Govt uses Army’s report for political blackmail

As the allegations in a secret Army report that the controversial Technical Services Division(TSD) was involved in unauthorized operations and financial wrongdoings triggered a political slugfest between Congress and BJP, a Union minister on condition of anonymity said a CBI probe ‘impinging on matters of national security’ is not ruled out. 

Though information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari said on Friday that the facts brought out in the report appearing in a section of are extremely sensitive, he failed to answer why the government was sitting on it.

The report alleges that unauthorised operations and financial wrongdoings, including horse trading to bring down Omar Abdullah government in Jammu and Kashmir, were indulged in by a top secret intelligence unit set up by the then Army chief General VK Singh. However, the appearance of a report in a newspaper, soon after Singh shared dais with Opposition’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, has raised quite a few eyebrows.

Reacting to the report, the BJP asked pointed questions over its timing. Briefing reporters in New Delhi on Friday, party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said the allegations against the General VK Singh sound absolutely peculiar and odd not only because of the timing but also the contents of the report. She accused the government of setting wrong precedents, saying this does not augur well for the country’s forces.

On the other hand, speaking for the government, Tewari said, ‘If any person, retired or serving, is found to be involved in the matter, action will be taken.’

However, the ministry of defence in a separate statement decided to take a softer stand on the matter. ‘Government will take action after carefully examining the Army report,’ the defence ministry said, adding, ‘the report impinges on matters of national security and government has taken measures to prevent any such undesirable activities.’ 

The report submitted to defence ministry in March this year is understood to have recommended a probe by an external agency like the CBI. The ministry has also clarified that it has not taken any decision for a CBI inquiry into the issues raised in the Army’s Report.