Youth Cong workers stop train near Connaught Place in Delhi, 16 arrested
Indian Youth Congress workers on Monday stopped a train at the Shivaji Bridge railway station near Connaught Place here to protest against the questioning of party leader Rahul Gandhi by the ED and to push for their demand for a rollback of the Agnipath defence recruitment scheme.
The track was cleared by police and security personnel and train movement resumed after about half-an-hour disruption, sources said.
Police said a group of IYC protesters had gathered at the Shivaji Bridge railway station They stopped a train there after coming on the railway tracks from where they were removed later.
Initially, 16 protesters were detained as police personnel tried to remove them from the tracks and the station, a senior police official, adding they were arrested later.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) Harendra K Singh said on Monday, train number 12439 Nanded Express was stopped at Shivaji Bridge Railway station at about 11.18 am by Youth Congress Workers to protest against Agniveer Scheme of the government and interrogation of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate.
“ACP Railways and SHO New Delhi Railway Station along with staff reached at the spot, and in coordination with RPF, the agitating people were removed from the track. The train resumed thereafter. However, other trains were moving on the other tracks without any obstructions,” he said.
“Fifteen males and one female have been arrested and a case has been registered by RPF under section 174 A (by squatting or picketing or during any rail room agitation or bandh) and 147 Railway Act at New Delhi railway police station,” Singh added.
In a tweet, the IYC said, “Members of the youth Congress stopped the train at Shivaji Bridge while demonstrating against illegal investigation of Shri Rahul Gandhi by ED and Agnipath Scheme of Central government.” The organisations national president, Srinivas B V, said the IYC will keep fighting for the unemployed youth of the country.
“The government needs to rollback the Agniveer scheme. Youth Congress will fight for the unemployed youth of this country who want to serve the country. The IYC stopped the train in Delhi to attract the attention of the autocratic government,” he said.
IYC members also staged a protest at the nearby Connaught Place.
Gandhi on Monday appeared before the ED for the fourth day of questioning in the National Herald money laundering case.
Protests have erupted in various parts of the country after the Centre unveiled the Agnipath scheme last Tuesday to recruit youngsters aged between 17.5 and 21 in the army, navy and air force, largely on a four-year contractual basis. It later relaxed the upper age limit for this years recruitment to 23.
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