In response to Rahul Gandhi's claim that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lied about compensation for Agniveer Ajay Kumar's family, the Army clarified late Wednesday that ₹ 98.39 lakh has already been paid. The Army's statement on social media emphasized that it honors Kumar's supreme sacrifice. The total due to the family will be approximately ₹ 1.65 crore, including an additional ₹ 67 lakh in ex-gratia and other benefits, pending final account settlement and police verification.

Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, alleged in a video message that the Defence Minister misled Parliament regarding the assistance provided to Kumar's family. He called for Singh to apologize to Parliament, the nation, the Army, and Kumar's family. Gandhi was accompanied in the video by Ajay Kumar's father, who claimed they had received no compensation from the Central government.

The Agnipath scheme, launched in 2022, recruits personnel for short-term service in the armed forces, known as Agniveers. Under current provisions, Agniveers' families are not eligible for regular benefits like pensions. A parliamentary panel recommended in February that families of Agniveers who die in service should receive the same benefits as those of regular military personnel. Rajnath Singh defended the scheme in Lok Sabha, asserting that ₹ 1 crore in assistance is provided to families of Agniveers who die in the line of duty.