Days after martyred Captain Anshuman Singh was awarded the Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, by President Droupadi Murmu in a solemn ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, a contentious family feud has taken center stage. Captain Singh's parents are advocating for reforms in the Indian Army's "next of kin" (NOK) policy.
About the controversy
Captain Anshuman Singh, a medical officer in the Indian Army, died while saving lives during a fire in Siachen last year. His parents are now demanding a revision in government's NOK policy, after they alleged that their daughter-in-law, Smriti Singh, has severed all ties and left the house along with their son’s posthumous honors and belongings following his death in July 2023.
Ravi Pratap Singh also claimed he couldn't even hold the Kirti Chakra awarded to his son by the President on July 5, as his daughter-in-law took it away.
Next-of-Kin law to be amended
Meanwhile, Captain Anshuman Singh's parents are now calling for changes to the 'next of kin’ law, including adjustments to the assistance amount and other facilities provided by the government to the parents and the wife of the martyr. They also demand that the government provide a replica of military honors, such as the Kirti Chakra, to the parents along with the wife, so they can also cherish the memories of their son.
Know what Captain Anshuman Singh's parents said
Amid the controversy, Anshuman Singh's father, Ravi Pratap, spoke to the media, expressing his unhappiness with his daughter-in-law Smriti's behavior. He made serious allegations against her, stating, "It is not about money. It should be whether one Chakra will be given or two. What will happen if the wife leaves? There is no greed for money. I want to give my property to the government. The government should build a school or hospital with this money or my property."
Ravi Pratap also mentioned that he plans to donate his property to the Captain Anshuman Trust, emphasizing that he will not trade his son's martyrdom.
Further, regarding his daughter-in-law, Pratap said, "Smriti had switched off her phone and did not come for the peace puja held at home. I was saddened by this, and then she did not even talk to me at Rashtrapati Bhavan and broke all protocols and left. When I asked my daughter-in-law Smriti to give me the Kirti Chakra, she refused outright."
"Talking with Smriti stopped from January 30 itself. I had said that let Anshuman's mother receive the award from the President. We asked Smriti for a photo but she did not give it. When this matter came into the public domain after meeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, she went from here to Noida. She left without telling anyone. She said that she wants to forget her old life. We tried to talk several times, but she even blocked my number. I have neither my son nor my daughter-in-law nor my respect left," he added.
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