Patna: The ongoing protests against the central government’s Agnipath recruitment are driving a wedge between the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies in Bihar — a state where the street protests over the issue have been among the most intense.
The central government’s ‘Agnipath’ scheme is a short-term recruitment scheme that proposes inducting youngsters between 17.5 to 21 years into India’s armed forces as “Agniveers” for a period of four years.
The scheme has met with much anger across India — with protests being particularly violent in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
As protesters vandalised, and even set light to railway property in Bihar, the state’s Bharatiya Janata Party unit has been finding itself more and more isolated from its allies Janata Dal United — which is the BJP’s largest alliance partner at the Centre — and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM).
“There’s been anger among the youth ever since the Centre announced the Agnipath scheme, leading to violence at several places across India. We appeal to the Centre to either scrap the scheme or assure the youths that their future is not hit by the scheme,” Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also known as Lalan Singh, the national president of the JD-U, told ThePrint.
On the other hand, the BJP, which has been at the receiving end of much of the protesters’ ire, has accused the state government under Nitish Kumar, the chief of the JD (U), of having done little to prevent rampant vandalism and arson at BJP’s offices.
At a press conference he held Saturday, state BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal accused the state’s police of standing by as mobs set light to the BJP’s district office in Madhepura.
“In Madhepura, when BJP workers asked to extinguish the fire in the district office lit up by goons, they were told that the fire brigade vans would come only after the local Sub Divisional Officer orders it,” Jaiswal told the press. “300 policemen remained mute spectators as the office was burnt [In Madhepur]. We’ve got proof that in several places, policemen actually participated in the violence. We would like to ask what action has been taken against such policemen.”
The JD(U) however put the onus on the central government. “The administration has nothing to do with either BJP or the JD (U),” Singh told ThePrint. “The Bihar government and administration is doing its job. Why didn’t Jaiswal ask BJP-led governments in UP and MP to shoot down agitators?”
On his part, Bihar’s ADG (Law and Order) Sanjay Kumar Singh claimed that police had registered 600 cases in connection with the protest.
“Even today, we arrested 110 persons named in 12 First Information Reports,” Singh said.
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BJP’s allegations
The BJP claims that apart from Madhepur, over four of its district offices — the ones in Nawada, Sasaram, Bettiah, and Jehanabad — have been burnt down in the last three days. In addition, half a dozen party MLAs, including state BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal and deputy chief minister Renu Devi, have come under mob attack, BJP MLA Aruna Devi told ThePrint.
“When mobs were attacking the house of senior BJP MLA C.N. Gupta in Chhapra district, the desperate MLA was contacting the police to save his house. Not a single policeman turned up,” he claimed. “Similarly, even when the houses of state BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal and Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi in West Champaran district were attacked on 17 June, police came late. Police arrived after the mob that had vandalised the house of Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi’s house had left.”
“Even in Nawada, police remained mute spectators while our office was being burnt.”
Isolated
As protests intensify, BJP finds itself more and more isolated in Bihar. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has asked the BJP-led central government to reconsider the scheme while former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, the chief of HAM, issued a statement Friday asking for a rollback and said his party was with the protesters. He has virtually backed the bandh call that rivals Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) called on Saturday.
“How will you convince the youths if you cannot convince your allies,” a Member of Legislative Assembly from the JD(U) who didn’t want to be named told ThePrint
Jaiswal said his party was willing to sit down with allies to explain the Agnipath scheme but that they must list out their specific objections to it
“The scheme does not take away jobs in the army. It gives additional opportunities to the youth,” he told ThePrint.
More violence
As protests spilled over into Saturday, protesters set buses and trucks alight on fire in Jehanabad.
A vehicle belonging to the Border Development Organisation was attacked in Munger and an ambulance was vandalised in Arwal.
Violent protests in some parts of Patna forced police into opening fire.
Videos being circulated showed political workers attacking some showrooms.
पप्पू यादव के कार्यकर्ताओं का उप्पात, पटना में शो रूम पर पत्थर चलाए. #Agnipath #biharbandh pic.twitter.com/11A7FGZC5H
— Utkarsh Singh (@UtkarshSingh_) June 18, 2022
Police protection has now been provided to BJP state headquarters — and 10 BJP leaders, including both deputy chief ministers and Sanjay Jaiswal — have now been provided central force protection.
The Bihar government suspended internet services in 12 districts and some parts of Patna Friday evening after several student organisations of political parties called for a statewide bandh (shutdown).
Stranded at railway stations
The Indian Railways has cancelled 369 trains Saturday because of the protests, which have left hundreds stranded at the Patna Railway Station. The area has a heavy police presence, with anti-riot vehicles also being sent to secure it.
Pintu and his family of four have been stranded at Patna Railway Station for the last three days.
A migrant labourer from Sheikhpura, he’s waiting to return to Alwar in Rajasthan, where he’s currently working. Food supplies have run low and he and his family — wife and his two sons — are now depending on samosas at the station.
“We’ll wait for one more day and then we’ll return home,” Pintu, who goes by one name, told thePrint. “We don’t know how long this will take.”
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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