Protests have erupted in India over a new reform scheme to hire soldiers for a fixed term for the armed forces. In the northern state of Bihar, protesters burned tyres and blocked key highways on Thursday, demanding a roll-back of the reforms. Police fired tear gas shells in some areas after clashes with protesters.
The “Agnipath” or Path of Fire programme, which was unveiled on Tuesday, is aimed at applicants aged between 17.5 and 21. Successful candidates will join the armed services for four years, after which only 25% of them will be retained.
The move is aimed at cutting the army’s expenditure on ballooning salaries and pensions – which consume more than half of its budget – and freeing up funds to modernise the forces. The government said this would also “enhance the youthful profile of the armed forces”.
But potential recruits say the scheme does very little to create jobs and opportunities. Several of them shouted slogans like “give us jobs or have us killed” on Wednesday.
India, which shares a heavily militarised border with Pakistan and has been involved in a tense stand-off with China along its Himalayan border, has one of the world’s largest armed forces.
Credit: bbc.com
