New Delhi: Denying any differences with the
Defence Ministry on his age issue, Army Chief General V K
Singh on Tuesday said it was his "personal" matter and had nothing
to do with the organisation.
"It is a purely personal issue and I desist from making
any public comment on the issue... When there were no
differences (with the Defence Ministry) at any point of time
(on the age issue), how can they be now," he told reporters on
the sidelines of an NCC event.
The Army Chief was asked if he has still kept the option
of approaching the courts on the issue of his date of birth
open and whether he had any differences with the Ministry on
the matter.
Gen Singh, however, did not clarify whether he would
approach the courts or not.
The Defence Ministry has twice rejected Gen Singh's claim
of accepting May 10, 1951 as his date of birth, which would
have given him an extension of ten months in office.
The Army Chief has two sets of date of birth in the
records. The records with Adjutant General's branch show it to
be May 10, 1951 whereas the Military Secretary's branch
records it to be May 10, 1950.
Asked if the 'chapter' over his age issue was over, Gen
Singh said, "I don't know whether the chapter was open or has
been closed. This is a personal issue and I will not comment
on it."
When pointed out that he had given interviews recently on
his age issue, the Army Chief said, "That was part of army day
fixtures. If somebody has breached the trust, you are there to
ask... please ask your colleagues why it has appeared and what
has appeared, I have got nothing to do with it."
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, January 10, 2012, 16:03