Taking a strong exception to the Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar asking the services chiefs to implement the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations despite their genuine objections, Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday asked him to stand by the defence services.
“You should stand by the Defence services and not the babus in the Government who not only know nothing about the defence services, but also seem to be congenitally hostile towards the services,” said Capt Amarinder.
He said that Parrikar had no right or authority to order the services chiefs to accept what is not acceptable to them. He had once again shown his inability to understand the services, he said.
“You can order them in operational matters and they will do as ordered, but on what grounds can you order them to accept the seventh Pay Commission recommendations when these are prejudicially biased against themIJ” asked Capt Amarinder while adding, “Is this Nazi Germany and are you Hitler to issue such a dictatorial orderIJ”
The former Chief Minister said that the three chiefs are reflecting the views of each and every soldier in uniform or out of it. “Instead of you standing by your defence services, you are toeing the line set by your babus…Do you realise the implications of your attitudeIJ” he asked.
He asked Parrikar to look beyond the babus and stand by the forces. “Demoralizing them will affect the security of our nation,” he warned, while asking him to either stand by the services or quit as the Prime Minister can perhaps find another defence minister and a better one.
Capt Amarinder also sought Prime Minister’s personal intervention and asked him to look beyond those who lack foresight. “This is a matter of national security and beyond that of the comprehension of the babus. The three Chiefs are absolutely correct in their stand. Their
officers and men expect nothing less from them. They have complete admiration and
total support of the nation,”
he added.