The Army chief General VK Singh’s has recently filed a case in the Supreme Court against the government. The case seems to be straightforward. The Government contends that Gen. Singh is born in 1950, whilst Gen. Singh claims that he's born in 1951 and the Government must correct its records.
The discrepancy in the Army Chief’s year of birth has occurred because 2 sets of records, show 2 different birth dates. The army adjutant general’s branch records the date as 1951 and the Military secretary’s branch records the birth date as 1950.
The reason the dispute assumes significance and has now reached the Supreme Court is because it decides the retirement date of the General. Should the date remain as 1950, as the Government wants, then Gen. Singh retires in May of this year. If his plea is accepted, then the General gets to spend an additional year in office.
The Government has cut a sorry figure so far in its handling of the case. The reasons cited by it for needing to maintain 1950 as the birth date, is so that the line of succession as decided by the 2 Army Chief's prior to
Gen. Singh may be maintained. This raises several important questions. Does that mean that the Committee that is appointed to select the Army Chief has no role to play and endorses the so called "Line of Succession". Does it also mean that like the Monarchy the next General is predetermined and preordained. If the Government is speaking the truth, then its scary. If its lying, then it's even more scary that it finds the necessity to lie to the highest Court on a relatively frivolous issues.
Whilst the media is highlighting the Governments stance and making Gen. Singh to be a hero who is being wronged, I have a completely different point of view. I feel that the General is completely at fault and is now trying to get another year in office at any cost.
Lets look at the issue objectively. Firstly why did the error exists. My understanding is that its because the date that was provided in the forms filled and signed by the General when joining the Army. Subsequently he submitted a different birth date by virtue of his SSC certificate. He conveniently did not bother to have it corrected.
Several years later, when he came up for promotion as a General, the discrepancy was once again noticed, ironically not by the Army but by the Government. They referred to the Army, who said that the correct date to be considered was 1950. The Government insisted on a letter from the General. The same was given. Once again when he was being considered for promotion as Army Chief he was once again asked the same question. And acknowledged in writing that 1950 may be considered as his date of birth.
He now claims to have been arm twisted into giving those letters. This sounds weird. You are arm twisted into being given a promotion to lead the world's 3rd largest army. The facts seem to indicate that the General accepted the promotions and was willing to have 1950 as his birth date. Now that he's already got it, hes doing everything he can to spend an additional year in office.
Sadly, not the actions of either an Officer or a Gentleman.
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