Gen V K Singh should have been sacked on age issue: Gen Sinha

'Singh has brought disrepute to Indian Army'

In a scathing attack on V K Singh's recent comments on Kashmir, former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen (retd) S K Sinha today expressed  the former Army Chief should have been sacked when he took Government to court over the age issue.

87-year-old Sinha, who served the militancy-hit state between 2003 and 2008, was candid in his remark that Singh had "brought disrepute to the Indian Army, an organisation which is always known to be apolitical".

"I was surprised as well as pained to see when he (Gen Singh) dragged the government to court. No Chief in the world has ever gone to court challenging his government's decision.

What he did at that point of time was against the tradition of the army. He should have been sacked on the same day," Gen Sinha told PTI.

Gen Sinha while referring to the controversy surrounding Gen Singh recalled how he had been superseded during the tenure of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and that there were a battery of lawyers who wanted to fight his case for free.

"I do not question the authority of the Government. I accept it. I have decided to fade away from the Army. Gen (A S) Vaidya is a friend of mine and a competent General. I am sure that the Indian Army will flourish under his leadership," Gen Sinha quoted his own statement that he had to issue after a heated debate in Parliament over his supersession.

About the claims made by the former Army Chief about funding of political activities in the state since Independence, Gen Sinha, who was former Army Vice Chief, shot back, "this is utter nonsense. This statement has damaged the image of the Army and also brought disrepute to it.