Army chief urges soldiers not to raise grievances directly

Urging soldiers not to raise their grievances directly via social media, Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday said they can instead use a new grievance redressal system that will keep their identity secret.

"Should any one have any kind of grievances, rather than individually communicating it, they should use the grievance redressal system," the army chief said.

Rawat's comment came a day after Lance Naik Yagya Pratap, in a video, alleged that "jawans are being exploited in the Army by officers". He, however, defended the Sahayak system and said it was a buddy system.

"If someone feels things are going wrong, they can communicate. It is important for me, sitting at the helm, while soldiers are far away," he said, adding that listening to their grievances was important for the health of the Army.

"It is important for me to get a feel of the soldiers as to what conditions they operate in. It is a way to ensure that the efficiency and the health of the army are at the highest levels. So want to ensure that the ranks and files have confidence in the senior leadership."

Rawat announced the setting up of the "Chief of Army Staff Redressal and Grievance Boxes" at the Army headquarter, at command headquarters and subsequently at lower levels. The soldiers' grievances through these boxes would reach the chief directly.

"Anyone, irrespective of ranks, can leave his/her grievance letter in the box. I will personally look at the problems raised via these boxes," Rawat said at a press conference.

The Army chief said the letters would be handled by his close staff and names of the complainants would be deleted before forwarding them for required actions.

He promised both anonymity of the complainant as well as "best efforts to address the problem properly".

However, he added: "If the complainant is unsatisfied with the action taken, he can choose other medium (to voice his grievance)."

Rawat termed the social media a "two-sided weapon", and also added that grievance redressal systems were there at present as well.

--IANS

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