Can The Tourists Killed In Pahalgam Attack Be Given 'Martyr' Status? What Rules Say
An RTI query by activist Gopal Prasad in 2013 revealed that neither the Ministry of Defence nor the Ministry of Home Affairs has any formal definition of ‘martyr’
Days after the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to formally recognise the victims as ‘martyrs’. The demand sparked a renewed debate on who qualifies for martyr status in India.
Taking to social media platform X earlier this month, Gandhi expressed solidarity with the bereaved families, posting in Hindi, “I stand with the families mourning the loss of their loved ones in the Pahalgam attack, and support their demand to confer martyr status on the victims." He further appealed directly to the Prime Minister, urging him to “respect the sentiments of the families and bestow this honour on the deceased."
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The April 22 attack in Baisaran valley of Pahalgam, in J&K’s Anantnag district, left 26 dead and dozens injured when terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists.
Amid public outcry over the attack, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was also filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking official recognition of the slain tourists as ‘martyrs’. Rahul Gandhi, who represents Rae Bareli in the Lok Sabha, met with the family of Shubham Dwivedi, one of the victims, in Kanpur and reiterated his call for official recognition and compensation.
Who Qualifies As A Martyr?
While the term ‘martyr’ is often used in public discourse to honour those who die in service of the nation, the government does not formally confer this title outside of the armed forces. According to a 2017 clarification from the Ministry of Defence, there is no official notification or policy that grants the title of ‘martyr’ even to fallen soldiers. Instead, the designation is colloquially used and carries no legal or bureaucratic weight.
Moreover, the distinction is sharp between personnel in the armed forces and other uniformed services. Policemen, even when killed in anti-terror operations, are not entitled to the status or benefits that come with being recognised a martyr. The same applies to Agniveer recruits, who serve short-term stints in the military under a new recruitment scheme. Even if they die in active operations or attacks, they are not recognised as martyrs on paper.
An RTI query by activist Gopal Prasad in 2013 revealed that neither the Ministry of Defence nor the Ministry of Home Affairs has any formal definition of ‘martyr’. A similar response was given in the Rajya Sabha to then-MP Kiranmay Nanda, who had sought clarification on the same issue.
Why Martyr Status Matters
Granting martyr status is not merely symbolic. Families of recognised martyrs in the armed forces are entitled to a slew of benefits – from monetary compensation and pension to employment for next of kin, housing, and access to subsidised services like air and rail travel. In many cases, the state government also steps in with additional support, including land allotments, petrol pump licenses, or financial grants.
While the etymology of ‘martyr’ has ancient religious contexts, the word ‘shaheed’ originates from the Arabic term shahid, which appears in the Quran and is commonly interpreted as “witness" or “one who sacrifices for faith". In the Indian context, the Sanskrit equivalents hutatma and veergati have historically been used to denote someone who lays down their life for a noble cause.
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