Uproar in Punjab as Indian Army denies guard of honour for martyred soldier

In an astounding and contentious move that has plunged Punjab into a whirlwind of political unrest, the Indian Army declined to accord a guard of honour during the funeral rites of Agniveer Amritpal Singh. The Agniveer, who tragically met his end in Jammu and Kashmir on October 11, found himself at the centre of this controversy when the Army cited his self-inflicted gunshot wound as the rationale behind the decision, aligning with their set protocols.

The episode sent shockwaves across political spectrums in Punjab. The state’s Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann, didn’t hold back his disbelief and dismay. Vowing to tackle the matter head-on with the central administration, he pledged a whopping ₹1 crore to Agniveer Amritpal Singh’s grieving family, affirming Punjab’s stance of immortalising the legacy of its martyred heroes.

But what intensified the issue was the sombre scene at Punjab’s Mansa district. The bereaved village witnessed Amritpal Singh, who served diligently in a Jammu and Kashmir Rifles battalion, being laid to rest devoid of the revered military guard of honour. A sight that didn’t sit well with many.

Eminent political voices rose in the backdrop of this controversy. Former Union Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal stalwart, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, was appalled. She fervently appealed to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to step in, emphasizing that every valiant martyr should be bestowed with military honours befitting their sacrifice.

Clarifying their stance, the Army disclosed the poignant circumstances surrounding Singh’s demise – a self-inflicted gunshot while on vigilant sentry duty in the Rajouri Sector. As a court of inquiry delves deeper into the matter, revelations emerged of Singh’s mortal remains being escorted in a civilian vehicle, albeit under the watchful gaze of army compatriots. The Army’s adherence to protocol in such cases – refraining from military funerals – added another layer to the escalating drama.

However, the public discourse broadened with Amrinder Singh Raja Warring of Punjab Congress underlining the overarching question: Does being an Agniveer recruit diminish the worth of a soldier’s life? The glaring absence of a military guard of honour forced the distraught family to turn to the local Punjab Police for this sacred ritual.

In a pointed critique, Shiromani Akali Dal’s spearhead, Sukhbir Singh Badal, lambasted the Bhagwant Mann administration, decrying the lack of a state-level representative to bid farewell to the fallen hero. The comparison to actions of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Ji Badal in hypothetical circumstances added fuel to the fire.

But amidst this maelstrom, SAD’s Bikram Singh Majithia unveiled another perspective, championing for the end of the Agniveer scheme altogether, pushing for the mainstreaming of all soldiers inducted through it. This intense debacle shines a glaring spotlight on the policies shaping military honours for martyrs and the evident disparity between Agniveer recruits and their counterparts.