The mother of Capt. Anshuman Singh, who died while saving his colleagues from a fire at an army ammunition dump at Siachen in July last year, has urged the Narendra Modi government to scrap the Agniveer scheme “immediately”.

Manju Singh and Smriti Singh, the mother and wife of the deceased soldier, had received the Kirti Chakra, the country’s second-highest peace-time gallantry award, from President Droupadi Murmu on July 5.

Manju and her husband Ravi Pratap Singh met Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in his constituency, Rae Bareli, on Tuesday.

“We also talked about the Angiveer Yojana with Rahul. We sincerely believe that this scheme should be banned immediately. I have also requested the current government to scrap this scheme and extend all facilities to those who have already joined as Agniveers. I have met defence minister Rajnath Singh in the past. He has responded positively to our views,” Manju told reporters.

“With folded hands, I request the government to stop the Agniveer scheme. It is for four years and it is not correct. Pension, canteen and every other facility that a soldier has been given should be continued,” she added.

Under the Agnipath scheme, soldiers known as Agniveers are recruited in the army, air force and navy on a short-term contractual basis for four years and they are not entitled to gratuity and pension benefits. Seventy-five per cent of them will be demobilised after the completion of four years and the rest will be retained in the regular cadre, based on merit and organisational requirements.

Manju and Ravi Pratap met Rahul at the Bhuemau Guesthouse in Rae Bareli. “We met Rahul with no specific purpose as such. Anshuman was my eldest son and the responsibility of the entire family was on him.”

Capt. Anshuman, a medical officer in the Army Medical Corps, had died while trying to retrieve life-saving medicines after rescuing his colleagues from a fibre-glass hut that had caught fire at an army ammunition dump in Siachen on July 19, 2023.

Manju said on Tuesday: “He (Anshuman) left us when we needed him the most. My two other children (a son and a daughter) are still students. His father is a retired government employee. I told Rahul that although it happened with me, it should stop now. And in any case, the government must do more than what it does for the families of dead soldiers.

“Rahul assured me that he would raise my words in Parliament. He said that maybe he wouldn’t be able to do much while sitting in the Opposition but he would definitely work in this direction if he comes to power in the future.”

Ravi Pratap said: “Rahul is a very good human being. He wants to bring positive changes in the country. We are happy to meet him.”

The family hails from Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh, but currently lives in Lucknow.

Sources in the police said that while Rahul’s flight was supposed to land at Fursatganj airport at 8am, it was diverted to Lucknow because of poor visibility. He reached Rae Bareli two hours behind schedule. On his way from Lucknow to Rae Bareli, he offered prayer at the Hanuman temple in Churva.

Rajesh Yadav, a local Congress leader, said: “He offered prayers at the temple and then we came to the Bhuemau Guesthouse. We discussed local issues and the requirements of the constituency. The way he showed his concern about the constituency is remarkable. Rahul has become a voice of poor and suppressed people.”

Panjabi Singh, another Congress leader, said: “He has asked us to chalk out a strategy for the development of the constituency. We are supposed to hand over the plan to him on his next tour of Rae Bareli.”

Mohammad Usman, another leader, said: “The people of Rae Bareli have voted for him and he wants to reciprocate with substantial work. Let us see how much he can do in the current situation when the central government is completely hostile towards him. He has said he will try his best.”