Chief of Army Staff Gen. VK Singh: Dr. Swamy writes to PM to intervene and honour the record of Army Adjutant General

January 14, 2012.

Dr. Manmohan Singh,

Prime Minister of India,

South Block,

New Delhi.

Dear Prime Minister:

            I write this letter regarding the matter of retirement of the Chief of Army Staff  Gen V.K. Singh as decided by your Government.

            I am constrained to take up this matter in view of the fact that Gen Singh not only has  an impeccable battle-field record but he has also earned an extremely good name in the ranks of the army and outside as a person who is ready to take steps to clean up corruption whenever and wherever it has come to his notice in the army.

            All the facts are known to you and I believe they are contained in a statutory complaint made by Gen Singh himself with all the relevant documents in the Ministry of Defence.  The Raksha Mantri Mr. Antony gave me an appointment and I had met him to discuss this matter.  But from what he told me it appears that for the resolution of the matter it is not in his hands and that is why since you are the Prime Minister, I am writing this letter for I have a deep respect for you and for your personal integrity.

            The issue is not the question of changing the date of birth as was given in the form when Gen Singh filled his form on joining the army.  Two points are amply clear from the documents (1) that his date of birth in the matriculation certificate is 1951  and in the form filled by him it  is 1950.  As far as the filled up form is concerned, Gen Singh at that stage was a class X student and it could well be that the form was filled up by somebody, e.g. his teacher. But more importantly whether his date of birth is 1950 or 1951 in the application form, it gave him no benefit as far as his service in the army is concerned and no benefit in his subsequent career.  It is important to bring to your notice that four former Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of India found it compelling to write out their opinion, one of which opinion was sought by the Central Authority which is within the army, namely, the Adjutant General’s office, namely, from Justice J.S. Verma and they were all unanimous that legally and judicially the date of birth at any time when a dispute arises can only be determined on the basis of the school leaving certificate which in this case is 1951.  I have also been told authoritatively  but orally about the opinion of the Attorney General of India, but his opinion is based on a question that was posed in a rigged manner against the rightful claim of Gen Singh.  I urge you to disregard the same and use your own appreciation of the facts.  The core point is  that the entire service record of Gen Singh clearly show that the Adjutant General’s office after due “verification and authentication from the state of his selection in the army, the date of birth has been nothing but 10.5.1951 and not 10.5.1950.  This date of birth, viz. 10.5.1951 is also the same date given by the successful candidate Gen V.K.Singh at the entry point and accepted by the UPSC as correct at the time of selection.

            The media is naturally being organized by some and you know that is not difficult.  The nation cannot treat him as officer sterling in unfinished career and dropped, targeted and destroyed in this manner.  I have my own theories of why this is being dumped and demoralize the jawans in the army.

            I urge you  with respect to intervene and ensure that this matter is settled on merit and  in the larger interest of the nation and that it will not be necessary to undergo a massive litigation launched by a body called Grenadiers Association of Rohtak, Haryana and pending in the Supreme Court.

                                                                        Yours sincerely,

                                                            ( SUBRAMANIAN  SWAMY )