Agniveer scheme faces test of fire as Opposition partakes anger
Image credit X @Tiger_Lohan
Govt & Opposition spar over compensation paid for Agniveer Ajay Kumar
By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, July 4: The Congress leaders continue to counter claims of the Indian Army that full compensation had been paid to Agniveer Ajay Kumar on lines of martyrs. The contractual scheme for armed forces gained spotlight during debate on President’s address to parliament.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, turned the Agniveer scheme as his key ammunition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
Union Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh interrupted Gandhi to counter claims made against the Agniveer scheme. The Congress leaders accuse Singh of being miser with truth on the scheme.
Once more, the Indian Army issued a clarification amid the raging slugfest on the scheme. The Indian Army cited the backdrop of “certain social media posts” on compensation paid to Agniveer Ajay Kumar.
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“Of the total amount due, family of Agniveer Ajay has already been paid ₹98.39 lakhs. Ex-Gratia and other benefits amounting to approximately ₹67 lakhs, as applicable according to the provisions of the Agniveer Scheme, will be paid on Final Account Settlement shortly post due Police verification. The total amount will be ₹1.65 Cr approximately,” said the Indian Army in an official statement last evening.
The Indian Army addressed the deceased soldier as an Agniveer. He was not addressed in the statement as a martyr.
Singh tagging the clarification of the Indian Army defenced the contractual scheme under which the personnel are engaged first for four years. “Indian Army is committed for the welfare of Agniveers,” said Singh in a post on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
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The Congress asked the minister “not to hide behind the Indian Army”. “Please don’t hide behind our Indian Army now. You stood up in Parliament to announce that one crore was given to the kin of martyr Ajay Kumar. His father clearly says 1 crore was not given,” the Congress spokesperson, Pawan Khera, posted on X.
Khera demanded details of the compensation given to the deceased soldier. He asked: “Of the amount claimed to have been given, how much is the insurance money; how much is the amount given by the state government; are you claiming that the insurance money given to the kin of the martyr is also a favour given to the martyr by your government.”
Agniveer Ajay Kumar hailed from Punjab, and he died in a landmine blast. Political leaders, including Gandhi and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, have visited parents of the deceased Agniveer.
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