Re: [HumJanenge] Injustice to Army Chief-This man needs our support

Thank you sir, I salute you for the true picture you have given of the case. We had similar facts  brought by many of our senior as well as other knowledgeable officers, but there are number of ex-servicemen who oppose the General's case- some on moral ground purely on subjective basis, to quote are two Lt Generals, one Air Marshal during TV debate and also at least two very senior bureaucrats-Mr. TSR Subramiyam and KC Singh. The pity is that the Lt Gen had to be reminded by Maj Gen Surjit Singh - Vice Chairman IESM, who always puts across his arguments supported by well analyzed facts-had to remind the Lt Gen not to pull weight of Rank & seniority. Similarly Col Kaul had to remind the Air Marshal. I don't challenge right of any one to express his/her views but one expects such senior people, whose opinion is quoted by the decision makers, to before circumspect and at least accept facts being put across by others equally and may be better informed due to their continuous quest for ameliorating the problems  ex-servicemen, which all currently serving lot will join one day.
Why I am bringing the examples of the bureaucrats is because you are the first one in that category who has given his unbiased data based opinion and may strke the right chord with those who have probably taken the invincibility of the Govt of the day, today the opposition may be crying hoarse, but when they were in power they too were held hostage to the powerful bureaucrats, the OROP is case in point. I do not support any party and nor have I ever seen  or heard e Gen VK Singh till his appointment as COAS, then also through the media. Having served for 30 years including being in the two wars against the Army and two sad insurgencies-Assam and op blue Star, the latter being most traumatic being in Jaladhar and commanding troops with mix class composition and Jat Sikh sapprox 30 %. This further  reinforced my faith in the strong value system of the Army in general and in the Sikh troops in particular-truly a secular and disciplined. Nothing new and particular. Why to emphasize this known fact ? because some politicians are trying to give a communal tone to the on going Chief's case, least realizing that whoevr becomes the next Chief will be seen by some as reaching that most envious position by manipulation. SAD for the nation not only for Army.

I have observed Mr. TSR Subramaniyam who has always be very forceful in giving his opinion and always fact based be, it 2 G, CWG or Security matters and nevr spared the bureaucrats just because he has been one. You would know that as the Cabinet Secretary he has been largely responsible to push across the TRAI issue and even in selection of the firstf  TRAI, since then as I understand, TRAI has been responsible for many improvement in the tele-communication area. In the panel discussion of the COAS he did mention that its a serious matter and,inj lighter vane said that should not be discussed in the manner like the Cricket issue where every one thinks himself an expert. But he too supported the Def Ministry when he was peeved of with Col Kaul's use of the ref "your Ilk" and he retorted that I am not part of any" ILK'. His basic stand was that COAS should have resigned before taking the recourse of the SC. With a sincere apolosgy to Mr TSR Sir, I didn't find him that assertive and convincing as in

all other discussions. In case you happen to meet him kindly convey my deep regards (I hold him at very high esteem)

 and sincere apology for interpreting his statement, he will be able to place me.

It was totally reversal in case of Mr KC Singh who seemed to have decided not to accept any logic or evidence which was in favour of the General and kept maintaining this poit;one the time limit of 2 yrs for any age revision and not agreeing that Genera,s was the case of correction to the wrongly recorded age, which in any case had been accepted by UPSC, second moral ground that the General should not have gone to SC while in service. He snubbed the renowned Def Analyst Mehroof and who always well versed with the details of any case being discussed. Both of them have many times in the past appeared on the same panel and complemented each other on matters of Geo-politico-strategic issues, thi s reaction of mr. KCSingh clearly indicates his desperation chopping block. for whatever reasons he was taking the side of teh Govt and I think most obvious reason could be- support his ILk. Not bad as long as it is not with intent of punishing the a grieved party at any cost.

