The Agnipath scheme was the focal point of a heated debate in the Lok Sabha between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister Rajnath Singh. Singh accused Gandhi of spreading misinformation and misleading the public regarding the scheme, offering to discuss the matter further in the House.
Rahul Gandhi vs Rajnath Singh in Lok Sabha
In his speech on the Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Rahul Gandhi criticized the Agnipath scheme, claiming it deprived soldiers and their families of financial security and respect due to the absence of a pension. He argued that the scheme reflected the government’s “anti-youth and anti-farmer” stance.
Rajnath Singh countered Gandhi’s claims, stating that the latter had propagated several misconceptions about the Budget, which Sitharaman would address in her upcoming speech. Singh asserted that Gandhi was misleading the public about Agnipath, which led to a standoff between the two.
On July 1, a similar confrontation occurred in the Lok Sabha. Gandhi highlighted the case of an Agniveer who lost his life in a landmine blast but was not recognized as a martyr by the government. He argued that the Agnipath scheme treated these soldiers as expendable, like laborers, without pension or compensation for their families.
Rajnath Singh responded by clarifying that families of Agniveers who die in the line of duty receive financial assistance of ₹1 crore. He urged Rahul Gandhi not to mislead the House with incorrect statements.
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Rahul Gandhi later cited the case of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, who died in the line of duty, and claimed that Kumar’s family had not received any money from the central government. He demanded facilities and pension for the family. Kumar’s family subsequently clarified that they had received some compensation but called for the Agniveer scheme to be scrapped and for pension and canteen card benefits to be provided.
About Agnipath scheme
Launched in 2022, the Agnipath scheme aims to recruit personnel for short-term service in the armed forces to reduce the age profile of candidates. Known as Agniveers, these individuals currently do not qualify for regular benefits such as pensions for their families in the event of their death in service.
The issue has sparked broader discussions, with a parliamentary panel recommending that families of Agniveers who die in the line of duty should receive benefits equivalent to those provided to families of regular military personnel.
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