Agniveer's kin got only insurance money: Rahul Gandhi

Two days after the Army refuted Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's charge - that the defence minister 'lied' about slain Agniveer Ajay Kumar's family receiving ₹1 crore compensation-and insisted that the amount has been paid, Gandhi on Friday claimed the jawan's family had received insurance money, not compensation.

"Kumar's family has not received any compensation in the bank account even after six months. There is a difference between compensation and insurance. Why has the family still not received any ex gratia payment? Why haven't his salary arrears been paid yet?" Gandhi said in a video message, backed with a supporting statement from the jawan's father.

Officials clarified that as part of the compensation package for battle casualties, which applies to regular soldiers and agniveers, some of the emoluments are from special insurance schemes. One part is from Army Group Insurance Fund for which an agniveer does not have to make any contribution. Another is from special deals struck with the banks that hold the salary accounts of soldiers.


An additional ex gratia and other benefits of around ₹67 lakh would be paid on final account settlement after due police verification, the officials added.