Vaishnaw asks agitators not to damage railway properties amid protests

As railway properties come under the attack from those protesting against the Agneepath scheme in parts of the country, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday appealed to everyone not to indulge in any violent protest and not to damage railways properties.

Speaking to ANI, Vaishnaw said, "Railway is our national property and it is our responsibility to make sure that no harm or damage should be made to it. I appeal everyone to not to indulge in any violent protest and not damage the property of the Railways. Railways are the property of the country. It is our property and it is for your service only."

Protests have broken out in various parts of the country against the new recruitment scheme in the Armed Forces. In some places, the protests turned violent as trains were set ablaze.

Meanwhile, one person died in Telangana's Secunderabad on Friday as protests against the newly announced military recruitment policy, Agnipath, turned violent.

Earlier, protesters torched compartments of a train in Bihar's Samastipur and those in another train at Lakhisarai station.

Notably, Agnipath Scheme was launched by the government, on June 14, in an effort to bring a change in the recruitment process of the Armed Forces. With the new military recruitment scheme facing a backlash by Opposition, the Centre has decided to bring a change in the upper age limit for recruiting Agniveers.

Granting a one-time waiver, the Centre on June 16, 2022, announced that the Agniveer upper age limit for recruitments via Agnipath Scheme has been extended to 23 years from 21 years.

The scheme is called Agnipath and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as Agniveers. Agnipath allows patriotic and motivated youth to serve in the Armed Forces for a period of four years.