Explained: The pension controversy after an Agniveer’s death in line of duty in Siachen

The Centre’s Agnipath scheme, which sees soldiers being recruited for four years, has become a topic of debate and discussion once again after a recruit – called an Agniveer – died on duty in Siachen on Saturday.

Following the young recruit’s demise, questions have arisen over pension benefits to the family, with the Congress alleging that the Agniveer scheme was an “insult to the heroes of India”, claiming no pension or other benefits are given to the families of Agniveers after their martyrdom – a charge that the Centre has denied vehemently.

We take a closer look at what the rules say about Agniveer emoluments and whether their families are entitled to any benefits following the soldier’s demise.

Agniveer’s death

On Saturday, Gawate Akshay Laxman, hailing from Maharashtra’s Aurangabad and recruited into the Indian Army as an Agniveer, passed away at the Siachen glacier, also known as the world’s highest battlefield.

According to the Army, Laxman died due to “medical complications arising out of high-altitude conditions”. The Indian Army’s Fire and Fury Corps condoled the soldier’s death, writing on X, “Quartered in snow silent to remain, when the bugle calls they shall rise and march again.

“All ranks of Fire and Fury Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of #Agniveer (Operator) Gawate Akshay Laxman, in the line of duty, in the unforgiving heights of #Siachen and offer deepest condolences to the family.”

This marks the first such casualty in the line of duty since the short-term recruitment of soldiers under the Agnipath scheme began last year.

Another Agniveer, identified later as Amritpal Singh, had died by suicide while on sentry duty in Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir on 11 October. However, since his injury was “self-inflicted”, he was not accorded with any honours.

Row over payment and pension

After the Indian Army announced the soldier’s demise, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called the scheme an ‘insult’ India’s bravehearts.

“A young man was martyred for the country – no gratuity, no other military facilities for his service, and no pension to his family in martyrdom. Agniveer is a plan to insult the heroes of India,” Gandhi said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

सियाचिन में, अग्निवीर गवाते अक्षय लक्ष्मण की शहादत का समाचार बहुत दुखद है। उनके परिवार को मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं।

एक युवा देश के लिए शहीद हो गया – सेवा के समय न ग्रेच्युटी न अन्य सैन्य सुविधाएं, और शहादत में परिवार को पेंशन तक नहीं।

अग्निवीर, भारत के वीरों के अपमान की योजना है! pic.twitter.com/8LcQpZR9f2

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 22, 2023

Other social media handles as well as former Army veterans also pointed out that Laxman’s family would not receive a pension.

Navdeep Singh, a lawyer, who has authored books on military pensions, wrote on X: “Ironically, the family of a temporary trainee civil employee even if she/he dies in an accident on getting drunk while on leave or by suicide, would be entitled to family pension, but not the family of this Agniveer Battle Casualty in Siachen (sorry for the dark and seemingly insensitive examples/ comparison).”

Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retired) was also quoted as telling Times of India that if a ‘regular’ jawan had died alongside Laxman in Siachen, his family would have got all the benefits for the “same task, same threat and in the same service”.

Officialspeak

Following the debate on whether Laxman’s next of kin would receive any pension, the Indian Army issued a statement to clarify the emoluments due to Laxman’s family and to the next of kin of other Agniveers who die in the line of duty.

#Agniveer (Operator) Gawate Akshay Laxman laid down his life in the line of duty in #Siachen. #IndianArmy stands firm with the bereaved family in this hour of grief.

In view of conflicting messages on social media regarding financial assistance to the Next of Kin of the… pic.twitter.com/46SVfMbcjl

— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) October 22, 2023

The Army stated that as per the terms of engagement, an Agniveer’s family would receive a non-contributory insurance sum, amounting to Rs 48 lakh. They would also be given Rs 44 lakh as compensation, 30 per cent of Seva Nidhi contributed by the Agniveer with equal matching contribution by the government, and interest thereon.

The emoluments would also include pay for the balance tenure from the date of death, till completion of four years (over Rs 13 lakh); as per balance residual tenure, and contribution of Rs 8 lakh from Armed Forces Battle Casualty Fund, they added.

An immediate financial assistance of Rs 30,000 from the Army Wives Welfare Association would also be given to the next of kin.

BJP’s I-T cell in-charge Amit Malviya slammed Rahul Gandhi for his previous post, calling it “absolute trash and irresponsible”.

He also urged the Congress leader to “stop peddling #FakeNews. You are aspiring to be Prime Minister. Try and behave like one.”

Past Agniveer row

Earlier in the month too, there was a similar controversy over the death of an Agniveer. At the time, the Army had faced criticism for denying a military funeral to an Agniveer who died in Jammu.

The Jammu-based White Corps had then said in a statement that Agniveer Amritpal Singh, 19, had died while on sentry duty in the Rajouri sector “due to a self-inflicted gunshot injury”. Officials said no guard of honour is provided in cases related to self-inflicted injury.

Army officials added that this is the existing policy for all soldiers, not just for Agnivereers. “Unfortunate instances of death arising out of suicide/self-inflicted injury, irrespective of the type of entry, are accorded due respect by the Armed Forces along with deep and enduring empathy with the family. Such cases, however, are not entitled to military funerals as per the extant Army Order of 1967, in vogue,” the Indian Army had said.

With inputs from agencies