This where I have a request- to  our very senior, experienced and knowledgeable seniors who reached the exalted positions by proving their competence and dedication and also those who in the current context  opposing the Chief may be for lack of the facts or any other bias that knowing well the negative bias of the Govt guided by some bureaucratic against the Armed Forces that please do not express your strong views against the person who has already been harassed enough and driven to this extreme of taking the shelter of SC only for justice. How can any one ever doubt his prudence and his loyalty having acquired the kind of reputation which has been often quoted by the Def Min and other cabinet ministers and who now claim to the extent that his govt has given him last three CONDITIONAL (they don't use it but mean so) promotions, shameless on their part. The arguments of the senior officers against him has been quoted by all his detractors including the TV anchors, ministers and same lot consider the former Judges and AG.
I am putting too many issues which is in general applicable for our senior retd officesr because their opinion is quoted by the media and others against the Army. Two days back there has been an ugly scene in public involving some young offrs  and the traffic police and with out ascertain the facts and just ignoring the official version of the Army, three seniors (one Lt Gen and two Maj Gen and others by and large consider the YOs responsible) ave given statement to the media blaming the offrs and demanding sturn action against them.
sorry for this long mail, hope you find time to go thru this.So far the Chief is concerned the day of reckoning of the true SC judges is tomorrow.Pray and trust that they go in the depth and do not buy the lies being spread by the govt and their advisers who have caused enough embarrassment in the past and latest the G2 verdict. Their legal inds ahve started the damage control based on the giarded judgement of the SC.
Warm Regards.
Col JP nauni

 

 

On Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 10:35 PM, Devasahayam MG <mgd@airtelmail.in> wrote:

not to accept any logic in faVOUR OF gEN vk sINGH

Today's article of mine will bring some clarity on the issue. All I would like to add is that this is not a mere clerical or bureaucratic error, but part of a larger and sinister agenda.

M.G.Devasahayam

______________________________________________________________________

THE STATESMAN

Special Article

O1 February  2012

President and the Army
Must Intervene And Save The Institution

By MG Devasahayam

THE President made a profound statement while addressing the nation on the eve of the 63rd Republic Day: "While bringing about reforms and improving institutions, we have to be cautious that while shaking the tree to remove the bad fruit, we do not bring down the tree itself." But, under her nose an institution called the Indian Army is being rudely shaken and being brought down by the very government she is presiding over. Despite being the Supreme Commander of India's armed forces she has not even lifted a small finger to stop that.

Republic Day is an occasion of joy and celebration because on that day in 1950, "We, the People of India, gave ourselves a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic anchored on Justice, social, economic and political; Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; Equality of status and of opportunity and to promote among them all Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation".

Sixty-two years have passed and every year we go through the ritual of celebrations and parades with the armed forces in general and Army in particular in the vanguard. It is the members of these forces who have defended and protected our democracy through their valour, sacrifice and total sense of patriotism, bereft of any political ambitions as in our neighbouring countries. It is largely because of them that India stands tall as a sovereign Republic.

Among the armed forces, the Army is the largest and the most visible face. The chief of that force has a special status in the nation's affairs, irrespective of his place in the order of precedence. The present government at the Centre has lost the faith of a vast majority of the people because of colossal failures almost on all fronts, except mortgaging the nation's assets and resources to MNCs. Now the Chief of the Army Staff himself has lost faith in this government and has knocked the doors of the Supreme Court seeking justice.

Instead of resolving the matter amicably by rendering substantial justice to the General, worthies of the kleptocratic state have the cheek to display indulgence. They claim that even if the apex court order goes against the Army chief,  the government will not summarily sack him. What morbid magnificence after treating General VK Singh in the shabbiest manner possible!

The controversy is supposed to have arisen due to different sets of records maintained on the General's Date of Birth (DoB) in the Adjutant General (AG) and Military Secretary (MS) branches of the Army headquarters. There are facts in the public domain suggesting availability of several records and documents in the AG Branch ~ school register, matriculation certificate, father's record of service in the Rajput Regiment, form No. IAFZ-2041 filled up in IMA ~ establishing the General's DoB as 10 May 1951.

