A day after taking over the reins of the Indian Army from GeneralV. K. Singh whose 26-month tenure saw a slew of unseemlycontroversies, the new Army Chief, General Bikram Singh, on Fridaymade it clear that nothing would be brushed under the carpet. While talking to reporters after inspecting a guard of honour onthe lawns of South Block which houses the offices of DefenceMinistry, General Singh was asked about Defence Minister A. K.Antony's advice to forget the turbulence of the recent past.
"My outlook is to leave the past behind. Look through thewindscreen and not through the rear view mirror when you take theArmy forward. The vehicle is driven by looking through thewindscreen and not through the rear view mirror," the new ArmyChief said. Replying to questions over allegations and instances ofindiscipline that are being faced in certain sections in the Armyas he took over as Army Chief, he asserted that the Indian Armywould continue to carry out its tasks and fulfil its constitutionalobligations. "I will make sure that it
remains one of the mostaccountable, most responsive, most disciplined and most worthyelement of national power," he said.
Asked about the strain in civil-military relations in the recentpast, General Singh said that he would have a look at the problemsand find a way ahead. "We will put our best foot forward. We willcontinue to remain a secular force and we will continue to remainan apolitical force and let us continue to do our job as it issupposed to be done," General Singh, only the second Sikh to takeover as the Indian Army Chief, said. His appointment had to face legal challenge in the form of a publicinterest litigation (PIL) that was turned down by the SupremeCourt.
The petitioners have now sought a review of the SupremeCourt's decision. Before taking over as the Army Chief, General Singh wasKolkata-based Eastern Army commander under whose jurisdiction theDimapur-based 3 Corps functioned. The 3 Corps Commander, Lt-GeneralDalbir Singh Suhag, was issued a show cause notice by the outgoingArmy Chief General V. K.
Singh in the last week of May for abotched up intelligence operation. "All these cases will be dealt with as per the rule book," GeneralBikram Singh said when he was asked about such controversies. "Nothing will be brushed under the carpet, let me assure you this.This will be investigated and let me assure you we will take it toits logical conclusion," the Army Chief asserted.
"My outlook is to leave the past behind. Look through thewindscreen and not through the rear view mirror when you take theArmy forward. The vehicle is driven by looking through thewindscreen and not through the rear view mirror," the new ArmyChief said. Replying to questions over allegations and instances ofindiscipline that are being faced in certain sections in the Armyas he took over as Army Chief, he asserted that the Indian Armywould continue to carry out its tasks and fulfil its constitutionalobligations. "I will make sure that it
remains one of the mostaccountable, most responsive, most disciplined and most worthyelement of national power," he said.
Asked about the strain in civil-military relations in the recentpast, General Singh said that he would have a look at the problemsand find a way ahead. "We will put our best foot forward. We willcontinue to remain a secular force and we will continue to remainan apolitical force and let us continue to do our job as it issupposed to be done," General Singh, only the second Sikh to takeover as the Indian Army Chief, said. His appointment had to face legal challenge in the form of a publicinterest litigation (PIL) that was turned down by the SupremeCourt.
The petitioners have now sought a review of the SupremeCourt's decision. Before taking over as the Army Chief, General Singh wasKolkata-based Eastern Army commander under whose jurisdiction theDimapur-based 3 Corps functioned. The 3 Corps Commander, Lt-GeneralDalbir Singh Suhag, was issued a show cause notice by the outgoingArmy Chief General V. K.
Singh in the last week of May for abotched up intelligence operation. "All these cases will be dealt with as per the rule book," GeneralBikram Singh said when he was asked about such controversies. "Nothing will be brushed under the carpet, let me assure you this.This will be investigated and let me assure you we will take it toits logical conclusion," the Army Chief asserted.
No comments:
Post a Comment