Youths turn violent over delay in recruitment rally in region

VARANASI: The ongoing blame game between state machinery and army recruitment office (ARO) over delay in recruitment rally in east UP has failed to soothe the flayed emotion of aspirants. Irked over the delay and in absence of any clear cut information, the youths are resorting to violence in several areas of the region.
Youths, who have been preparing hard for these rallies that provide an employment opportunity, are losing patience over the delay.In the last fortnight, various such incidents have been reported from several places in the region. Recently, a group of aspirants blocked the Varanasi-Ghazipur Highway and indulged in brick-batting. On Saturday, another group indulged in similar activities in Cholapur area. Most of the youths are worried over the delay as it could rob them of recruitment opportunity owing to age bar. Though all departments concerned are aware of the youth’s anxieties, none of them is ready to clear the air over the delay.
Varanasi ARO in-charge Colonel Vineet Prabhat on Sunday clarified, “The administration of Varanasi, Ghazipur and Gorakhpur districts are not extending cooperation. We planned to hold recruitment rally in this region from September 2. The host district has to send the confirmation one-and-a-half month before the event to complete necessary preparations. However, we are yet to hear from the district magistrates of these three districts.”
Varansi DM Pranjal Yadav, well aware of ARO blaming the district administration for the delay in rally, said, “District administration’s role in army recruitment rally is limited to arranging venue and taking care of law and order issues. We are ready for it but the ARO is not turning up with final itinerary.” Similar situation had cropped up in 2012 too. At that time, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and senior state officials had held a meeting and assured support to such rallies.
The assurance by CM was followed by two rallies at Agra and Etawah. Before holding rallies in more regions, including Meerut, Faizabad and Ghazipur, the then deputy director general, recruitment group (UP and Uttarakhand) Brigadier SS Dhankhar had visited ARO Varanasi and claimed that the group’s contribution to total recruitment in Indian Army stood at 17.5%. The ARO Varanasi, which covers Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Sonbhadra and Mirzapur, Chandauli, Bhadohi, Mau, Gorakhpur, Deoria and Varanasi districts, has its own importance as participation of aspirants often exceeds one lakh mark.
Some officials also questioned the timing of these rallies. “How can such rallies be permitted in rainy days, flood season and festive period when machinery is bound to focus on handling crisis situation and maintaining law and order,” they asked. He said that he would soon convene a meeting of all officials concerned to finalise the dates and itinerary for rally proposed here.