New Delhi, Jan 15 (IANS) Earlier he was indecisive on what he would do next on his age row, but now Indian Army chief Gen V.K. Singh is unsure when the controversy will end.

“I have got no clue,” he said to queries whether he expected an early solution to the vexed issue raging for a year now.

“I am working as I am (used to),” he said, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual Army Day parade at Delhi Cantonment here.

Sounding a conciliatory note, the army chief insisted the matter should be allowed to rest and not become an open debate.

Asked to clarify if he felt the age row had been allowed to cool off by the defence ministry, he quipped: “Why do you want clarity? I have said this is an issue that should be allowed to rest, and not become public debate. So there is no requirement to give it any spin, or to give it any more wings than what it actually is.”

Asked if he would accept the government decision that he should retire by May 31 if the age issue is delinked from his tenure in office and his request for changing the date of birth in official records from May 10, 1950, to May 10, 1951, is acceded, the army chief said the question did not merit a reply.

“I think I have already said a lot of things on this subject. Actually there is no requirement for me to say anything on this subject. The reason is that whatever I say will either be misinterpreted or interpreted in a manner in which somebody will write it.”

With news reports suggesting that Defence Minister A.K. Antony had confidence on him to perform his responsibilities, Singh said: “I don’t want to say anything. He (Antony) has expressed his confidence and I am following that. Earlier also I have said that I am working for the organisation. I appreciate his confidence and will try to stand up to that.”

The age row relates to two sets of records with the army’s adjutant general’s branch that deals with pay and pension and the military secretary branch responsible for postings and promotions. While the adjutant general has 1951 as year of birth in the records, the military secretary maintains 1950.

The government had last Dec 30 year rejected Singh’s statutory complaint filed in August that year with Antony seeking a change in the records, thereby indicating that he will have to retire on May 31.