On Kargil War Diwas, PM Modi and Congress Clash Over Agnipath and Agniveer Scheme

New Delhi:

Congress leader Karti Chidambaram criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for defending the ‘Agnipath’ scheme at an event to honour the Kargil War soldiers. Mr. Chidambaram stated that the Army should not be politicised and called for the scrapping of the Agniveer scheme.

“The Indian Army has a glorious past and should not be politicised. We salute the army, not the other way around,” he added.

Another Congress leader, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, shared similar sentiments and emphasized the need for clarity on the future of Agniveers after their four-year service term.

“The PM says we are spreading confusion. He talks about what will happen in 30 years. He should address what will happen in 4 years to these Agniveers,” Mr. Randhawa said.

Launched in 2022, the Agnipath scheme aims to recruit personnel for short-term service in the armed forces, intending to lower the age profile of the services. These recruits, known as Agniveers, currently do not qualify for regular benefits, such as pensions, for their families if they die in service.

The controversy has triggered wider discussions, with a parliamentary panel previously 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.

Earlier today, PM Modi accused the Congress of spreading falsehoods about the Agnipath scheme to deter youths from enrolling in short-term military service.

“The Congress did not want our defence forces to have the latest fighter planes. They oppose the Agnipath Scheme, which aims to make our soldiers young and fit for war,” he said at the Kargil War memorial.

“They claim that the Agniveer Scheme is a ploy by Narendra Modi to save on pensions. They forget that a soldier recruited today will be eligible for a pension after 30 years, by which time I would be 105. They want people to believe that I am foolish enough to jeopardize our country’s defence forces,” he added.

A significant controversy arose earlier this month when the family of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, who died in the line of duty, demanded ‘hero’ status for him. The family argued that compensation money could not replace Ajay Kumar.