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Army Chief moving to court a bad precedent: Govt

Last Updated: Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 12:58

Tags: Army Chief, Age row, Defence Ministry

Army Chief moving to court a bad precedent: Govt

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence finally broke its silence on Wednesday on the controversy over Army Chief’s date of birth, saying General VK Singh moving to court against the government sets a bad precedent.

Minister of State for Defence Pallam Raju said the development is neither good for the ministry nor the Army, and “sets an unhealthy precedent”.

Raju further described the matter as a sensitive issue and added it is not a matter for public debate.

After Gen Singh took the government to Supreme Court on Monday over the dispute on his date of birth, sources said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken charge of the matter.

The PM yesterday met Defence Minister AK Antony, Law Minister Salman Khurshid, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and several legal experts to discuss the matter. The government also filed a caveat in the Supreme Court yesterday, requesting to be heard before passing any order on the writ petition filed by Gen Singh challenging the Defence Ministry's decision not to accept his position that he was born in 1951.

Gen Singh, citing birth records, says he was born in 1951 and is not due to retire until March 2013.

But records at the Defence Ministry show he was born in 1950, which means that Gen Singh, who became Army Chief in March 2010, is due to retire in May this year.

Notwithstanding Army Chief’s contention that he has moved court to protect his honour and integrity, the government believes the move highlights a trust deficit between the head of the Army and the government, said sources.

Sources further said the government has already begun sifting through a list of senior Army officers who could succeed Gen Singh.

There were also reports that Gen Singh may be asked to proceed on leave pending the apex court's view on his petition. However, there was no confirmation of such a course from the Defence Ministry.

Further, a report said the Army Chief had written a letter to the Defence Minister minutes after he moved the court on Monday, explaining the reason behind the move.

Gen Singh is reported to have written in the letter that a pending public interest litigation, which would have proved “insidious”, forced him into the move.

First Published: Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 12:58

Comments

nikhil - dubai
IT IS REALLY SURPRISING THAT THE ARMY CHIEF HAS GONE TO SUPREME SEEKING THE CORRECTION IN HIS DATE OF BIRTH ! SAME TIME GOVT QATCHED THE DEVELOPMENT BY SITTING ON THE FENCE. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE DNA TEST TO DETERMINE AND TALLEY WITH HE RECORDS. HOWEVER THE PRESIDENT BEING THE SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE THREE ARMED FORCES IN HER CAPACITY SHOULD REMOVE HIM FROM HIS POST TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO THINK TWICE FOR SUCH ACTION. NOT FAR AWAY RECENTLY JUSTICE SEN WS IMPEACHED BY THE UPPER HOUSE AND THAN HE RAN TO STOP PROCEEDINGS IN LOWER HOUSE ! THE FACT REMAINS THAT THE COUNTRY IS ABOVE ALL AND ISSUES WHICH HAMPER THE DIGNITY OF OUR COUNTRY SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED. HE SAYS IT IS FOR THE REPUTATION OF HIS THAT HE WANTS TO PROVE HIS DATE OF BIRTH FIRST HE SHOLD RESIGN AND THAN GO TO THE COURT EVEN IF HE WILL PROVE HIS DATE OF BIRTH WHAT WILL BE THE CHANGE ? GOVT CAN ANY TIME REMOVE HIM FROM HIS POST.!!!

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Onkar Devgan - Sunnyvale, Ca.
During my recent travel through India and meeting relatives, friends and strangers on the road I have not met even a single individual who did not say the Government is corrupt and the system is abusive of humankind who have put them on the pedestal of power. I wish all these people have the courage, patience, discipline and resolve that the Honorable General has exhibited to fight for preserving his individual as well as national honor through the only venue the Government left for him. If a person can`t fight to preserve, protect and sustain one`s own right in a civil manner how can you expect anyone to fight for anything else. Shame on the Government and the Indian People who complain that the Government is corrupt and do nothing being fearful of the consequences. Please don`t criticize the brave hero who is asking for fairness and justice. If you don`t support such heroes, who are willing to sacrifice their precious life then your conscious is like a shifting sand, in my humble opinion. Thanks. Respectfully submitted, Onkar

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RKg - Delhi
Our central ministers have got into a habit of speaking in different voices irrespective of the perception of turbulence being caused on a very sensitive subject like this. You people have already mishandled the issue,now do not wrangle it to an irretrievable extent.

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Chandra - UAE
In a NATION where Millions are sleeping Hungry, Millions without shelter, Common man Helples and HAPLESS, dont you have any better topic !!! Why dont you spend more effort on Corruption cases / Black Money Trail.. God will bless yu as you will be helping the Common man as GOD has given you the medium,(TV) to Gather the movement. Pl look into the matter.

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AK Girotra - Gurgaon
Really it is in bad taste that head of a Disciplined force should scum to such a level.It is a ridiculous explanation that it is for the honour...Selfish motive. The honour of the Force is above personal interest.Morso,has been sleeping during the 30/40 years of his service,getting promotions/reaping dividends of Postings. He should be sacked so that right message is given to one and all.

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Madan - India
It is strange that a well read person like you has failed to see what is simply a statement of truth.

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Joseph - Pune
This issue has been brewing for quite some time. It defintely deserved better and mature attention from the govt. and especially from Mr. A.K. Antony, which unfortunately did not happen. Those who decalre that ``Army chief is not an individual but an institution`` should also accept that the govt. has insulted not an individual but an institution by their inept handling of this case. Clerks (I mean babus) in the defence ministry wants to have their upper hand in everything, be it defence procurement, coffin for Kargil martyres or whatever and made their fortunes from the deals. The present chief of army had taken a clear stand against corruption in the defence services. Needless to say, this did not go down well with the govt. for obvious reasons. I, for one believe that the nation should back the general in this fight. Manmohan Singh and A.K. Antony may be clean individuals but they are miserale failures in their current responsibilities.

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cps waraich - mohali
ministry of def has rejected Gen vk singh ,s statutory complaint arbitrarily without going into full details . It is no way to treat your Chief .He is not an individual but an institution.The Def Minister is to be clearly blamed .BY his indecisiveness has further widened the trust deficit already existing between the def min istry and the Armed forces.The case has been completely mishandled by the ministry .The GENERAL is absolutly right in moving the court.It is time that PM should handle it himself ina senstive manner without causing any further damage to this great organisation( ARMY)The Armyis the most important organ of the Indian Union and has been working extremely well. .handle it at the highest level and show sensivity

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akbindhani - chennai
Gen Singh move to court purely for personal.

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Roshan Kumar - Mumbai
What option does this poor Army Chief has left against this tyraneous, adamant govt to save his dignity.

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Surya Nath Pathak - Jaipur
Having served more than 40 years in govt service, I have not come across such a case except by illeterate coal Mine Workers who come out with some reason for changing their date of birth at the fake end of their carrier. In regard to dignified authorities, atleast it not proper who knows the procedure for correcting their date of birth.In any strech of imagination action of Shri Singh does not seem to me as fair and reasonable.

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RKg - Delhi
However, the correct version is that Gen Singh has been pleading, following up with the appropriate officials to change his date of birth right from his NDA times. It was a mistake committed by a record-clerk. It was , therefore, imperative for a person of the rank of Army Chief that the situation as government wants us to believe should be clarified for every one to see.

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indian - bangalore
What nonsence..the current copprupt government is BAD precedent!..jokers

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Most liked Comments

swarup kumar - noida
shame on the govt. it is taking every institution for granted & trying to corner them. They warned supreme court,CAG,CVC chief removed by supreme court & the people of the country in ramdev & anna`s movement & now army chief. Army chief is very right & took a great step to secure the army from this govt.