JOIN USThis is happening when this entire issue is a non-issue.
It is common knowledge known to all that the SSC, higher secondary or 12th standard board certificates serve as unimpeachable records confirming one’s date of birth. The Supreme Court, too, has ruled so in unambiguous terms. Gen Singh entered Birla public school with his date of birth (DOB) showing as 10 May, 1951. His provisional matriculation certificate also carries the same date. The date change controversy originated with one of his teachers, B S Bhatnagar, who was keen on sending the maximum number of students to the National Defence Academy (NDA). The forms with the wrong birth date, 10 May 1950 were filled by him. Bhatnagar has admitted that the error was his.
In the army all records are maintained by the Adjutant General (AG) Branch. The AG branch based on his matriculation certificate has all along recorded Gen Singh’s age as 10 May 1951.So why is the controversy ?
The controversy has been created by the military secretary branch in 2008, whose army list depicts DOB of Gen Singh as 10 May, 1950. This branch deals with postings, promotions, deputations, and retirement of all officers.
Deep selection
In Indian army, after the rank of major, all promotions are done by a system of deep selection. To reach the rank of lieutenant general and then army commander of eastern command Gen Singh went through six promotion boards. In each of these, his DOB was shown by MS branch as 10 May 1951. Then why this controversy now?
Reasons are not far to seek. When Gen Singh took over as army chief, Indian army was buffeted with the Sukna land scam, whereby a private party was given the right to set up an educational institution on government land. Since the army had an important corps stationed near Sukna, its NOC was vital to this project. The person who allegedly played a key role in the scam was the military secretary himself. He, along with many other senior army officers are currently facing court martial. All these were the blue eyed boys of then army chief Gen Deepak Kapur of the Adarsh Society scam infame.
Further it was the current army chief who then was the eastern army commander under whom this Sukhna corps came .Gen Singh enjoys a very upright and honest image.
Against very heavy pressure to let go these scamsters lightly, he insisted on heavy punishment to set an example. Needless to say this was against the wishes of Gen Kapoor who initially wanted only administrative action. It was only after the intervention of defence minister A K Antony that Kapoor relented.
When Gen Singh took over as army chief he had pledged that he will cleanse the army of these scams and underhand deals. Till now he has lived up to his promise. Reportedly some senior army officers who immensely benefit from the early departure of Gen Singh are directly hob knobbing with the law ministry for Gen Singh’s early departure.
One fails to understand why the current government is allowing this controversy to rage thereby badly affecting the morale of the army and impinging on its discipline. If Gen Kayani, the Pakistan army chief can get three year extension and the chief secretary of India get a series of extensions then what stops the government from accepting the legitimate age of Gen VK Singh as 10 May 1951? Let there be no delay now. Let our enemies not benefit from this most important national security issue.
(The writer is a retired brigadier)