NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi , accusing him of misleading the public over the Agnipath scheme . Rajnath stressed the need for the scheme, pointing to global trends and assuring that it has the support of the armed forces.
"Rahul Gandhi is trying to mislead people unnecessarily," Singh said. "I would like to make it clear that in light of the global situation, the need for fresh and enthusiastic jawans has been felt for a long time."
Defending the Agnipath scheme, Singh said that several countries, including the US, Britain, France, Russia, Israel, and China, have introduced similar short-term engagements for their soldiers. He clarified that the scheme was implemented in India with the consensus of the country’s armed forces.
The Defence minister also addressed concerns raised by Congress leaders regarding the future of Agniveers after their service.
"Congress leaders are spreading lies that after completing their service, jawans will have to run from pillar to post for income," Singh said. "The truth is that every Agniveer is provided a one-time package of around Rs 12 lakhs after four years of service, and this is completely tax-free."
Singh further clarified that 25% of Agniveers will be retained in the armed forces based on merit. For those not retained, several states, including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and Goa, have announced reservations for Agniveers in government jobs . Singh also pointed to Haryana’s BJP manifesto, which promises government jobs for all Agniveers, reaffirming that "Agniveers are like our family."
Addressing false claims about compensation in case of death in service, Singh said, "Congress leaders have lied that if an Agniveer dies in service, his family won’t get anything. This is a lie." He went on to outline the benefits provided to families in the event of an Agniveer’s death in active military service, including over Rs 1.5 crore in compensation, a Rs 12 lakh service-end package, Rs 44 lakh in ex-gratia, and Rs 48 lakh in insurance. Additionally, Singh highlighted that the government has signed MoUs with banks to ensure insurance compensation between Rs 50 lakhs to Rs 1 crore, with no premium required from Agniveers.
Rajnath said, "Rahul Gandhi and Congress have spread misinformation. I think this would have put even Joseph Goebbels to shame."
"Rahul Gandhi is trying to mislead people unnecessarily," Singh said. "I would like to make it clear that in light of the global situation, the need for fresh and enthusiastic jawans has been felt for a long time."
Defending the Agnipath scheme, Singh said that several countries, including the US, Britain, France, Russia, Israel, and China, have introduced similar short-term engagements for their soldiers. He clarified that the scheme was implemented in India with the consensus of the country’s armed forces.
The Defence minister also addressed concerns raised by Congress leaders regarding the future of Agniveers after their service.
"Congress leaders are spreading lies that after completing their service, jawans will have to run from pillar to post for income," Singh said. "The truth is that every Agniveer is provided a one-time package of around Rs 12 lakhs after four years of service, and this is completely tax-free."
Singh further clarified that 25% of Agniveers will be retained in the armed forces based on merit. For those not retained, several states, including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and Goa, have announced reservations for Agniveers in government jobs . Singh also pointed to Haryana’s BJP manifesto, which promises government jobs for all Agniveers, reaffirming that "Agniveers are like our family."
Addressing false claims about compensation in case of death in service, Singh said, "Congress leaders have lied that if an Agniveer dies in service, his family won’t get anything. This is a lie." He went on to outline the benefits provided to families in the event of an Agniveer’s death in active military service, including over Rs 1.5 crore in compensation, a Rs 12 lakh service-end package, Rs 44 lakh in ex-gratia, and Rs 48 lakh in insurance. Additionally, Singh highlighted that the government has signed MoUs with banks to ensure insurance compensation between Rs 50 lakhs to Rs 1 crore, with no premium required from Agniveers.
Rajnath said, "Rahul Gandhi and Congress have spread misinformation. I think this would have put even Joseph Goebbels to shame."
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