High drama unfolded outside the residence of Agniveer Ajay Singh (23) at Ramgarh Sardaran village in the Payal sub-division of Ludhiana district. Family members chased away a group of electronic media reporters, alleging harassment. Ajay Singh’s family expressed their frustration, stating they had not received any ex-gratia payment from the Centre or the Army, despite six months passing since their son’s death.
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Political reactions
Local Congress leader Smit Singh visited the family, echoing Rahul Gandhi’s claim in the Lok Sabha that the family had not received compensation from the Centre. Smit Singh highlighted that the family only received insurance cover amounts and no ex-gratia payment from the Centre.
Smit Singh, deputed by Rahul Gandhi, assured the family of continued support and assistance to meet their needs.
Background on compensation dispute
Agniveer Ajay Singh died in a landmine blast in Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir in January this year. The compensation dispute has led to a war of words between Rahul Gandhi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. During a Lok Sabha election rally in May, Rahul Gandhi visited the family and demanded the scrapping of the Agniveer Army recruitment scheme, criticising it as a “use and throw” policy.
Family’s statement
Ajay Singh’s father, Charanjit Singh Kala, clarified the compensation received:
Rs 98 lakh from insurance cover: Rs 48 lakh from the Army and Rs 50 lakh from a private bank. Rs 1 crore from the Punjab government.
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However, according to The Indian Express, he confirmed that no ex-gratia compensation had been received from the Centre or the Army.
Army’s response
Following Rahul Gandhi’s speech, the Indian Army stated on social media that the family had been paid Rs 98.39 lakh out of a total amount of approximately Rs 1.65 crore. They admitted that the ex-gratia payment was pending and would be processed shortly after police verification.
Emotional plea
Ajay Singh’s father, expressing his grief, stated, “Return our son. We won’t ask for any money. We don’t need any money if the government can return our son.”
The controversy over the compensation for the family of deceased Agniveer Ajay Singh highlights the ongoing debate about the Agniveer Army recruitment scheme and the support provided to families of fallen soldiers.
