Sorry and sad over Gen Singh's age issue: Antony

Says government exercising "maximum restraint and patience" on the issue

PTI | January 20, 2012



Breaking his silence on the age controversy surrounding Army chief Gen V K Singh, Defence Minister A K Antony today said he was "sorry and sad" over it and left it to the Supreme Court to decide the matter.

Noting that there are constitutional forums to question a government's decision, he said, "The Army headquarters and government take decisions many a time but now there are questions...there are constitutional forums to question the decisions of government."

Also read: Supreme Court dismisses PIL on Army Chief's age

Antony said government was exercising "maximum restraint and patience" on the age row and contended that the matter could not be settled in a sensational manner.

"I have always been against public debate on this, but unfortunately some of you are celebrating it. This is not an issue for celebration.

"I feel sorry and sad about the controversy. That is why inspite of something being misunderstood, I was keeping silence because I believe this is not an issue that can be decided on public platform or (through) public debate," he told reporters when asked about the row surrounding Army chief's age.

Replying to a question as to why the government allowed the issue to linger on for seven months, he said, "Our government is keeping maximum restraint and patience because these issues cannot be handled in a sensational manner through public debate."

The Minister said government will wait for the final verdict of the Supreme Court on the matter.

"The decision (of the government) has now been questioned and matter is before the Supreme Court. Lets all wait for the verdict of the SC. Please avoid controversy and let us wait for the final verdict of the SC," he said.

Singh has challenged the decision of the government which has determined his date of birth as 10.5.1950 and not a year later.

Comments

 

Other News

A 19th-century pilgrim’s progress

The Travels of a Sadhu in the Himalayas By Jaladhar Sen (Translated by Somdatta Mandal) Speaking Tiger Books, 259 pages, ₹499.00  

India faces critical shortage of skin donors amid rising burn cases

India reports nearly 70 lakh burn injury cases every year, resulting in approximately 1.4 lakh deaths annually. Experts estimate that up to 50% of these lives could be saved with adequate access to skin donations.   A significant concern is that around 70% of burn victims fall wi

Not just politics, let`s discuss policies too

Why public policy matters Most days, India`s loudest debates stop at the ballot box. We can name every major leader and recall every campaign slogan. Still, far fewer of us can explain why a widow`s pension is delayed or how a government school`s budget is actually approved. That

When algorithms decide and children die

The images have not left me, of dead and wounded children being carried in the arms of the medics and relatives to the ambulances and hospitals. On February 28, at the start of Operation Epic Fury, cruise missiles struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh school – officially named a girls’ school, in Minab,

The economics of representation: Why women in power matter

India’s democracy has grown in scale, but not quite in balance. Women today are active participants in elections, influencing outcomes in ways that were not as visible earlier. Yet their presence in legislative institutions continues to lag behind. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was meant to addres

India will be powerful, not aggressive: Bhaiyyaji

India is poised to emerge as a global power but will remain rooted in its civilisational ethos of non-aggression and harmony, former RSS General Secretary Suresh `Bhaiyyaji` Joshi has said.   He was speaking at the launch of “Rashtrabhav,” a book by Ravindra Sathe


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter