intensify their democratic movement for the interest of the nation.

Later, Pabitra Kar said that as part of the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha’s nationwide agitation , the AIKS has also been protesting the scheme in Tripura and all India leaders of AIKS will submit a memorandum before the President to withdraw the scheme.

Kar said Army recruitment through the Agnipath scheme is a “humiliation” for youths of the country and with the issuing of notification for Agnipath scheme on June 24, is a black day for the country.

He said that if the central government keeps an adamant attitude, then people of the country and AIKS will continue their agitation and will force the government to repeal the scheme like farm laws.