The MS Branch is stated to have an application form for the written entrance exam to the National Defence Academy signed by a 14/15-year-old boy and some assorted papers mentioning Singh's DoB as 10 May 1950. The two branches have not reconciled the documents for over four decades.
The Attorney General and the MoD are sticking to the MS Branch records in determining the General's DoB as 10 May 1950 because it is this branch which is responsible for the promotion and posting of senior army officers. This is the spin that is going around.

 

But a confidential communication dated 01 Jul 2011 (A/4501/01/GEN/MS(1)) from Lt.-Gen. GM Nair, Military Secretary to Defence Secretary, tells a totally different tale. On four occasions:
-No: 2 Selection Board, Sept 1996 ~ Fresh case 1970 batch for promotion to the acting rank of Brigadier;
-No: 1 Selection Board, 25 Oct 2001 ~ Fresh case 1970 batch for promotion to the acting rank of Maj. Gen;
-No: 1 Selection Board, 18/19 Sept 2003 ~ Special Review (Fresh) Case 1970 Batch for promotion to the acting rank of Maj. Gen; and
-Special Selection Board, 30 Sept 2005 ~ Fresh case 1970 Batch for promotion to the acting rank of Lt. Gen.
The date of birth of the General Officer (VK Singh) put up by the MS Branch and considered by the Selection Boards was 10 May 1951.

This means that the MS Branch had accepted, adopted and documented 10 May 1951 as the DoB for empanelling Gen. Singh for promotion and posting as Brigadier, Maj.-Gen. and Lt.-Gen. in 1996, 2001, 2003 and 2005 respectively. Where then was the dispute and the occasion for the former Amy Chiefs to talk to VK Singh in 2008 and 2009 and make him 'accept' 10 May 1950 as his DoB? On what grounds was the 'statutory complaint' of the Army Chief rejected, reportedly without the knowledge of the Prime Minister, forcing the General to go to the Supreme Court? The government owes an explanation to the people.

Looking at the state of the Republic one tends to lament and despair in the manner of Marcellus in Hamlet, having just seen the ghost of Hamlet's father, the late king of Denmark: "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

Considering the way things are being handled even by an otherwise god-fearing man like AK Antony, there seem to be ghosts looming in New Delhi. One is the MNC lobby that is incensed with General Singh's principled opposition to the deployment of the Army to decimate the tribal population of Dandakaranya forests to hand it over to mining interests. The General had said: "We cannot do this on our own people. Naxalism is not a secessionist movement.''
Former Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat saw another, even mightier ghost, when he said: "Former Chief  Justice of India JS Verma has said Singh had brought in probity and honesty. He is being moved out just when large arms deals are going to be signed. This means that the arms lobby and a few people who are going to be affected are behind this."

To this could be added the 'victims' of the tough stand taken by General Singh on corruption, particularly former Generals involved in the Sukna land scam and Adarsh Housing Society scandal.

This is probably why a specious and non-existent theory of 'line of succession' was dug out and touted about for rejecting the army chief's statutory complaint. The 'line of succession' is a concept which is anti-democratic and related to royalty and monarchy. Why then is the Attorney General repeating this ad nauseam? Obviously in support of the MoD's sinister agenda.

VK Singh belongs to a family that boasts a martial tradition. He hails from Bapora village in Haryana's Bhiwani district, a district that I had the privilege of raising and building up as its first Commissioner when it was established in December 1972. This village, hardly a couple of miles from Bhiwani, had a large number of serving soldiers and ex-servicemen. Being an ex-soldier myself, I had closely interacted with the simple folk of this village.

Men of General Singh's ilk serve and die by the Army's standards of integrity and honesty. When men like him and the Army he commands are impaled, it is the people who bleed. Pray, does not the President, who swears by institutions, have a duty to effectively intervene and save this institution from further damage? The nation awaits an answer.

The writer is a retired IAS officer