No category of 'martyr' for any casualties: govt

The Ministry of Defence has informed that the word 'martyr' is not used in reference to any of the casualties in Indian Armed Forces, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said

New Delhi, Dec 6: Government does not declare any of the security forces personnel who die in action as 'martyr', Lok Sabha was informed today.

"The Ministry of Defence has informed that the word 'martyr' is not used in reference to any of the casualties in Indian Armed Forces," Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said in a written reply to a question.

"Similarly, no such term is used in reference to the Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles personnel who get killed in action or on any operation," he said.

However, their families/ next of kin are given full family pension under the liberalised pensionary award rules and lump sum ex-gratia compensation as per rules in addition to other benefits admissible, he said.

Rijiju was responding to a question "whether the government has codified the term 'martyrs' for placing the posthumous soldiers in the category of martyrs? If so, the details and if not, whether the government proposes to make such a codification?"

PTI