The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), which has three members in the Rajasthan Assembly and one in the Lok Sabha, on Monday called for the rollback of the Centre’s Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the armed forces at a massive rally organised in Jodhpur. The rally was aptly titled ‘ Yuva Hunkar Maha rally’ (‘mega rally with the roar of the youth’).
Thousands of youths from four districts in central and western Rajasthan, where the RLP enjoys considerable support, participated in the rally, with the pledge to oppose the Agnipath scheme, saying it had “crushed [their] dreams”, as they aspired to join the Army as regular soldiers to serve the nation. The RLP is also planning to organise a march to Delhi soon to step up its agitation.
The RLP was the first political force in the State to launch a protest against the scheme, and hit the streets even before the ruling Congress took up the matter. Senior Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, were busy with the party’s agitation against the Enforcement Directorate’s questioning of Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case when the Union government announced the scheme.
