Rahul Gandhi & Indian Army engage in war of words over Agniveer scheme
New Delhi: A war of words has erupted between the Indian Army and Rahul Gandhi, following his criticism of the Agniveer scheme during his recent speech in the Lok Sabha.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Rahul Gandhi, in his inaugural address as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, touched upon various contentious issues ranging from the ethnic conflict in Manipur to the NEET controversy, and from the Agniveer recruitment scheme in the armed forces to the ongoing farm crisis and inflation, as well as the politics of hate. His remarks have drawn a strong response from the BJP government and the Indian Army, setting the stage for a political showdown.
Gandhi criticized the Agniveer scheme, stating, “Agniveer is a use and throw labour. One soldier is getting a pension, while another is not. You are creating a divide among soldiers”. He added that the government does not even give them (Agniveers) the status of a “shaheed”.
He also accused the Indian Ministry of Defence of misleading information regarding compensation for the family of Ajay Kumar, a deceased soldier. Gandhi also shared on X a video of Kumar’s father, who said he had not received any financial assistance. He said in his post that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lied in Parliament about compensation being issued to families of Agniveers who are killed in action. “…I had said in my speech that don’t listen to me, don’t listen to him. Listen to the families of Agniveers,” said the Congress MP.
In response, the Indian Army issued a rebuttal on X, saying, “Certain posts on the social media have brought out that compensation hasn’t been paid to the next of kin of Agniveer Kumar who lost his life in the line of duty”. The army asserted that all necessary protocols were followed in honoring the fallen soldier, including the payment of Rs 98 lakh in compensation along with additional considerations totaling to Rs 67 lakh.
Political analysts express concern over the deteriorating relations between Rahul Gandhi and the Indian Army following these developments.
Rahul Gandhi’s speech also criticized Prime Minister Modi, BJP, and RSS for promoting their Hindutva ideology. He sarcastically mentioned the deployment of Agniveers, who underwent six months of training against China, as a point of contention.
