Plea in SC for SIT probe into violent protests towards Agnipath scheme, injury to properties

By PTI

NEW DELHI: A PIL has been filed within the Supreme Court looking for a course to arrange a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the injury to public properties together with that of railways and violent protests towards the Centre’s Agnipath scheme.

The PIL has been filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, who additionally sought instructions to the Centre and Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Haryana and Rajasthan governments to submit a standing report on the violent protests.

Tiwari in his plea additionally sought a course to arrange an skilled committee underneath the chairmanship of retired apex courtroom choose to look at the scheme and its influence on nationwide safety and Army.

He additional sought instructions to the Centre and the states arrayed as events to nominate declare commissioners underneath the rules laid down by the apex courtroom in its verdict of 2009 handed in a suo motu case initiated after incidents of damages to public properties.

“The petitioner through this present Public Interest Litigation (Civil) under Article 32 of the Constitution of India would like to bring to the court’s attention the devastated condition of the country resulting from the Agnipath scheme launched by the Respondent No. 1 (Union of India) through its Ministry of Defence,” the plea stated.

It stated that the consequence has been far-reaching for the residents of this nation leading to intensified vandalism and protest resulting in extreme destruction of public property and items.

“The country is yet again witnessing another such societal upset and fatal condition due to the recent launch of the Agnipath scheme dated June 14, 2022 by the Respondent No.1 through its Ministry of Defence. The Agnipath scheme was designed for the recruitment of young personnel in the all three armed forces divisions. It is a scheme which entails a recruitment process for individuals with ranks below that of the officer with the goal of deploying fitter and younger troops on the front lines which will be based on a four year contract,” it stated.

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The plea stated that because the launch of the scheme, the nation is dealing with extreme and uncontrolled mass violence and protests towards the scheme.

“The concern which rises through this scheme is primarily the length of service that is 4 years is not reasonable and there remains no pension benefits. The defence aspirants during their protests have alleged that this Agnipath scheme leads to a road of uncertainty for soldiers who will have to leave the services after 4 years. After the completion of the 4 years contract, 25 percent of the total force will be retained and the rest of the personnel will have to leave which puts a serious uncertainty on their future,” it stated.

It added that together with no job safety and safety, there will probably be no pension advantages together with the incapacity pension, the troopers will get a lump sum of a bit greater than Rs 11 lakh after they finish their fourth tenure.

“As opined by various experienced military veterans, this scheme of contractual fixed recruitment could compromise on training, morale and commitment in comparison to the permanent recruits. Such experimental radical change in the structure and pattern of the military can lead to severe strategic uncertainties which could compromise the national security of the country,” it stated.

The petition stated that this problem have led to extreme protest in varied components of the nation and because the agitation intensified in Bihar on June 17, the offended aspirants of Army has set hearth to at the very least 20 bogies of the New Delhi-Bhagalpur Vikramshila Express and New Delhi-Darbhanga Bihar Sampark Kranti Express at Lakhisarai and Samastipur stations and blocked a number of highways of the state.

“The intensity of such protest has been hard-hitting as the consequence has resulted in Eastern Central Railway has cancelled 164 trains, the official reports have also confirmed that a large number of passengers were seen stranded on the different railway stations including Patna Junction, people are also standing in bus terminals waiting for buses as the highways are also blocked due to the protest,” the plea stated.