Indian govt begins hunt for new Army Chief
With the escalating row between the Indian Army Chief and the government, The Indian government is now found to be yet another fix. The government, after short listing top Generals of the Indian army feels highly disturbed and rather haunted after finding that the top Generals, qualifying to replace VK Singh are keeping General Singh’s legacy of supporting the black law of Indian army as sacred while the government is under immense global pressure to repeal those laws that are termed as most inhuman practices by different governments and HR bodies, reveal the investigations of The Daily Mail.
According to these findings, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defense Minister A.K. Antony held a detailed meeting on Wednesday, amid reports that it was to discuss the raging controversy over the date of birth of Army Chief Gen. V.K.Singh. The meeting was held immediately after Wednesday’s meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) while the matter was kept off the agenda of the CCS meeting.
According to well placed military sources, General VK Singh has indicated that he will not rush into any hasty action over the government’s move to reject his statutory complaint on the DoB issue.
These sources further said the General Singh was seen very upset and dejected over the government rejection of his contention since he feels that the DoB issue was a matter of his honour and integrity. However, the sources added that on the other side, the depressed General has assured his well-wishers that he will act in the national interest on the matter.
Whenever asked by the media for his comments on the controversy in the past few months, the Army Chief has always steadfastly maintained that it is a “personal” matter and that there is on rift between the Army and the government.
Highly responsible sources at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) told this scribe that that the government has already begun the process of short listing Army commanders, who have service tenure left beyond May 31 this year, for selection of the next Chief of Army Staff (COAS) who will replace Gen. V.K.Singh when he retires on May 31 this year or in case he opts to seek a premature retirement, owing to the ongoing row with the government.
These sources say that defense Minister Antony and Premier Manmohan Singh, on Wednesday held discussions over the four names for the new Indian COAS after the fear escalated that General VK Singh may tender and immediate resignation. The sources added that this escalated after some top ranking serving and retired defense officials advised General Singh to step down as a protest to government’s humiliating stand.
Sources in the military establishment, privy to the development, stated that after discussions, 2 names reached the table for the final decision.
They say Eastern Command Chief Lt. Gen. Bikram Singh emerged as the front-runner for post of new COAS on the seniority principle to replace Gen. V.K. Singh if he retires on May 31while the other top potential candidate remained Northern Command Chief Lt. Gen. K.T.Parnaik.
The Daily Mail has learnt that both General Bikram Singh and General K.T. Parnaik, despite being senior most Generals in Indian army, also posses added abilities of having special assessments on China and Pakistan. Both are also known for issuing rather highly controversial statements about China and Pakistan. But for the major dilemma for Indian government is that both the top potential candidates for the post of COAS are big supporters of controversial laws like Disturbed Areas Act and Armed forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that the Indian government desires to repeal or at least amend in the backdrop immense global criticism.
