Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has renewed his criticism of the BJP-led Centre amid the Agniveer controversy. He highlighted that the family of Ajay Kumar, an Agniveer who died in a landmine explosion in Jammu & Kashmir’s Naushera in January, has not received government compensation. Gandhi emphasized the difference between insurance and compensation, accusing the Modi government of discriminating against Agniveers who sacrificed their lives for the country.
In a post on X, Gandhi noted that Ajay Kumar’s family received insurance payments but no government assistance. He stressed the importance of honoring martyrs and vowed to continue raising the issue, describing it as a matter of national security.
The controversy intensified on July 3 when Gandhi released a video featuring Kumar’s father, who alleged that the family had received no compensation from the Centre. Gandhi demanded an apology from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who he claimed lied about the assistance provided.
The Indian Army responded by affirming the family had received ₹98.39 lakhs and would receive an additional ₹67 lakhs after final account settlement. The total compensation amounts to ₹1.65 crores.
Gandhi has consistently criticized the Agnipath Scheme, likening it to demonetization and asserting that it originated from the PMO rather than the Indian Army. He promised to abolish the scheme if the INDIA bloc gains power.
शहीद अग्निवीर अजय कुमार जी के परिवार को आज तक सरकार की ओर से कोई Compensation नहीं मिला है।
‘Compensation’ और ‘Insurance’ में फर्क होता है, शहीद के परिवार को सिर्फ बीमा कंपनी की ओर से भुगतान किया गया है।
सरकार की ओर से जो सहायता शहीद अजय कुमार के परिवार को मिलनी चाहिए थी वो… pic.twitter.com/FG99h72rhX
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 5, 2024
