A controversy erupted after Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi released a video in which martyred Agniveer Ajay Kumar’s father said that they had not received the promised compensation from the government. However, now he has clarified that the family has received 98 lakh rupees.
Speaking to IANS on Thursday (4th July), martyred Agniveer Ajay Kumar’s father said, “The central government had already given Rs 50 lakh, now Rs 48 lakh has also come in both the bank [accounts]. I didn’t have the information earlier but we have got Rs 50 lakh also. Agniveer Yojana should be scrapped. Politics should not be on Agniveer. Rajnath [Singh] is also right, Narendra Modi is also right and Rahul Gandhi is also right. We did not know that we were receiving all the amount. The army also said that incomplete work will also be completed…”
Ludhiana: "The central government had already given 50 lakh, now 48 lakh has also come, politics should not be on Agniveer, the army also said that incomplete work will also be completed…" says father of Martyr Agniveer Ajay Kumar pic.twitter.com/0EGcJaoVKc
— IANS (@ians_india) July 4, 2024
On Wednesday, July 3, Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Defence Minister Rajnath Singh of “lying” on the floor of the Lok Sabha over the Agniveer scheme and demanded an apology.
In a video posted on X, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the minister had lied in Parliament about the issue of compensation to families of killed Agniveers.
“The importance of truth in every religion. Rajnath Singh lied before Lord Shiva’s photo about the compensation to the country, its armed forces, and Agniveers. I have said in my speech that don’t listen to me or his (Rajnath Singh) speech, but listen to the family of Agniveer family,” the Leader of the Opposition said in a video message.
सत्य की रक्षा हर धर्म का आधार है!
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 3, 2024
लेकिन रक्षा मंत्री राजनाथ सिंह ने शहीद अग्निवीर के परिवार को सहायता मिलने के बारे में संसद में झूठ बोला।
उनके झूठ पर शहीद अग्निवीर अजय सिंह के पिता जी ने खुद सच्चाई बताई है।
रक्षा मंत्री को संसद, देश, सेना और शहीद अग्निवीर अजय सिंह जी के… pic.twitter.com/H2odxpfyOO
As reported earlier, Rahul Gandhi shared the video of the father of Agniveer Ajay Singh who lost his life in Jammu and Kashmir and said that despite Singh’s claims, his family had not received the promised compensation. The Congress leader also demanded an apology from the Defence Minister.
Ajay Singh’s father said, “Rajnath Singh made the statement that families of killed soldiers have been given Rs 1 crore compensation but no such assistance had been received by his family. Rahul Gandhi is raising our voice in Parliament that families of martyrs must get all necessary help. Agniveer recruitment must stop and regular recruitment should be reinstated.”
However, the Indian Army soon issued a clarification and said that it salutes the supreme sacrifice made by Agniveer Ajay Kumar who lost his life in the line of duty and his family has already been paid Rs 98.39 lakhs. Ex-gratia and other benefits amounting to approximately 67 lakhs will be paid on final account settlement shortly post-due police verification.
