New Delhi: The Agnipath scheme, heavily criticized by the Opposition, ignited a heated debate between Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister Rajnath Singh in the Lok Sabha today. The minister accused the Leader of the Opposition of spreading misinformation and misleading the public about the scheme, offering to discuss the issue in the House.

During his speech on the Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Mr. Gandhi claimed that the Agnipath scheme has deprived soldiers and their families of financial security and respect, highlighting the absence of a pension. He accused the government of having "anti-youth and anti-farmer" leanings.

Mr. Singh countered that Mr. Gandhi had propagated several misconceptions about the Budget, which Finance Minister Sitharaman would address in her upcoming speech. He added that Mr. Gandhi was misleading the public regarding Agnipath, leading to further tension between the two leaders.

This confrontation follows a similar heated exchange in the Lok Sabha on July 1, when Mr. Gandhi criticized the government for not recognizing an Agniveer who died in a landmine blast as a martyr. He argued that the government treats Agniveers as expendable laborers, depriving their families of pensions and compensation.

Mr. Singh clarified that the families of Agniveers who die in the line of duty receive financial assistance of ₹ 1 crore. He urged Mr. Gandhi not to mislead the House with incorrect statements.

In response, Mr. Gandhi cited the case of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, who died in the line of duty. Posting a video of Ajay Kumar's father, Mr. Gandhi claimed the family had not received any money from the central government and demanded proper recognition and benefits for the family.

Ajay Kumar's family later clarified that they had received some compensation but demanded hero status for Ajay and called for the scrapping of the Agnipath scheme. "We want the Agniveer scheme to be scrapped, and we should get pension and a canteen card," his father told media.

Launched in 2022, the Agnipath scheme aims to recruit personnel for short-term service in the armed forces, reducing the age profile of candidates across the board. 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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