MoD refers Lt Gen’s complaint for promotion to Law Ministry

History is repeating itself in the war for the top post of the Indian Army. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Wednesday referred the statutory complaint by Lt Gen Ravi Dastane against appointment of Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag as the Eastern Army Commander to the Law Ministry.

 

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Lt Gen Dastane had filed a statutory complaint with the Defence Ministry of August 6, as to why Eastern Army Command bordering China was kept vacant after Lt Gen Suhag – senior to him on June 1 – became ineligible for promotion due to imposition of Disciplinary and Vigilance (DV) ban.

According to sources, the Defence Ministry that was bound to reply to the complaint with a period of 90 days has referred it to Law Ministry for advice. In 2011, the Defence Ministry had referred former Army Chief General VK Singh’s complaint for reducing his age by a year for legal advice. The Law Ministry had opined against the former Army Chief’s request and the ensuing developments climaxed with General VK Singh dragging the government to the Supreme Court over his age.

The ongoing issue stems from the decision taken by the General VK Singh during his last week in the office to impose a DV ban on Lt Gen Suhag – then the Commander of Dimapur-based 3 Corps – thereby stalling his promotion as the Eastern Army Commander. The attempt was seen in the Defence establishment to alter the seniority-based succession line in the 1.1 million-strong army as the move had thwarted the chances of Lt Gen Suhag to become Army Chief after incumbent General Bikram Singh.

The Defence Ministry bid its time and waited for General VK Singh to superannuate and General Bikram Singh to reverse the DV ban. After two weeks of keeping the Eastern Army Commander vacant, Lt Gen Suhag was appointed its Chief following an approval from the Appointments Committee of Cabinet.

The argument of Lt Gen Dastane – who is presently the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff - is that after Lt Gen Suhag became ineligible due to DV ban, he should have been appointed the Eastern Army Commander for being the next senior-most officer.

Sources in the Defence Ministry, however, says that the intention was “not to inflict injustice” to Lt Gen Dastane, but “to do justice” to Lt Gen Suhag.

With the Lt Gen Dastane making his intent public that he will take the government to the court if his grievances are not addressed, the Indian Army finds itself in the thick of the storm even as the dust on the year-long battle for age by the former Army Chief General VK Singh has barely settled down.

The infighting amongst the top brass of the second-largest standing army is again threatening to be played in full public view as sources close to Lt Gen Suhag indicated that the officer is also gearing up to move a caveat in the court on Lt Gen Dastane’s petition so that his argument is also heard before passing a judgement.

Sources also indicate that technically Lt Gen Dastane might be on a strong ground as he is claiming that imposition of DV ban was an individual officer’s problem and the system should have taken its own course as per norms.
 

Earlier this year in January, General (retired) VK Singh had dragged the government to the court claiming he was a year younger than as maintained by the Defence Ministry that effectively curtailed his tenure as the Army Chief by a year.

Another succession storm brewing in Indian Army

It is again going to be an all out war for the top post of the Indian Army. As top army officer Lt Gen Ravi Dastane is contemplating to move the court over stalling of his appointment as the Eastern Army Commander the incumbent Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is bracing to file a Caveat petition.

 Lt Gen Ravi Dastane

Four months ago the Indian Army had put an ugly year-long age-controversy between the Army Chief General VK Singh and the Defence Ministry behind it. But, the clashes in the top brass over promotion are again haunting the 1.1 million-strong Indian Army.

The current episode has its roots in the age controversy of the previous Indian Army Chief General VK Singh. General VK Singh on his last day in the office had imposed a Disciplinary and Vigilance (DV) ban on Lt Gen Suhag – at that time the 3 Corps Commander. This technically made Lt Gen Suhag ineligible as Eastern Army Commander; the post fell vacant after General Bikram Singh moved in as the Indian Army Chief.

Lt Gem Dalbir Singh Suhag

The ineligibility of Lt Gen Suhag to get elevated meant that next senior officer in line - Lt Gen Dastane would have been appointed the Eastern Army Commander and would have been in line to become the Army Chief after incumbent General Bikram Singh retired. However, the Defence Ministry and Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) waited for General VK Singh to retire and General Bikram Singh to take over following which the DV ban was lifted and Lt Gen Suhag was given the charge of the Eastern Army Command.

 General Bikram Singh joins hand with Antony?

Presently Lt Gen Dastane’s statutory complaint against stalling of his appointment as Eastern Army Commander is still pending with the Defence Ministry. After it is disposed of Lt Gen Dastane is all geared up to move the court. Sources close to Lt Gen Suhag have indicated that the army commander is also gearing up for filing a Caveat petition so that the court also hears his arguments before passing a judgment in the case. The Defence Ministry is also going to throw its weight behind the Eastern Army Commander.

Lt Gen Dastane had earlier gone to the Army Chief with his complaint. But it was turned down by the force saying the decision was taken by ACC and the Indian Army had no role to play in it.  And the Defence Ministry’s stand was that the DV ban imposed by General VK Singh was aimed at tweaking the traditional seniority-based succession line in the force.

Sources also indicate that technically Lt Gen Dastane might be on a strong ground as he is claiming that imposition of DV ban was an individual officer’s problem and the system should have taken its own course as per norms.

Earlier this year in January, General (retired) VK Singh had dragged the government to the court claiming he was a year younger than as maintained by the Defence Ministry that effectively curtailed his tenure as the Army Chief by a year.

DAC approves defence procurement worth Rs. 3,500 crore

In the face of kickback allegations in the 12 VVIP and 197 Light Utility helicopters deal, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Monday gave green signal to defence purchases worth Rs. 3,500 crore including night vision devices for the Army and underwater Special Operations Vessels for the navy.

During the DAC meeting, attended by the newly inducted Minister of State for Defence Jitendra Singh and DG Acquisition SB Agnihotri, Defence Minister AK Antony also sent a strong message to the armed forces to be extra cautious while carrying out the procurement processes. Obliquely hinting at the media reports on two helicopter deals with Italy coming under scanner, Antony said: “The competition is stiff nowadays among the different competitors and we need to be very careful.”

However, the DAC did not take up the issue of 197 helicotpers.

The 1.1 million-strong Indian Army has been suffering from acute “night blindness” in the face of the shortage of night vision devices for its foot soldiers. The DAC’s approval is a small step towards addressing the issue of “night blindness” – the 1.1 million strong Indian Army is suffering from.  

“The DAC has approved purchase of 2500 units of handheld thermal imagers valuing around Rs. 800 crore,” sources said. The Army had been pushing for the deal for a long time now.

Some of foot soldiers of Indian Army have been equipped with hand-held thermal imagers,  long-range reconnaissance and observation systems and battlefield surveillance radars (LORROS), either procured from countries like Israel and France or manufactured indigenously by defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL). ''But many more are needed. We would, for instance, like two LORROS units in every battalion. Most of the night-vision equipment held by us is actually second-generation, not like the third-generation devices deployed by countries like US, Russia, France, UK, China and others,'' said an Army officer.

The acquisition process is so slow and infantrymen are experience operational difficulties in night missions. The night sights on its light machine guns, for example, are so power ineffective that their batteries drain out within two hours. 

Along with this another important clearance has been for the construction of two underwater special operations vessel at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) under a project of Rs. 1,700 crore. During the 90 minute meeting, the DAC also approved construction of a cadet training ship at the cost of Rs. 480 crore at ABG Shipyard, sources said.