Summary:
Thane, Jun 20 (PTI) Activists of the NCP youth wing on Monday staged a "rasta roko" or road blockade in Thane city to protest against the "Agnipath" military recruitment scheme announced by the Centre.
The activists squatted on a key highway for more than half an hour, disrupting traffic.
The local police intervened and removed the demonstrators from the spot, restoring movement of vehicles on the busy road.
The activists, carrying NCP flags, shouted slogans against the central government and also the scheme, under which around 46,000 soldiers will be recruited this year between the ages of 17 and a half years and 21 years (upper age has been relaxed for 2022) into the three services.
After completion of four-year tenure of the recruits, the scheme provides for retaining 25 per cent of each specific batch for regular service, based on organisational requirements and policies promulgated by the armed forces from time to time.
The protest was led by Thane city chief of the NCP youth wing Vikram Khamkar.
The police detained the protesters and later released them.
Meanwhile, talking to the media, NCP leader and Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Jitendra Awhad criticized the Centre over the new recruitment process for the armed forces.
The NCP has demanded a rollback of the scheme.
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