Defence experts condemn CPM leader's remark on Indian Army

The defence experts on Friday condemned Communist Party of India (Marxist) Kerala secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's derogatory remark on Indian Army, saying that the latter does not even deserve to be called a politician.

"Balakrishnan does not know about what he is talking. Indian Army is known for his compassion. His statement is condemnable. Indian Army know how to react and act on these people," defence expert P.K. Saighal told ANI

Slamming the leader, another defence expert S.K. Chatterjee said that Balakrishnan does not even deserve to be called as politician.

"I don't think we could call Kodiyeri Balakrishnan a politician. I don't know how party tolerates a man like him. He needs to be told that those were in the Indian Army are from his village, are his brother. We should not even discuss such issues at all," he told ANI.

Earlier, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) targeted Balakrishnan and demanded a 'disciplinary action' against him for maligning the image of the reputed force.

"It is an unfortunate statement which has come from the Kerala leader. Indian Army is a very disciplined force. It is recognized world over. This kind of accusation of maligning Indian army is unfortunate. The person who has made this statement, the political party must take note and should take disciplinary action," BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh told ANI.

Balakrishnan courted a controversy on Thursday saying that the Indian Army could rape and abduct women if given additional powers.

"They (army) can do anything to anybody. If they see more than four people standing together, they can shoot them...They can take any woman and rape her, nobody has the right to question them. This is the state wherever the army is," Balakrishnan said in Kannaur.

He further said that if the army is deployed in Kannur, clashes are bound to take place between the people and the army.