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Defence Ministry braces for legal battle over age row
The Defence Ministry is not likely to change its stand on Army chief General VK Singh’s age issue and is prepared to face legal proceedings if he opts to go to court as the Government has a strong case to defend its action of rejecting Singh’s statutory complaint in this regard.
Officials said the Ministry rejected the Army chief’s plea after studying the case in its entirety and also sought legal opinion from the Attorney General.
Officials clarified the Government’s position amidst reports that Congress leaders and former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had written a letter in December last year to Defence Minister AK Antony backing the Army chief’s contention that his correct date of birth is May 10, 1951. The Defence Ministry maintained that as per its records Singh’s date of year is 1950.
Sources said the Defence Ministry had applied “due diligence” before turning down Singh’s statutory complaint to Antony last week. They also said Singh was made chief on the basis of 1950 as his date of year and his name was cleared by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) headed by the Prime Minister.
A group of MPs too had tried to submit a memorandum supporting the Army chief’s case to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh some months back in Parliament.
The Prime Minister, however, refused to accept the petition and said the Army is a professional organisation and the political leadership and Government should not interfere.
Sources said the Government is not keen to join issue with the Army chief on the date of birth matter and is waiting for Singh’s next move if any before taking further action.
The Army chief is said to have denied reports about approaching the court but sources did not rule out the possibility. They said Singh also had the option to move the Armed Forces Tribunal.
Cong deeply divided over controversy
As his letter kicked off a fresh controversy pointing to some kind of a divide in the Congress over the issue, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh on Tuesday issued a clarification saying he had given his opinion on the date of birth issue of Army chief General VK Singh only “in his personal capacity”.
Congress indicated that it did not approve of Singh’s stand on the issue. Congress sought to disapprove of the remarks of the former Punjab CM over the age row. “He (Amarinder Singh) had already clarified that this was his personal view. Generally, politicians should not comment on internal affairs of armed forces,” AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said. However, Tewari had on Monday expressed concern over the age controversy.
The Defence Ministry is not likely to change its stand on Army chief General VK Singh’s age issue and is prepared to face legal proceedings if he opts to go to court as the Government has a strong case to defend its action of rejecting Singh’s statutory complaint in this regard.
Officials said the Ministry rejected the Army chief’s plea after studying the case in its entirety and also sought legal opinion from the Attorney General.
Officials clarified the Government’s position amidst reports that Congress leaders and former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had written a letter in December last year to Defence Minister AK Antony backing the Army chief’s contention that his correct date of birth is May 10, 1951. The Defence Ministry maintained that as per its records Singh’s date of year is 1950.
Sources said the Defence Ministry had applied “due diligence” before turning down Singh’s statutory complaint to Antony last week. They also said Singh was made chief on the basis of 1950 as his date of year and his name was cleared by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) headed by the Prime Minister.
A group of MPs too had tried to submit a memorandum supporting the Army chief’s case to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh some months back in Parliament.
The Prime Minister, however, refused to accept the petition and said the Army is a professional organisation and the political leadership and Government should not interfere.
Sources said the Government is not keen to join issue with the Army chief on the date of birth matter and is waiting for Singh’s next move if any before taking further action.
The Army chief is said to have denied reports about approaching the court but sources did not rule out the possibility. They said Singh also had the option to move the Armed Forces Tribunal.
Cong deeply divided over controversy
As his letter kicked off a fresh controversy pointing to some kind of a divide in the Congress over the issue, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh on Tuesday issued a clarification saying he had given his opinion on the date of birth issue of Army chief General VK Singh only “in his personal capacity”.
Congress indicated that it did not approve of Singh’s stand on the issue. Congress sought to disapprove of the remarks of the former Punjab CM over the age row. “He (Amarinder Singh) had already clarified that this was his personal view. Generally, politicians should not comment on internal affairs of armed forces,” AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said. However, Tewari had on Monday expressed concern over the age controversy.
