Nagpur Congress protests against Agnipath scheme, party workers stop train

Congress workers on Monday held protests in various parts of Nagpur against the Centre's new Agnipath military recruitment scheme.

The protesters against the scheme, which stipulates a four-year tenure for recruits and discharge without a pension, included workers of affiliated units like the Youth Congress, NSUI, Seva Dal, and Mahila Congress.

As part of the protest, some Youth Congress workers led by national secretary Bunty Shelke stopped a train for about half an hour before police removed them from the spot and the train proceeded, officials said.

''Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the past eight years has arbitrarily imposed several such schemes on the people and put them in distress. We also know who is behind the current instability (Shiv Sena rebellion) in Maharashtra,'' the Congress' city unit chief Vikas Thakre said.

The Agnipath scheme is not in the interest of the youth or defense forces and must be rolled back, he said.