New Delhi:

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Tuesday accused the government of using the Army “politically” for elections and claimed the ruling party has hurt its dignity by “capitalising on the popularity of soldiers”.

He claimed the Narendra Modi government has asked the Army to set up selfie points across the country where its schemes will be promoted instead of the bravery of soldiers.

“By capitalising on the popularity of the brave soldiers of our Indian Army who protect the nation, Modi ji is promoting himself. By politically using the army for elections, the Modi government has done something which has never happened in the last 75 years,” Mr Kharge alleged in a post in Hindi on X.

The Modi government has asked the Army to set up 822 selfie points across the country to promote government schemes. There, instead of the story of the bravery of the soldiers, “there is an idol-like image of Prime Minister Modi and praises of his schemes”, the Congress president alleged in the post.

“The Indian National Congress is extremely proud of the bravery and sacrifice of the Indian Army. The BJP, which gives lessons of nationalism, has hurt the dignity of the Indian Army,” Mr Kharge claimed. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The death of Agniveer Amritpal Singh was a case of suicide, the army has said amid a huge row in Punjab over the lack of a guard of honour at his funeral. It also admitted to “some misunderstanding and misrepresentation of facts” related to his death.

Amritpal Singh had died during sentry duty in Rajouri Sector, due to a self-inflicted gunshot injury on October 11, the army said earlier. A court of inquiry is working to ascertain more details, it had said.  

“It is a grave loss to the family and the Indian Army that Agniveer Amritpal Singh had shot himself,” the army said on Sunday. “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,” read a statement by the army.

Amid opposition protests yesterday over the lack of Guard of Honour, the army said, “The cause of death being a self-inflicted injury, no guard of honour or military funeral was provided, in accordance with the existing policy”.

“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,” the army has now reiterated.

Data shows on an average, 100 to 140 soldiers have died every year since 2001 by suicide or self-inflicted injuries. In such cases, military funeral is not accorded but the family is given financial assistance as per entitlement, it added.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, yesterday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said whatever the army policy, his government’s policy will remain the same for a martyr and it will give Rs 1 crore to the family of the soldier.

A flood affected locality at Singtam, in Gangtok district, Wednesday, October. 4, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI

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