NF Bureau: As many as 156 Veterans of the Indian Armed Forces including 8 former Service Chiefs – (three former Army chiefs, four former Navy chief and a former Air Force chief of Staff) on Thursday wrote to the President of India Ram Nath Kovind and Commander-in-Chief to complain about the manner in which political parties have been using armed forces for political gains ahead of the Lok Sabha election.
In a letter to the President Kovind, the officials urged to take all necessary steps to urgently direct all political parties that they must forthwith desist from using the military, military uniforms or symbols, and any actions by military formations or personnel, for political purposes or to further their political agendas. That could therefore directly affect national security and national integrity.”
They added that the unusual and completely unacceptable practice of political leaders taking credit for military operations like cross-border strikes, and even going so far as to claim the Armed Forces to be “Modi ji ki Sena”. This is in addition to media pictures of election platforms and campaigns in which party workers are seen wearing military uniforms; and posters and images with pictures of soldiers and especially of Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, displayed.
Therefore they appealed the Commander-in-Chief to ensure that the secular and a-political character of Armed Forces is preserved.
Nation First News