Gautam Datt.
The government finds itself in a peculiar position where it has to deal with an army chief appointed by it who has dragged it to court.
The awkward situation is likely to have an impact in the daily functioning of the defence ministry where a regular interaction with the army chief is required.
It was hoped that General V.K. Singh would resign before moving court as it would have reduced the prospects of civil-military relations being crippled. But he has surprised everyone by taking on the government while still holding the post.
It remains to be seen if the court tussle will have an impact on the country’s security. As it is, the army’s modernisation plan has already slowed down.
Just days before moving court, General Singh had, in his annual media interaction, listed achievements of his 21-month tenure and given an elaborate view of the transformation process that was set rolling under his leadership.
But it is also a fact that compared to the air force and the navy, army’s modernisation plan is lagging behind. Be it the purchase of new weapons or artillery, expanding aviation fleet or raising a new strike corps, all are stuck at various stages.
The army chief’s move is bound to result in the government losing confidence in him. Even if it does not remove him, the standoff means no major decision is likely to be taken during his remaining tenure.
General Singh has chosen to detach his date of birth row with organisational matters and sought to assert that it was business as usual for the army. But the fact is that the controversy has divided the top echelon of the army and is also bound to affect the morale of the force. The middle and lower rung officers and the troops look up to the chief, who is now embroiled in a battle which is blowing into a government versus military conflict.
It all started as a conflict within the army as General Singh has blamed his former bosses for not allowing the controversy to end by accepting his date of birth as May 10, 1951.
The tussle has led him to challenge the same system that allowed him to become chief despite adverse inputs from certain sections of the bureaucracy and the army leadership.
Among various options that the government is said to be considering is to ask the chief to go on leave till the matter is settled in court, though there was no confirmation from the official quarters about the move.
It has also created bad blood among the top commanders as the age row threatens to have an impact on the succession chain. The leading contender to succeed General Singh, if he retires on May 31, 2012 – Lieutenant-General Bikram Singh – is already facing a court case in an old encounter case.
If the army chief is removed or resigns before completing his tenure, General Shankar Ghosh will be the seniormost after him.
-via India Today.
HE WAS GIVEN COMMISSION ON BASIS OF 1950 AS YEAR OF DATE OF BIRTH & PROMOTION [GIVEN ASSURANCE THREE TIMES ACCEPTED AS 1950 DOB]
IF NOW HE SAYS HIS DATE OF BIRTH IS 1951 THEN HE SHOULD FORGO HIS COMMISSION & PROMOTION.HOW CAN HE HAVE CAKE ON BOTH SIDE & EAT IT.
WRONG DECLARATION GIVEN AT TIME OF ENROLLMENT IS PUNISHABLE AS PER MILITARY LAW.MOREOVER OFFICER DOES NOT GO BACK FROM HIS WORD. HE HAS GIVEN THEE TIMES ASSURANCE[EACH TIME TO GET PROMOTION]HOW CAN ONE GO BACK
HOW CAN A COAS OF COUNTRY GO AGAINST HIS GOVERNMENT & STILL CONTINUE IN OFFICE
RESPECT HONOUR & DIGNITY OF ARMY HAS BEEN PUT ON STAKE
General V. K. Singh should finish his terms and should retire from Army with Honour. I am of the openion .tht V.K. Singh has achieved the highest post of Army i.e Chief of Army Staff.
This is not good situation that the COAS had to approach the Supreme Court for justice . and this not the only issue that remained pending or lingering for so long , there are so many other issues concerning the welfare of Exservicemen ,like anomlies in pensions, canteen facilities and many more. lying pending for long periods. now it`s time to have some improvements in that level , by high lighting the issues., which needs immediate attention..
Ram Kumar
General Secretary
NExCC Delhi
M -9868206455
This is really an unfortunate situation that the COAS had to approach the Supreme Court for justice . and this not the only issue that remained pending or lingering for so long , there are so many other issues concerning the welfare of Exservicemen ,like anomlies in pensions, canteen facilities and many more. lying pending for long periods. now it`s time to have some improvements in that level , by high lighting the issues., which needs immediate attention..
Gobind Singh 9417050553 mailtogobind@gmail.com
Most likely chief will take on to all the items you just mentioned once he remains chief till may 2013 that is why the baboos does not want him to continue
What ails our country? I am of the firm view that it is our judiciary which has failed the nation.And that’s a different matter that politicians -bureaucrats nexus at the highest level of governance in the centre as well as at the states have crippled functioning of our judiciary to a extent. They are seen selecting the bad judges to preside over the judiciary at the high courts and in supreme courts. They are the one who lords over the judges while deciding their resettlement post-retirements.
Gen VK Singh’s petition against the govt while still holding on to the position of COAS should be seen in this context. He must be bargaining with the politicians-bureaucrats for a plumb post post retirement.
To the layman this issue has no impact. They will be fed with views what Media Moguls in India decide them to watch. It is the judiciary which must reject the plea of the COAS quickly with no ifs and buts.
A democratically elected govt in democracy must not not be seen cowing down to a General come what may but it will certainly be good for the democracy.
The position of the COAS is an exalted one, with the country men looking up to him as a an individual who is heading an extremely popular and efficient organisation. The tenure of the present COAS has been marked by ‘transformation’ of the Indian Army in his words, but on ground it has only resulted in the promotion of The Rajput culture where his cronies are now holding all critical posts. He is himself responsible for vitiating the internal health of the Army, which he had declared that he would be setting right. He is only promoting his own family and friends.