AMN / New Delhi
Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh Thursday hit out at Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar over his remarks on the selection of the Chief of Army Staff, saying the remarks were not only uncalled for but also an insult to two top army commanders.
“If Parrikar can’t keep his mouth shut on such matters, it’s time Modi chooses a man fit enough to look after our services, which are the last bastion of stability, secularism, and in whom the country across the board takes pride,” Amarinder said.
Talking to the mediapersons here after the association of ex-servicemen extended support to the Congress ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls, Mr Amarind
er singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Parrikar had been repeatedly betraying the defence forces with their apathetic attitude to the problems of the servicemen and the ex-servicemen.
“From ‘one rank, one pension’ (OROP) to the 7th Pay Commission and downgrading of army ranks, military personnel and ex-servicemen have time and again been humiliated by the Defence Ministry headed by Mr Parrikar, ”Capt Amarinder Singh said.
He said the Minister’s comments on the appointment of the Army Chief were virtually the last straw. “If Parrikar can’t keep his mouth shut on such matters, it’s time Modi chooses a man fit enough to look after our services, which are the last bastion of stability, secularism, and in whom the country across the board takes pride,”Mr Amarinder wrote in a social site.
Amarinder said that Mr Parrikar should be aware that the services function on rank structure, which indicated seniority and which was customary in the services to be maintained.
Referring to Mr Parrikar’s comment that intelligence inputs were considered while taking the decision on appointment of the Army Chief, the state Congress Chief asked if that meant Lieutenant General Praveen Bakshi and Lieutenant General PM Hariz also had some aspersions cast on them by the intelligence inputs.
Noting that Lieutenant General Bakshi and Lieutenant General PM Hariz were outstanding army commanders and soldiers of repute, Capt Amarinder Singh said,” these foolish off-the-cuff remarks are an insult to them.”