Indian Army Clarifies Rs 98.39 Lakh Paid to Agniveer Ajay's Family

The Indian Army has refuted social media claims that the family of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, who died in service, hasn't received compensation. The Army stated that Rs 98.39 lakh has already been paid to Kumar's family out of the total due amount.

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, shared a video on X, featuring Kumar's father claiming no money had been received. Gandhi accused Defence Minister Rajnath Singh of lying in Parliament about compensation for families of martyred Agniveers and demanded an apology.

Army's Clarification on Compensation

The Army clarified that the total compensation due is approximately Rs 1.65 crore. "The Indian Army salutes the supreme sacrifice made by Agniveer Ajay Kumar," it said, adding that emoluments are paid promptly to the next of kin of fallen soldiers, including Agniveers.

In a post on X, the additional directorate general of public information of the Army reiterated that the family has already received Rs 98.39 lakh. The remaining amount, including ex-gratia and other benefits totalling around Rs 67 lakh, will be paid after final account settlement and police verification.

Rahul Gandhi's Allegations

Gandhi criticised Singh during his speech on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address in Lok Sabha. He claimed that Singh had lied about compensation for martyred Agniveers. "In reply, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, before Lord Shiva's photo, lied to the country, its armed forces and Agniveers about compensation," Gandhi said in his video message.

Gandhi referred to Kumar's father's statement alleging no compensation had been received despite Singh's claims. He demanded an apology from Singh for misleading the public and insulting the families of martyrs.

Defence Minister's Rebuttal

Singh responded to Gandhi's allegations in Lok Sabha, urging him not to mislead Parliament. "I would like to humbly request the leader of the opposition not to try to mislead Parliament," Singh said. He explained that extensive consultations were held before implementing the Agniveer scheme.

Singh also noted that similar schemes exist in countries like the US and UK without objections. "Without understanding the Agniveer scheme... to mislead the House like this cannot be deemed appropriate," he added.

Agnipath Scheme Details

The Agnipath scheme was announced on June 14, 2022. It recruits youths aged between 17-and-a-half and 21 years for four years, with a provision to retain 25% for an additional 15 years. The upper age limit was later extended to 23 years.

Gandhi criticised the scheme for short-term military recruitment and claimed it denies martyred Agniveers' families proper compensation and status as shaheed martyrs. He argued that Agniveers know the truth about their situation despite differing opinions.

Congress Party's Stand

Sharing Gandhi's video, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the BJP government of lying in Parliament when Rahul Gandhi raised the issue from the opposition side. She claimed that BJP is insulting families who sacrificed their sons for the country by telling lies.

"The BJP is insulting the sacrifice of the families who gave up their sons for the country by telling lies," she said in a post on X. She demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for misleading the public and disrespecting martyrs.

The Indian Army emphasised its commitment to promptly paying emoluments due to fallen heroes' next of kin. The clarification aimed to address concerns raised by social media posts and political leaders regarding compensation for Agniveer Ajay Kumar's family.