Agniveer Kumar's family seeks scheme's reevaluation; 'hero' status for son
The family of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, who lost his life in the line of duty, has demanded that he be accorded "hero" status by the Indian Army, NDTV reported. They have also called for a reevaluation of the Agniveer scheme, with Kumar's father stating, "We want the Agniveer scheme to be scrapped and we should get pension and canteen card." This sentiment was echoed by Kumar's sister, who questioned the adequacy of the compensation provided under this scheme.
Discrepancies in compensation amounts stir controversy
"While the government promises ₹1 crore, can a family survive solely on that amount without him?" the sister questioned. On Wednesday, the Indian Army clarified that the family of Kumar has already been paid ₹98.39 lakh of the total ₹1.65 crore, which was confirmed by the family. However, Kumar's family said that they are yet to receive an additional ₹60 lakh promised by the Army.
Political tensions rise over Agniveer compensation claims
The Army's clarification came following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's claim that Defense Minister Rajnath Singh "lied" to parliament about compensation of ₹1 crore being paid to the family. The video also purportedly featured Kumar's father, who stated that they hadn't received any compensation from the central government. "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," the man said in the video.
Watch Gandhi's interaction with Kumar's father
Kumar belonged to underprivileged family from Ramgarh Sardaran village
Kumar, 23, was killed on January 18 in a landmine blast near the Line of Control in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. According to the Indian Express, Kumar was born into a poor family in Ramgarh Sardaran village, Payal division, Punjab's Ludhiana district. His father worked as a daily wage laborer before giving up due to illness, while his mother worked as a domestic assistant.
Agniveer scheme under scrutiny amid compensation dispute
Kumar joined the Army in 2022 under the Agniveer scheme, which is designed to recruit personnel for short-term service to reduce the age profile across services. However, these individuals do not qualify for regular benefits such as pension for their families in the event of their death in service. A parliamentary panel had earlier recommended that families of Agniveers who die in the line of duty receive benefits equivalent to those provided to families of regular military personnel.
