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The parents of martyr Captain Anshman Singh, expressed their displeasure with the Next To Kin policy in a recent interview and asked that it be revised because their daughter-in-law, Smriti Singh, receives all of the share because she is the nominee, which seems unfair to the parents who are left with only their son's picture.
Captain Anshuman Singh, who served as a medical officer in the Siachen Glacier region with the 26 Punjab Regiment, said that around three in the morning on July 19, 2023, an Indian Army ammunition dump caught fire due to a short circuit. Before he passed away, Captain Singh acted to save the people trapped inside a fibreglass hut that was on fire.
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President Droupadi Murmu presented Captain Singh's wife Smriti and mother Manju Singh with the Kirti Chakra, India's second-highest gallantry award, posthumously on July 5 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The Controversy
Days after receiving the award, the martyred captain's parents are demanding a change in the Next Of Kin (NOK) policy as their daughter-in-law obtains the compensation provided by the Indian Army and the Government of India, and they are 'left with one photo' of their martyred son.
Speaking to TV9 Bharatvarsh, Captain Singh's father, Ravi Pratap Singh said, “The criteria set to NOK is not correct. I have also spoken to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh about this. Anshuman’s wife doesn’t live with us now, the marriage was just five months old and there is no child. We only have a photo of our son hanging on the wall with a garland on it."
“That is why we want that the definition of NOK be fixed. It should be decided that if the wife of the martyr stays in the family, who has how much dependency,” he added.
Captain Singh’s mother said they want the government to revisit the NOK rules so that other parents don’t have to suffer.
Rules Of Next To Kin Policy
As per the present NOK policy of the Indian Army, Martyer's parents or guardians are listed as their "Next Of Kin," which refers to their nearest relatives, when they enlist in the army. That being said, the NOK record's parents are replaced by the married person's spouse, giving all the rights, including compensation, authorised by the NOK, meaning the spouse in this case.
AGIF's Response
Army sources clarified that the Army Group Insurance Fund (AGIF) of ₹1 crore was split between his wife and parents, while the pension goes directly to the spouse, amidst the allegations put forth by Captain Singh's parents on the widow of martyred Captain Singh. In addition, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had announced ₹50 lakh in aid, of which ₹35 lakh went to his wife and ₹15 lakh to his parents.
Netizens React
While some are empathising with the parent's condition, netizens are supporting the widow's right to be independent too. Some have also come ahead and shared their experience, agreeing with Captain Singh's parent's demand for a change in NOK policy.
