Retd naval officers surprised over Navy Chief`s resignation

New Delhi: Retired senior officers today expressed surprise over the sudden decision of Navy Chief Admiral DK Joshi to resign taking "moral responsibility" over the spate of mishaps involving naval warships in the last seven months.

"I do not think it was quite necessary. There are many other things that lead to this kind of situation. It is a difficult service," former Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta said. "This is a personal conduct, being an upright officer, he sent his resignation. Once he has taken a decision, there is no point of buckling down or withdrawing it," he said. The former Navy chief said accidents are a part of life in these services and "especially when it comes to submarine and aircraft. The chief is not responsible for it." Senior retired officer Rear Admiral Raja Menon said he did not expect the Navy chief to resign on this ground after various accidents for which responsibility is fixed at various levels after a proper board of inquiry. "What the Navy chief has done is contrary to the present standards of public life. I remember when Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned as Railway Minister after an accident but this standard of public life is long gone. There is no such standard now," he said. Menon said there is no accident in the Navy for which blame is not fixed but the Navy chief has "symbolically taken responsibility for all the actions and handed over his resignation." Former Western Commander Vice Admiral Madanjeet Singh said the accidents happening frequently in the Navy were "not professionally complementary" for the force and "the Navy chief has taken his decision which in my opinion is very honourable thing to do as a professional Navy chief..."