Army-Himachal govt row reaches Centre’s door steps

As an angry Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal met the Prime Minister on Monday over an Indian Army statement accusing him of being hand in glove with land mafia to usurp a defence land, the force ordered inquiry into the issuing of an unprecedented statement by its Western Command Headquarters. 

 

The Army-State Government row flared up an angry Dhumal took up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Dhumal told reporters in Delhi that "the way the army people are interfering in Shimla on the Annadale issue, indiscipline is increasing and army officers are making press statements. Indiscipline in central forces is an issue of serious concern."

"I have met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. I have personally brought the matter to the notice of the Prime Minister. I am also trying to meet the Defence Minister and seeking time from him today," Dhumal, who was in Delhi to attend the meeting of CMs on internal security, said.

The Army press statement could have larger implications as it was the first time that the force has officially pointed fingers at the head of the state government. Seeking to downplay the damning press release that read more like a passionate plea with a heading “Cricket Stadium Annadale: A disaster in the making”, Army Chief General VK Singh said on Monday that he would personally speak to the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister to clear the air.

On Monday evening, the Army Headquarter in Delhi announced to conduct an inquiry “into the Press Release issued by Headquarter Western Command, which was derogatory against the State Government and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh”. What makes the situation graver is that the Army gets a lot of its human resource from the state.

At the centre of the controversy is the 121 bigha Annadale ground that has been with the Indian Army since World War II. While the army claims it to be “strategically” important, a civilian signature campaign has been building up seeking a cricket stadium on the ground, whose lease had expired in 1982.

Earlier, the Western Army Command’s press release contending that the parties with “vested” interests were fanning the controversy, said: “Rather than initiating measures to bring additional areas under forest cover, the state seems to be hell bent on destroying the meager existing forest cover, all at the behest of land mafia, eyeing phenomenal profits, which the cricket stadium would bring.”

Naming the Himachal Chief Minister, the press statement went on to say: “Ironically, it was Prof PK Dhumal only who had launched the Revival of Deodar Afforestation Project for Shimla town in Aug 2009 by giving a clarion call to the people of the state, and specially Shimla town; to revive the faded glory of the capital town by actively participating in the afforestation drive. And now it is the same Prof Dhumal who is towing an entirely different line.”