Amidst an ongoing war of words over the Agniveer scheme, the family of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, who lost his life while serving in the Indian Army, has demanded the scrapping of the scheme. The family, in their statements to NDTV, expressed their dissatisfaction with the government’s compensation package and called for the scheme to be abolished. They further demanded a pension and canteen card, arguing that the one-time compensation cannot replace the loss of their son.
This demand came after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in his first speech as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, launched a scathing attack on the government over the Agniveer scheme. Gandhi alleged that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had lied to the Parliament about the compensation provided to families of deceased Agniveers. He specifically pointed to the case of Ajay Kumar, demanding an apology from the Defence Minister.
The Indian Army, in a statement issued on X (formerly Twitter), responded to Gandhi’s allegations by stating that Ajay Kumar’s family had already received ₹ 98.39 lakhs. They further explained that the remaining amount, including ex-gratia and other benefits, would be paid after police verification.
However, the family refuted this claim, asserting that they had not received the full amount. Ajay Kumar’s father stated, “We want the Agniveer scheme to be scrapped, and we should get a pension and canteen card.” His sister further added, “My brother lost his life for a job of four years. While the government promises ₹ 1 crore, can a family survive solely on that amount without him?”
Following the Army’s statement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reposted it on X, reiterating the Indian Army’s commitment to the welfare of Agniveers. Congress leader Pawan Khera, however, continued the attack, stating, “Please don’t hide behind our Indian Army now. You stood up in the 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 family’s demand for the scrapping of the Agniveer scheme has further fueled the political debate, highlighting the ongoing tension between the government and the opposition regarding the controversial scheme.
