Gogoi airs concern over CAG revelation on army's munition shortage

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Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday slammed the BJP-led NDA government over the recent CAG revelation about shortage of ammunition with the Indian Army at a time when there is an ongoing stand-off along the India-China border.

"The CAG report, which has highlighted that the Indian Army is battling serious shortage of ammunition, including tanks and artilleries, is a matter of concern, particularly for the northeast India. It is very shocking," Gogoi said, addressing a press conference.

"I think the central government is not taking the developments at the Indo-China border seriously," he added.

"I am telling this from the experience of 1962. If the similar situation happens, Assam and other parts of the northeast region will be the worst sufferers. How the Indian Army will fight Chinese if they were not given arms and ammunition," asked Gogoi.

Gogoi also slammed the central government for its failure to appoint a full-time Defence Minister so far. "Both Defence and Finance ministries are strategic portfolios. It is difficult for one person to handle both portfolios and yet the Prime Minister has imposed the Defence portfolio on the Finance Minister," he said.

Gogoi said that if the country did not have the technology to upgrade the defence arsenal, those should have been procured from other countries. "The Prime Minister has been visiting foreign countries all the time, so why the government is yet to take up with any foreign country about defence requirements of India?"

The former Assam Chief Minister said that it had been over three years now and that the people of India did not want to listen to "Maan Ki Baat" anymore, rather they want to listen to "Kaam ki Baat" now.

Gogoi hailed the government for electing a Dalit candidate as the President of India, but said that while it was a good move, the government decision to reduce the total schemes for the Scheduled Castes from 294 to 256 and total schemes for the Scheduled Tribes from 307 in 2016-17 to only 261 was not justified.

--IANS

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