CPI(M) asks PM Modi to initiate action against V K Singh

New Delhi: The CPI (M) on Thursday said the allegations against former army chief and Minister of State for External Affairs General (Retd.) V.K. Singh by incumbent General Dalbir Singh will send a very wrong message to the nation and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take cognizance of this case.

"Such condition has never occurred in the history of nation, that an ex-Army chief and the Current Army chief are accusing each other and have even approached the court in this regard," said CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat.

"Moreover, one of them is a sitting minister. The Prime Minister should take a cognizance of this case over the lines that is credible for our armed forces. That a Union Minister is being accused of false conduct by the incumbent Army Chief and he is still in office. What image of India will it give?" she added.

In an affidavit submitted in his personal capacity to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, the Army Chief has said that in 2012 he was sought to be victimised by the then COAS General V.K. Singh "with the sole purpose of denying me promotion to the appointment of Army Commander".

"False, baseless and imaginary allegations of lapses were levelled against me in the show cause notice" of May 19, 2012 and consequent imposition of an "illegal" discipline and vigilance (DV) ban, the Army chief has stated in his affidavit.

The affidavit was filed in response to a petition moved by Lieutenant General (Retd.) Ravi Dastane, who alleged favouritism in Dalbir Singh`s selection as the Army Commander, making him next in line to succeed General Bikram Singh.

Dalbir Singh was placed under a DV ban by V K Singh between April and May 2012 for alleged "failure of command and control" after a Court of Inquiry was ordered into an operation carried out in Jorhat, Assam, on the night of December 20-21, 2011 by the 3 Corps Intelligence and Surveillance Unit.

Dalbir Singh was then General Officer Commanding of the Dimapur-based 3 Corps.Referring to the Jorhat operation in his affidavit, he has stated "on that day, I was away on part of annual leave and rejoined duty on 26 Dec 2011".

His promotion as GOC-in-C, Eastern Command, with effect from June 15, 2012, was cleared by General Bikram Singh, who reversed the DV ban after V.K. Singh retired on May 31, 2012.

This delayed promotion, after reserving the vacant Army Commander`s post for 15 days, was challenged by Dastane in the Supreme Court. He contended he was eligible to be Army Commander but was denied the opportunity by General Bikram Singh, who favoured Dalbir Singh despite the latter being under a DV ban at the relevant time.