Sonia Gandhi's message to 'Agnipath' protesters: 'Will raise voice but...'

Gandhi, who gave his message from the hospital, said her party will "raise voice against the scheme but without violence..."

She also said, "I am disappointed that the government ignored your voices and announced the 'new military recruitment scheme', which is directionless. Many ex-servicemen have also raised questions about the new scheme."

In various parts of the country, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, trains were vandalised and torched, halting the railway traffic.

Railway authorities have stepped up the security at all the important railway stations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana following the large-scale violence and arson by anti-Agnipath protestors at Secunderabad Railway station on Friday.

So far, one person has been killed while over 600 protesters have been arrested across the country in connection with the protest.

What is Agnipath scheme?

The scheme proposes the recruitment of jawans for a period of four years on a contractual basis.

The period will be followed by compulsory retirement without gratuity or pension for most.