A delegation of Congress leaders submitted a memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner, Government of India, alleging that the army commanders conference is being held in Dehradun with an intention to influence the sizeable number of serving and retired armed forces and paramilitary personnel in the State.
In the memorandum, the Congress has demanded that the commander’s conference be deferred and if necessary be held after February 15- the day of polling for the Vidhan Sabha election 2017 in Uttarakhand.
According to the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesman, Mathura Dutt Joshi, cabinet minister Dinesh Aggarwal, party leader lt Gen Gambhir Singh Negi (Retd) and the Congress Sainik cell head captain Balbir Singh Rawat (Retd) along with himself, jointly submitted the memorandum.
The memorandum states that the armed forces commanders conference slated to be held in Dehradun on January 21 is going to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
The PCC chief spokesman said, “There is a considerable populace of serving and ex servicemen in Uttarakhand. The manner in which the BJP-led Central Government addressed the one rank, one pension issue, the ex-servicemen are unhappy with their lot. We are not against holding the commanders conference in Uttarakhand but the manner in which it is being held at a time when the procedure is underway for the Vidhan Sabha election 2017 in the state, it appears to be a clear violation of the election model code of conduct. We requested the CIC to facilitate the postponement of the commanders conference, adding that if the prime minister is particular about holding the conference in Uttarakhand, it should be held after the day of polling – February 15 in Uttarakhand,” said Joshi.