Pune, May 30 (IANS) Indian Army chief Gen. V.K. Singh Wednesday lampooned retired Lieutenant General Tejinder Singh for filing a complaint against him with the defence ministry for defaming him, saying he could go to any depths.
Gen. Singh also confirmed that he had extended the time given to 3 Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag to respond to his show-cause notice issued for ‘abdicating responsibility’ in a botched intelligence operation at Jorhat in Assam.
Throwing his weight behind the anti-graft movement in the country, the army chief noted that the battle against corruption was everybody’s to fight.
‘I don’t want to comment on what Lt. Gen. Tejinder Singh has done. He can go to any depths. This is not a forum to castigate him. The army is apolitical, secular and impartial. Raising a voice against corruption is everybody’s movement,’ he said.
On the sidelines of the Khadakvasla-based National Defence Academy (NDA) passing out parade near here, Gen. Singh told reporters that controversies did not concern him ever in his service as army chief.
On the show-cause notice issued on May 19 for censure over lapss in a botched up intelligence operation under 3 Corps surveillance unit, the army chief said: ‘Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag asked for extension and his request has been acceded to. Anybody who does injustice is wrong, anybody who accepts injustice is wrong.’
Suhag was given seven days’ time to reply that has been extended by another 10 days.
Gen. Singh also claimed that there was no misunderstanding between the army and the defence ministry.
‘Whatever we (army) say it is listened to (by the ministry), there are procedures. Raksha Mantri (defence minister) is clear-headed in supporting the armed forces,’ he said.
Earlier, Singh addressed the cadets who passed out of the NDA. This was Singh’s last major function as army chief before he retires Thursday.
Talking about his tenure as army chief, Singh said he wants to be remembered as a soldier and as somebody who tried to uphold what army stands for.
‘Most important target was transformation of the army, change in mindset. It can’t be done in one or two years, it will take at least 20 years. We have started the journey,’ he said.
Gen. Singh also assured that the three wings of the armed forces were prepared to face any challenge and the modernisation efforts would help the forces further build their capacities.
‘All three units of the armed forces, in whichever condition they are, are fully prepared to face any challenge,’ he said.
The army chief had in March written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over deficiencies in defence preparedness and that document got leaked to the media.
