Date: 24/09/2013
WHITE PAPER ON ACCUSATIONS AGAINST GENERAL VK SINGH, PVSM,AVSM,YSM,ADC FORMER ARMY CHIEF AND HANDLING OF DEFENCE ISSUES
An open Letter to Prime Minister demanding White Paper on Accusations against General VK Singh, PVSM.AVSM, YSM,ADC former Army Chief and handling of defence issues is enclosed for your information and widest circulation please.
---------- Dated: 24 Sep 2013
Dr Manmohan Singh
Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
152, South Block, New Delhi -110011
WHITE PAPER ON ACCUSATIONS AGAINST GENERAL VK SINGH, PVSM,AVSM,YSM,ADC FORMER ARMY CHIEF AND HANDLING OF DEFENCE ISSUES
1. The Defence Veteran community is alarmed over the disturbing manner in which the Government vs General VK Singh confrontation has been publically played out by media proxy over past two years. Not only is such immature and unprofessional institutional handling of the issue demoralizing for the Defence forces, but it tends to create distrust of the Defence forces amongst the citizenry.
Some illustrative contributory lapses in this regard are discussed below:
(a) It was reported by media that on orders from the PMO, the newspaper Tribune published Centre page articles on General VK Singh's Date of Birth issue on five sequential days, castigating him and quoting internal Army communications, which had apparently been leaked to the editor Mr Raj Chengappa. The Fauji community found it odd that purely administrative matters that needed to be dealt with in MOD were made the subject of a public debate.
(b) The Indian Express published a malafide and mischievous alarming Front page report early last year, projecting a routine army move of units as an attempt by the then COAS to conduct a coup on the eve of his Date of Birth litigation coming up before the court. This unfortunate report created alarm among the citizenry.
(c) Before demiting office, General VK Singh wrote a letter to the Prime Minister apprising him about the state of operational preparedness of the Army. This is customary. The letter pointed out a large deficiencies in equipment and ammunition holding. This letter was leaked out and extensively reported and discussed in the media, all tending to convey the culpability of the COAS in a motivated leak.It was also reported that the COAS was restrained from attending a high level meeting in South Block, pending an investigative check in his office. Surprisingly, once this check cleared his office, no further reporting/ information has been received as to from where the leak occurred and what action was taken against the perpetrators. It is of paramount importance that culpability of such lapses be fixed and suitable action as required under the Official Secrets Act be taken to bring the guilty to book. National security issues have been compromised.
(d) On 20 Sep 2013 Indian Express carried shocking revelations accusing General VK Singh, erstwhile COAS of misusing the 'Technical Support Division' (TSD) to unlawfully tap phones of ministers and to pull down the J &K Government. An internal Army HQ Inquiry that finalized its findings 6 months ago has been quoted. It is apparent that the Indian Express is once again privy to Top Secret papers in the highest Security echelons of the country. This is definitely not acceptable.
2. The above examples do not inspire confidence in the apex national security mechanism in the country. Leaked communications and unactioned accusations of issues that border on tyranny against one of the Highest functionary of the Defence forces can only benefit forces inimical to Indian interests, and impart a feeling of insecurity and a loss of faith in the citizens' mind about the Defence forces which so far carry a record of excellence in deliverables.
3. To guard against this, and to restore national morale, we demand that the Government put out a White Paper on the wide ranging accusations against General VK Singh and fix culpability for the leaked information, and speculative reporting by some media houses. Jurisprudence demands that the guilty must be brought to justice at the soonest. National Security certainly can not be treated as a frivolous blame game.
With regards,
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