Agnipath protests: Pil in Supreme Court seeks sit probe into mass violence and damages to public properties

In the Agnipath protests, a Petition Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filled before the Supreme Court seeking for the setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to enquire into mass violence and damages to public prosecutor, including that of railways, during the widespread protests against the Centre’s “Agnipath” recruitment scheme for armed forces. Advocate Vishal Tiwari, has filled the Public Interest Litigation. It was stated by the petitioner in the petition that the “angry aspirants” “ set fire to at least 20 bogies of the New Delhi – Bhagalpur Vikramshila Express and New Delhi- the Darbhanga Bihar Sampark Kranti Express at Samastipur and Lakhisarai stations and in the State of Bihar the highways were blocked. Further, the petitioner stated that the intensity of protests is such that the Eastern Central Railway had to cancel 164 trains and a large number of passengers were seen stranded on the different railway stations including of the railway station i.e. Patna Junction. As the highways are blocked due to the protest, the people are standing in the bus terminals waiting for the buses. The plea stated in the recent launch of the Agnipath Scheme dated June 14, 2022 by the Respondent No 1 through its Ministry of Defence. The June 14, 2022 scheme was designed in the all three-armed forces divisions for the recruitment of young personnel. It was stated by the petitioner, while quoting the news reports that nationally more than 300 interstate trains have been affected and more than 200 prime trains have been cancelled so far. In the petition, the petitioner added that the States of Uttar Pradesh and the Union Of India, Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar and Telangana as the respondent in the Agnipath Protest. In the plea, the petitioner also seeks the constitution of an expert committee under the chairmanship of Retired Supreme Court Judge as to examine the impact of “Agnipath” Scheme on the armed forces and the national security. The petitioner, while questioning the Agnipath Scheme stated that such short-term contractual army recruitment is a demotivation to the army aspirants as it brings an uncertainty to such aspirants as after the fixed 4 period as only 25% personnel are retained”, there will be no furture for such individuals.