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Army 'coup' report fizzles out, government terms it 'alarmist'
Wednesday April 04, 2012 11:20:14 PM,
IANS
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New Delhi/Visakhapatnam: The stir caused by a media report Wednesday morning about
an attempted "military coup" in January turned into a whimper by
the evening after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called it
"alarmist" and Defence Minister A.K. Antony termed it "baseless"
and vouching for the army's pro-democracy credentials.
The nation woke up Wednesday to an Indian Express front page
report that said a Hisar-based mechanised infantry unit and
elements from the 50 Para Brigade in Agra had moved towards the
capital on the night of Jan 16 without following the standard
operating procedure of informing the defence ministry in advance.
The report said since this happened around the time when Indian
Army chief Gen. V.K. Singh was waging a judicial battle against
the government over his age row, it created unease and suspicion
in Delhi.
The report, soon after hitting the stands, went viral online, with
several postings and comments for and against it.
But Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, maintaining his cool and
composure, called it "alarmist" and that it "should not be taken
at face value."
Defence Minister A.K. Antony too thrashed the report as "baseless"
and added there was no doubt about the patriotism of the armed
forces.
The prime minister also spoke on the reported tussle between the
government and Gen. Singh.
"The army chief's office is an exalted office. All of us have an
obligation to do nothing that lowers its dignity," he said, when
asked if there was unease between the government and the army
chief.
In Visakhapatnam, where Antony had gone to formally induct a
nuclear-powered submarine, the minister clarified that the report
was "absolutely baseless".
The minister, looking poised, swore by the "patriotism" of Indian
soldiers.
He said the army movement was a "usual, natural activity" and that
there was "nothing unusual" about it.
Antony said the Indian Army and the other wings of the armed
forces "will do everything" to safeguard the country's democratic
values. "I can guarantee you that".
The defence minister asked the media not embroil the armed forces
into such controversies.
"My humble request to you is that the Indian Army cannot afford
the luxury of these controversies."
'Sensationalized Story'
The Congress, meanwhile accused the newspaper of "sensationalising"
the issue.
"The Express has tried to sensationlise the news, which is not
proper," Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi told IANS.
"The media should be very careful as far as the army is concerned
and should not sensationalise news," he said.
Another Congress spokesperson, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, said: "No
fact has justified such speculation."
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick in wanting
to put the government on the mat and sought the "proactive" role
of the prime minister in resolving the "rising trust deficit"
between the army and the government.
"We must ensure, that there is no room for nor any apprehension or
any sponsored story," BJP general secretary and spokesperson Ravi
Shankar Prasad said here.
It also sought the ouster of Antony as defence ministry over the
recent government tiff with the army.
"The relationship between the army and political leadership of the
country is at an all time low...it's a matter of very deep
concern," Prasad said.
"The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) has messed up a whole lot
of things in governance because of incapacity of leadership,
governance deficit and a whole range of confusion...even army has
become a victim of that. The balance between the army and the
government needs to be re-established with respect," he said.
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