Get on with work, bury army chief age row, says Antony (Second Lead)
February 13th, 2012 - 12:45 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) Expressing happiness that the controversy over Indian Army chief General V.K. Singh’s age has blown over, Defence Minister A.K. Antony called for an “atmosphere of reconciliation” so that everyone could “work together to strengthen national security”.
“I am very happy this controversy is over,” Antony told reporters on the sidelines of the Asian Security Conference.
“It is my request to all my colleagues and all of you (the media) to please close this chapter and let us work together to strengthen national security,” Antony said.
“In the interest of national security, please forget about this issue. Let us bury it. Let’s work together to bury it now. Let us create an atmosphere of reconciliation. Let us cool down tempers,” the defence minister added.
Asked if Gen. Singh had offered to resign in the wake of the Supreme Court refusing to entertain his plea to consider May 10, 1951, as his birth date instead of a year earlier, Antony replied: “The government has full faith in the present chief, as we stated before the Supreme Court.”
The defence minister’s remarks came on the day Gen. Singh began a visit to Britain, the first by an Indian Army chief since 2008.
Antony himself began a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia Monday, the first by an Indian defence minister.
On Feb 10, a Supreme Court bench of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice H.L. Gokhale made it clear that Gen. Singh’s date of birth for service purposes would continue to be May 10, 1950, and not May 10, 1951, as mentioned in his school leaving certificate. Gen Singh consequently withdrew his plea.
The army chief had gone to the Supreme Court Jan 16 insisting he was actually born May 10, 1951, not in 1950 as claimed by the government.
- Antony wants row closed on army chief's age (Lead) - Feb 13, 2012
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- 1950 or 1951? That's the vital question for Gen. V.K. Singh - Feb 09, 2012
- It's official: 1950 is army chief's year of birth (Timeline) - Feb 10, 2012
- Supreme Court trips army chief in age row battle (Evening Lead) - Feb 10, 2012
- Army chief loses court battle on age row (Roundup) - Feb 10, 2012
- Uncertainty over Indian Army chief's age rages - Dec 26, 2011
- Army chief age issue a closed chapter: Antony - Feb 17, 2012
- Supreme Court nixes army chief age plea (Second Lead) - Feb 10, 2012
- Army rejects defence ministry's order on chief's age - Aug 23, 2011
- Indian Army chief sues government over his age plea (Second Lead) - Jan 16, 2012
- Antony wants closure on army chief age row - Feb 13, 2012
- Amidst age row, Indian Army chief meets key aides - Jan 02, 2012
- Countdown to army chief's retirement begins - May 05, 2012
- Government, army chief set for legal battle (Evening Lead) - Jan 17, 2012
Tags: antony, asian security, birth date, chief general, defence minister, gokhale, indian army, indian defence, leaving certificate, lodha, national security, New Delhi, plea, reconciliation, saudi arabia, security conference, service purposes, sidelines, supreme court bench, tempers