By PTI
JAIPUR: The Rajasthan council of ministers on Saturday passed a resolution demanding the withdrawal of the Centre’s Agnipath scheme.
The resolution was passed unanimously during a meeting held at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s residence here, a release said.
The Centre on Tuesday unveiled the scheme for recruitment of the youth aged between 17 and a half and 21 in the Army, Navy and the Air Force, largely on a four-year short-term contractual basis.
The scheme is being opposed by Army aspirants in parts of the country, including Rajasthan.
The minister expressed concern over the nationwide protests against the scheme.
“There have been massive protests across the country regarding the provisions, which have created many doubts among the youth,” the release said.
“Experts say that there should be regular recruitment in the military so that the future of soldiers and their families could be secured. Therefore, the state government is of the view that the central government should have had a comprehensive discussion with all the stakeholders before introducing any such scheme,” the release added.
Meanwhile, former BJP ally and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party national convener Hanuman Beniwal on Saturday declared to launch a statewide agitation against the scheme.
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The stir will begin with a rally in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur on June 27.
“If required, we will move to Delhi to mount pressure on the government against the scheme,” he told reporters here.
Demanding the scheme’s withdrawal, Beniwal said, “The decision of PM Narendra Modi is against the youth and if not withdrawn on time, it will have a devastating impact on the country.”
The MP said earlier the Union government brought anti-farmer laws and had to bow down under the pressure of farmers.
“Now, the government has targeted ‘jawans’ (youth) of this country who aspire to join defence forces,” the Nagaur MP said.
Beniwal said the scheme will cause corruption in the Army.
He appealed to the youth not to indulge in violence and hold peaceful protests.
Hundreds of youths protested at various places in Rajasthan including Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jhunjhunu, and blocked the Jaipur-Delhi Highway in Alwar briefly.
The youths gathered at the highway in Behror and blocked it for nearly 15 minutes, police said.
They broke the windowpanes of a bus while being dispersed by the police.
Similar protests were held in Jhunjhunu where the youths tried to block a road and a railway track in Chidawa.
However, police dispersed the gathering.
Protests were reported from Jodhpur and Jaipur as well.
