DHARWAD: The ongoing protests against the Union government’s military recruitment scheme, Agnipath, has entered Karnataka. On Saturday, in the first protest reported from the State, police resorted to a mild lathi-charge when around 200 youth gathered at Old SP Circle in Dharwad to take out a march. Tension prevailed when some miscreants pelted stones at a private bus.
Police however stopped the protesters but they were adamant on taking out a march to the Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) office. Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner Labhu Ram said around 200 youth who are said to have recently been selected for the physical test in Army recruitment, were protesting. Others too joined the protest.
“We are checking video footage and will try to prevent any untoward incident from taking place. From Friday itself, policemen have been deployed at sensitive spots”, Labhu Ram added. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up at railway stations and bus terminals in the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad. According to police sources, as of now, no case has been filed against the protesters.
The protest held in the city has taken many by surprise as selection trials for defence forces are rarely held here. But, of late, the youth in this part of the area have been showing interest to join the forces.
Army aspirants in Belagavi protest, demand written test at the earliest
Retired army officer Major Shivaraddi said the lack of communication between policy-makers and beneficiaries is the reason for the unrest. The protesting people need to think twice about the way they have resorted to expressing their protest against the scheme, he said.
Meanwhile, in Belagavi, a large number of Army aspirants staged a massive protest demanding a written examination at the earliest. They also raised objections to the proposed Agnipath scheme which they claimed would make their career uncertain.
The agitating youth gathered at Malaprabha Grounds in Khanapur town and condemned the continued delay by the Union government to conduct the written examination to recruit soldiers for the Indian Army. The candidates who had succeeded in physical examination rounds of the recruitment held in 2019 shouted slogans against the Centre and expressed their anger for not conducting the written examination.
Nimbalkar joins youth
Khanapur Congress MLA Dr Anjali Nimbalkar joined the protesters and condemned the Centre’s stand over the selection of candidates. She criticised the Centre for Agnipath and said the scheme would derail the career of youths and create uncertainty.