Agnipath arson: Who's adding fuel to fire?

Agnipath-related violence took a life at Secunderabad railway station and at least 20 were injured when arsonists ransacked the railway station on Friday morning and began attacking the railway property.

The hooliganism set fire to three trains in no time and the police were totally outnumbered. It is on the third day after the violence has started in this country over the new army recruitment policy announced by the railways that, of all the places, Secunderabad comes into the picture. But why this Southern State? Did the youth here ever burn trains in a morning swoop over some Army recruitment?

How come the arsonists gathered in such large numbers throughout the country as if on a call? The well- prepared rioters seem to have struck premeditatedly in the country just as the ones after the Friday prayers. The youth needs jobs. No doubt about it. The intelligence has gathered information that there could be such attacks on more southern cities.

Security agencies have been anticipating coordinated 'action' by some sections in the country for some time now. The politicians here are so debased that they could stoop to any level to create a countrywide unrest. The protests against the new recruitment policy have the full support of the non-BJP and the anti-BJP parties. It is also being supported by the trade unions. Commonsense tells us that these are not some stray incidents that are rocking the country. Place, time and sequence of events have an uncanny resemblance.

Several of the agitationists nowadays are wearing masks. Some even carry the national flags and raise nationalistic slogans. Everyone speaks of saving democracy, the Constitution and the unity and integrity of the country. Police in several States are probing deep and they suspect the hand of PFI and SDPI. Earlier, the norm was that if the government programmes and schemes had flaws, then the Opposition would speak on the lacunae and protest the same.

With the BJP firmly in the saddle (especially after its victory in the UP for a second time) the frustration levels of the Opposition have peaked. The Congress had gone ahead and called for countrywide rebellion against the government recently in London. Telangana Minister K T Rama Rao tweets on "pehle kisan, ab jawan.' This seems to be the stand of all anti-BJP parties. Why play politics with Army recruitment or national interest? Did the Army say it is suspending regular recruitments anytime?

Why mislead the youth over an imaginary apprehension? All those opposing the 'Agnipath' term it anti-national and seek its withdrawal. Soon we may hear opposition to the regular army recruitment too. The All India Trade Union Congress says 'Agnipath,' GST, CAA, NRC, the New Education Policy, the National Monetisation Pipeline, changes to trade union laws, new farm laws, changes to Article 370 etc., are all "anti-national" and ask people to oppose them. So do others.

The unified voices against the Indian government are so emboldened now-a-days that they don't mind supporting even extreme violence and vandalism. The ulterior motive seems to be anti-Indian. And why is the law and order machinery so lenient towards the violent protests in non-BJP ruled States?