Posted 23 июня 2022,, 19:22

Published 23 июня 2022,, 19:22

Modified 24 декабря 2022,, 22:37

Updated 24 декабря 2022,, 22:37

Youth without a future: Indian citizens protest against army cuts

Youth without a future: Indian citizens protest against army cuts

23 июня 2022, 19:22
Фото: Соцсети
The decision of the Indian authorities to cut spending on the army and direct the released funds to the modernization of the armed forces caused riots.

Ivan Zubov

Novye Izvestia has already reported on mass protests in India. They not only do not shrink, but flare up with renewed vigor. For example, today tens of thousands of people again did not go to work, according to world media. Instead, they went out to protest again. Chaos and riots are happening all over the country, roads are blocked and public transport stops, trains and cars are set on fire. Protests began last week in the north of the country, in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Now they have spread all over India. At least one death is already known - a 24-year-old man in the state of Telingana died during the popular unrest.

The authorities are trying to fight the unrest by turning off people's Internet. Some schools are closed, exams are postponed, a ban on mass organizations has been introduced - hundreds of people have been detained by the police. Train traffic has also been suspended, with 350 flights canceled in the state of Bihar alone.

The reason for the unrest is quite unusual by European standards: the fact is that the Indian authorities immediately reduced the term of service in the army several times.

“According to the citizens themselves, they were deprived of their dream of a career", - Alexander “Stalingulag” Gorbunov writes in his blog. - The age of conscription in the army was raised to 23 years in the first year of the reform, the term of service is now limited to 4 years - of which only intensive military training will take half a year. A monthly salary of 30,000 rupees ($384) will be assigned for the entire period of service, with additional payments that will rise to 40,000 rupees by the end of the term.

At the end of the four-year term, only 25% of the elected will remain in the army. The rest will be fired without saving benefits and with a lump sum payment.

Previously, young men from 17.5 to 21 years old were subject to conscription after a very strict selection, the duration of service was 25 years, that is, 6 times more. At the same time, the military personnel throughout this period received a decent salary, free medical care for themselves and their families, and other benefits. Then - various preferences and a lifetime pension.

Village boys and young people from small towns jumped at the opportunity to join the army as the only chance to get out of poverty and provide for their families in the future. They have been preparing for years to become soldiers.

Now India has decided to cut its spending on the army and direct the released funds to the modernization of the armed forces. The inhabitants of the country are in shock and horror - they are deprived of their jobs and future. The protesters were supported by several opposition groups, but the government did not react to this and change something.

It only promised to allocate 10% of vacancies in the paramilitary forces and the Assam Rifles, a division of the Indian army for those who complete four years of service.

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