* Cong can’t get away with bouquets and leave brickbats for NC: Rana
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 23: Provincial President National Conference Devender Singh Rana today sought extensive probe by a Judicial Commission or Central Bureau of Investigation on the overall role of former Army Chief Gen V K Singh as the GOC of the Victor Force, Chief of Staff 15 Corps and Chief of Army Staff to unravel his machinations vis a vis Jammu and Kashmir especially his nexus with a political party, its cohorts and certain dubious political operators in South Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here this evening, the Provincial President said the charges allegedly proved by an Army panel cannot be brushed aside the denial of General Singh or the alleged recipient of Rs 1.19 crore particularly so because the news report quotes an Army report submitted to MoD whose existence has not been denied till date by the Army or the Union Government.
He said Gen V K Singh and the political actors at the national and the State levels cannot get away with something having far reaching consequences for a State like Jammu and Kashmir. General Singh has not only brought a bad name to the Army, which is traditionally apolitical and a great institution but also put a blot on the vibrant and well performing Indian democracy, largest in the world, he said while adding that the disclosures have shook the confidence of the people across the country in general and Jammu and Kashmir in particular.
The Provincial President referred in detail the close links between General Singh and some dubious political operators since his appointment as GOC Victor Force in South Kashmir. This relationship strengthened further when he took over the crucial assignment of Chief of Staff 15 Corps and later as the Army Chief on 31st March 2010. He said the General had personal bias against Omar Abdullah and he carried it always on his shoulders as the Army Chief. “He (General Singh) did not grow beyond the GOC Victor Force as far as his myopic considerations and bias against the National Conference because of his close proximity with a political party and its leaders”, the Provincial President said.
Mr Rana also referred to frequent meeting of the people from ‘Anantnag and its back lanes with General Singh at the Army Headquarters. He said the overt and covert acts of the Army Chief to destabilize the Jammu and Kashmir Government were strongly resented by even the Army commanders then posted in Kashmir, who did not approve of his machinations but may not speak today because of the discipline of the belt force and in keeping with the rich traditions of the Army which is the steel frame of Indian democracy.
When asked why the Government was not taking any action against the erring Minister, Mr Rana said that it is for the Government to ascertain the authenticity of the charges but as far as National Conference is concerned, it leaves the matter to the discretion and conscience of Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir. He said National Conference believes in high moral plank in politics and referred to the resignation tendered by the former Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo when probe was ordered into the unfortunate Kishtwar incidents last month. “Mr Kitchloo took high moral plank and thought it prudent to step down till the probe panel cleared him of the allegation made against him”, he added.
To a question on concerns raised during Congress convention at Srinagar about non-performance of the Omar Abdullah Government, Mr Rana quipped: “We are in Coalition Government with Congress, which is functioning smoothly and both the partners are equally responsible for the achievements or under-achievements. It is not fair for Congress leaders to lay hands on bouquets and throw brickbats on National Conference.”
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