Amid a raging controversy over denial of a guard of honour to an Indian Army soldier recruited under the Agniveer scheme, the Army on Sunday clarified that the denial was not because he was an Agniveer but because he had died by suicide.
The Army said that the policy in place for a long time dictates that soldiers who die by suicide are not provided guard of honour during last rites.
The controversy, however, has not died down despite the explanation. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met the family of the soldier, identified as Amritpal Singh, on Monday and announced perks for the family and a status of a 'martyr' for him.
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The Army, however, termed the controversy as a case "misunderstanding and misinterpretation".
The Indian Army said, "Armed Forces do not differentiate between the soldiers who joined prior to or after implementation of the Agnipath Scheme as regards entitled benefits and protocols.
"Armed Forces do not differentiate between the soldiers who joined prior to or after implementation of the Agnipath Scheme as regards entitled benefits and protocols. 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 Military Funerals as per the extant Army Order of 1967, in vogue. Policy on the subject has been consistently followed ever since, without any discrimination."
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The Agnipath scheme under which Agniveer soldiers are recruited has been highly unpopular with the Opposition and with large sections of the public. Under this scheme, instead of conventional regular recruitment, soldiers are recruited for a period of four years. At the end of four years, only 25 per cent of the soldiers would be regularised, as per the scheme.
After the case of Singh surfaced, the Opposition in Punjab came down heavily on the Army and expressed shock after Singh was denied guard of honour. Political leaders sought intervention from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the matter, seeking necessary directions to accord military honours to all deceased soldiers. Further, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre on Sunday for not according to a military funeral for Singh.
Singh was cremated on Friday in his village in Punjab. It said the mortal remains of the deceased, accompanied by a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and four other ranks, were transported to his hometown in a civil ambulance hired by the Agniveer's unit.
Mann on Monday met the family of Singh in Punjab's Mansa and announced that he would be declared a 'martyr', a statue of him would be erected, and a stadium would be named after him. Additionally, he also assured compensatory jobs for his family.
