Azad questions report of secret unit set up by V K Singh

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Press Trust of India Srinagar
Last Updated : Sep 21 2013 | 8:35 PM IST
Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today expressed doubts over the veracity of the report that a secret intelligence unit set up during former Army Chief General V K Singh's tenure tried to topple Jammu and Kashmir Government.
The Union Health minister also said that last year's report appearing in a national paper about Army trying to stage a coup at the Centre also "proved baseless".
"All these things are still allegations and nothing has been proved yet...It (report of money given to State Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir) is also the part of the allegation," Azad told reporters after laying foundation of 50-bed integrated AYUSH hospital at Harwan here.
He said it is a reality that the defence ministry had sought the report from Army headquarters and the ministry is now investigating it as it is a very sensitive matter.
"First it is the matter of Defence Ministry and then of an ex-army general but there is an allegation and Defence ministry is carefully going into the investigations.
"I hope the Defence Ministry will reach some conclusion and act on it, but I want to say that it is not just an important issue but a serious one. Chief Minister or government, be that of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab or Assam or UP, any such action against any government is a serious issue," he said.
"And when we talk about Jammu and Kashmir, it is not just Omar Abdullah's government but a coalition in which Congress is also a part. So if this (report) is true, then it is a serious matter and Defence Ministry has to see that no such thing happens in the state or in any other part of the country," Azad said.
Referring to the last year's report about Army trying to stage a coup at the Centre, Azad said it proved baseless.
"There was a time when it was said that Army was trying to stage a coup which gave goosebumps as it was a new thing for India. Afterwards it turned out to be totally wrong. It was baseless," he said.
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First Published: Sep 21 2013 | 8:35 PM IST

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