SKM Indian farmer’s collective to stage military recruitment protest

Indian farmer’s collective Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) will hold a nationwide protest against the government’s “Agnipath” military recruitment scheme today.

Agnipath was introduced on June 14 to reduce the pension costs associated with the Indian Armed Forces. Under the scheme, military recruits between 17.5 to 21 years of age will not be permitted to retain employment after four years of service in the army, navy or air force. Further, only a quarter of recruits in this age bracket will be retained for permanent service.

Today’s protests will be in support of the now-turned violent protests of the past week, of which the youth, military veterans, opposition leaders and some members of Prime Minister Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have raised concerns. SKM led the year-long protests up until September 2020 against Modi’s now-withdrawn laws on grain production. Similar to Modi’s market-liberalizing agricultural laws, protesters of the Agnipath plan fear prolonged unemployment and a reduction in government support given India’s weakened economy and a contraction in employability amid the pandemic. In the short-term, the introduction of the Agnipath scheme will increase instability as clashes between protesters and police become increasingly violent, as well as worsen India’s struggle with chronic unemployment.