Agnipath protests, violence politically motivated, says Maha Cong chief

The violent protests against Agnipath, the Centre's new military recruitment scheme, are politically motivated and the registration of criminal cases against those indulging in arson and damaging public property will make it ''extremely difficult'' for them to get jobs in the future, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil said on Saturday.

The scheme, which will see 'Agniveers' being recruited for a four-year tenure, with absorption in regular service for just 25 percent of a batch, has seen violent protests by aspirants across the country, leading to training coaches and stations being burnt, public transport vandalized and clashes with police.

''The ongoing violence during protests against Agnipath is politically motivated. If criminal charges are invoked against those going on a rampage, it would be extremely difficult for them to get any other job. It can permanently damage their careers,'' Patil told reporters.

''The Agnipath scheme offers a four-year tenure in the armed forces. It will give youth military training, good wages, and a corpus of Rs 11 lakh when their term ends. Such a scheme will introduce disciplined youth into society and will not affect their prospects in any way,'' he added.

Youth must study the scheme carefully to understand its benefits and must desist from violence at all costs, as such incidents will lead to chaos in society Patil said.