Agniveer's family has been paid Rs 98 lakh: Army after Rahul Gandhi's claim :::: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla amends parliamentary rules

 Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has amended parliamentary rules to restrict newly elected MPs from using any additional words or remarks before or after taking the oath or affirmation of membership. 

The Speaker has made an amendment to Rule 389 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (Seventeenth Edition).

According to the amendment, a "member shall make and subscribe oath or affirmation, as the case may be, in accordance with the form set out for the purpose, in the Third Schedule to the Constitution of India and shall not use any word or expression or make any remark as a prefix or suffix to the form of oath or affirmation."

The amendment comes amid controversy over some MPs raising slogans like "Jai Palestine", "Jai Hindu Rashtra" while taking oath. Recently, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi raised slogans of 'Jai Bhim, Jai Mim, Jai Telangana and 'Jai Palestine' in the House after taking oath as an MP. Apart from Owaisi, some other MPs were also seen raising slogans before or after taking oath

Agniveer's family has been paid Rs 98 lakh: Army after Rahul Gandhi's claim

The Indian Army has said that the family of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, who died in the line of duty, has been paid Rs 98 lakh as compensation. 

The Army's statement comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed in a social media post that Ajay Kumar's family did not receive any compensation from the government.

"Certain posts on social media have brought out that compensation hasn't been paid to the next of kin of Agniveer Ajay Kumar who lost his life in the line of duty... Of the total amount due, family of Agniveer Ajay has already been paid Rs 98.39 lakhs," the Army statement read.

"Ex-gratia and other benefits amounting to approximately 67 lakhs, as applicable according to the provisions of the Agniveer Scheme, will be paid on final account settlement shortly post due police verification. The total amount will be Rs 1.65 Cr approximately," it added.

The Army emphasised that compensation due to a fallen hero are paid "expeditiously to the next of kin of departed soldiers, including Agniveers".

The Army's statement came shortly after Rahul Gandhi posted a video on his X account, claiming that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lied about the compensation paid to the family of Agniveer Ajay Kumar.