Amidst a heated parliamentary session on Monday, July 1, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticized the ruling BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the government of not recognizing Agniveer, who die in the line of duty, as “martyrs”. This sparked a strong response from the treasury benches, leading to a contentious debate.
Gandhi’s Allegations
Rahul Gandhi alleged that the NDA government fails to acknowledge Agniveers from poor families who die in the line of duty as martyrs. He stated, “An agniveer from a poor family was martyred in a landmine blast. I am calling him a martyr. But the government does not acknowledge him as a martyr. Narendra Modi won’t call him a martyr. Modi calls him Agniveer. His family won’t get the pension. His family won’t get compensation. He won’t get the status of martyr.”
Government’s Response
The MPs, including ministers from the ruling coalition, rejected Gandhi’s allegations as misleading. They challenged him to provide evidence that Agniveers who laid down their lives did not receive compensation from the government.
Fact Check
Calling Rahul Gandhi’s attack on the Agneepath scheme “misinformation”, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the government provides Rs 1 crore compensation to the families of Agniveer martyrs. Singh refuted Gandhi’s claims in Parliament, saying, “He should not try to mislead the House by making wrong statements. Financial assistance of Rs 1 crore is given to the family of the Agniveer who sacrifices his life while protecting our borders or during war.”
According to the Agniveer scheme document, the compensation amount in case of death on duty is Rs 92 lakh, and in case of death while not on duty is Rs 48 lakh.
Historical Context of the “Martyr” Debate
The debate around according the status of “martyr” or “shaheed” to fallen soldiers is not new. In 2013, during the Congress-led UPA government, it was clarified that there was no provision to declare fallen soldiers as martyrs. The then government faced demands for martyr status for Sarabjit Singh, an Indian national executed in Pakistan. Despite initial promises, the government clarified that there were no plans to accord such status.
In December 2015, the Modi government maintained the same stand. The Union Home Ministry, in a reply to the Lok Sabha, stated that the term “martyr” was not used in reference to any casualties in the Indian armed forces or Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). This position was reiterated in the Rajya Sabha in December 2021.
RTI Inquiry and Army Communique
In March 2017, an RTI applicant sought clarification on the definition of “shaheed” or “martyr” from the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs. The response confirmed that these terms were not officially used, with “battle casualty” and “operations casualty” being the preferred terms.
In February 2022, the Army headquarters issued a directive discouraging the use of “martyr” for soldiers who fell in the line of duty, suggesting alternative terms such as “killed in action” and “supreme sacrifice for the nation”.
Historical and Religious Connotations of “Martyr” and “Shaheed”
The terms “martyr” and “shaheed” have deep historical and religious connotations. “Martyr” originates from an ancient Greek term meaning “witness” and was used for early Christians persecuted for their faith. “Shaheed” is an Arabic term frequently used in the Quran to denote a person who suffers or dies for affirming the truth of a belief system. This connection with religious persecution has been a significant argument against enacting laws in India to accord these statuses to fallen soldiers.
Fact Check on the Term “Martyr” in the Indian Armed Forces
The use of the term “martyr” to describe soldiers who sacrifice their lives in the line of duty has been a topic of debate in India for many years. Various official communications and responses from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) have consistently clarified the government’s stance on this matter.
Official Stance on the Term “Martyr”
- Ministry of Defence’s Clarification in 2023:
On March 28, 2023, the Ministry of Defence informed the Rajya Sabha that the Indian Armed Forces do not use the term “martyr” for those who sacrifice their lives for the nation. Ajay Bhatt, the Minister of State for Defence, stated, “The term ‘martyr’ is not used in the Indian Armed Forces,” in response to a question from TMC’s Dr. Santanu Sen. Dr. Sen had inquired if the government had ceased using the term “martyr” for those who died in the line of duty. - Historical Context:
- RTI Clarifications (2013-2014): The MHA clarified in multiple RTI replies that the terms “martyr” and “shaheed” are not officially recognized by the Government of India.
- Parliamentary Replies (2015): In December 2015, Kirren Rijiju, then MoS for Home Affairs, informed the Lok Sabha that the MoD does not use the word “martyr” for casualties in the Indian Armed Forces. This terminology is also not used for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Assam Rifles personnel.
- Further Clarifications (2021): Nityanand Rai, MoS for Home Affairs, reiterated in December 2021 that there is no official nomenclature such as “martyr”.
Objections to the Term “Martyr”
The words “martyr” and “shaheed” have religious connotations that do not align with the secular nature of the Indian Armed Forces, which consist of personnel from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. Historically, “martyr” is derived from the Greek word “martur,” meaning a person who voluntarily suffers death for refusing to renounce their religion. Similarly, “shaheed” is an Arabic-origin term used in Islamic contexts.
Alternative Terminology
In February 2022, the Indian Army issued a circular to all its commands, advising against the use of the term “martyr.” Instead, they recommended using alternative phrases such as:
- Laid down their lives
- Killed in action
- Supreme sacrifice for the nation
- Fallen heroes
- Indian Army braves
- Fallen soldiers
- Battle casualty
- Bravehearts
- Braves whom we lost
- Veergati/Veergati prapt/Veer
These terms are considered more appropriate and inclusive for honoring soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Under the Agneepath scheme, Agniveers are recruited in the Indian Army for four years of service, including the training period. After four years of service, 25 percent of Agniveers are permanently recruited into the army.
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