Chief of 'controversy': When Gen Singh was in news for wrong reasons

Source: Dailybhaskar.com | Last Updated 14:51(26/03/12)

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-IDP-chief-of-controversy-when-gen-singh-was-in-news-for-wrong-reasons-3018609.html

New Delhi: It looks like Army Chief General VK Singh, government and controversies go hand in hand. The simmerings of discontent within the Indian army is the latest to follow after the alleged truce between the government and the Army chief VK Singh. Ever since he entered in the muddle with the government over his date of birth, affecting his tenure as Army chief, Singh has been in the news for various disputes with the government and his juniors, latest being his explosive revelations that he was offered a bribe of Rs 14 crore by an equippment lobbyist.

Here is a look at a few controversial incidents related to General VK Singh, Army and the government that caught the attention of media and public

Age Row
Army Chief General VK Singh was in the eye of the storm when he filed a writ petition in a court against the government after it failed to handle the age controversy successfully.

Later on January 16, 2012, he filed an appeal in the Supreme Court of India[5][6] in which he stated that "No authority, while rejecting his plea for treating his date of birth as 10.5.1951, has ever doubted the birth certificate of the petitioner" and that "being a highly decorated officer, he had received all his awards, decorations and promotions as per the date of birth being 10.5.1951

Gen Singh lost his legal battle on the age row when on February 10, 2012, the Supreme Court said the government decision on his date of birth will apply for his service matters, forcing him to withdraw his petition. A bench comprising justices RM Lodha and HL Gokhale told Singh that he cannot resile on his commitment that he would abide by the government decision to treat his date of birth as May 10, 1950, and rejected the contention of "prejudice" and "perversity".

Phone Tapping & Army

An anonymous complaint received about how advanced off-the-air interceptors were being used to record conversations of defence officials became a furor.

The anonymous complaint received by by the defence secretary Shashikant Sharmat had several allegations against the Army chief. According to the complaint, the interceptors acquired from Ukraine for counter-insurgency operations in J&K and northeast, were being used in the national capital.

The complaint said the deployment was part of an effort to eavesdrop on conversations between key people who may have decided the government strategy on Gen Singh's age issue

The Army in their official statement slammed all the allegations made in the anonymous letter.

The Army chief VK Singh termed the media reports about the spying allegations as “fiction”.

The Indian Army has accused a retired general and former head of the Defence Intelligence Agency(DIA) of planting stories in the media in lieu to the alleged snooping of the telephonic conversations of top government officials by the Army.

Victimisation of Junior

Even before the age row could settle, General VK Singh was yet again news after a Major General alleged that his Annual Confidential Report (ACR) was "spoilt" by Singh after he refused to change his date of birth.

Major General TS Handa, in his petition before the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) in April last year, had alleged that his Annual Confidential Report (ACR) was "spoilt" by Chief of Army Staff General VK Singh after he refused to change his date of birth.

The Major General had alleged that this happened when he was posted as deputy military secretary in the military secretary branch and Gen Singh's papers had gone to his branch during Singh's tenure as GOC 2 Corps Ambala.

Despite an outstanding career record in Army he was not considered for the promotion to the rank of Lt Gen due to adverse remarks recorded by Gen V K Singh in the capacity of Army commander of Eastern Command.

Handa had alleged that he was "victimised" by Gen Singh when he was posted in Ambala as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of two Corps.

Chief of Army Staff General VK Singh though denied the allegation and told the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) that he never met Major General TS Handa in connection with the matter of his date of birth, and that his assessment of the army official was entirely on the basis of his performance.

Shortage of ammunition in Army

The Indian Army has placed orders for 100 artillery guns with the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) after having failed to acquire even a single howitzer in over two decades following the Bofors scandal.
The army has issued several tenders for procuring different types of howitzers in the last two decades but has failed to do so due to some problem or the other.

Army Chief General VK Singh had promised last year that at least one type of artillery gun would be inducted into the Service in 2011-12 but it is still waiting for it.

Asked about his letter to the Defence Ministry over shortage of ammunition in the Army, he said he had apprised the ministry about the status of various inventories.

Appointment of army chief

The differences between the defence ministry and the army chief Gen V K Singh appeared to be continuing with the ministry blocking his proposal for appointment of a top military official to the post of Director General of Assam Rifles.

Gen Sing had recommended the name of Lt Gen A K Choudhary, who is the Director General Military Operations (DGMO), for the post in a proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

But the MHA, which exercises control over the Assam Rifles, was asked not to consider the proposal by the Defence Ministry which raised objections as it did not have the approval of the Defence Secretary or any other competent authority, sources said.

The Defence Ministry has now asked the army to propose a fresh panel of officers for the appointment but the latter has not yet responded, they said.