Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has once again criticized the Narendra Modi-led NDA government over the Agniveer scheme. He reiterated his claims that the family of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, who died while serving in the Indian Army, has not received any assistance from the government. This statement comes after the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) claimed on its X (formerly Twitter) handle that Ajay Kumar’s family had already been paid ₹ 98.39 lakh.
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi stated that the family of martyr Agniveer Ajay Kumar has not received any compensation from the government till date. He highlighted the difference between ‘Compensation’ and ‘Insurance’, asserting that the payment made to the family was only from the insurance company. Gandhi emphasized that the family of Ajay Kumar has not received the assistance they were entitled to from the government.
“The family of every martyr who sacrifices his life for the country should be respected but the Modi government is discriminating against them. Whatever the government says, this is a matter of national security and I will keep raising it,” said Gandhi.
Responding to the Army’s post on compensation to Ajay Kumar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the Indian Army is committed to the welfare of Agniveers.
The family members of Ajay Kumar have demanded that the government shut down the Agniveer scheme. Kumar’s sister expressed frustration, stating, “My brother lost his life for a job of four years. While the government promises Rs1 crore, can a family survive solely on that amount without him?”
The Indian Army, in a statement on X, emphasized its respect for the supreme sacrifice made by Agniveer Ajay Kumar. ADGPI highlighted that the last rites were carried out with full military honours and that the family had already received ₹ 98.39 lakhs. They further stated that ex-gratia and other benefits amounting to approximately ₹ 67 lakhs would be paid shortly after the completion of police verification, bringing the total amount due to approximately ₹ 1.65 Cr.
