Jaipur: Union minister Prakash Javadekar Friday termed a reported letter written by over 150 military veterans to President Ram Nath Kovind a “disgusting act by grand alliance”, saying it reflected disappointment and nervousness of the opposition. Expressing outrage over the “use” of the armed forces for “political purposes”, military veterans have written to Kovind to seek his intervention in preserving the apolitical character of the services.
The letter, dated April 11, carries the names of eight former service chiefs but two of them — former Army chief General (retd) S F Rodrigues and Air Chief Marshal (retd) N C Suri — said they have not signed it. “It is a proof that how disgusting acts are being done by a gathering against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A letter in the name of ex-servicemen has surfaced which is not signed by those whose names appear in the letter,” Javadekar told reporters.
“The letter which was not sent to the president is sent to media houses. There cannot be a more shameful incident than this,” he said. On Income Tax Department’s raids on the premises of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s aides, the BJP’s poll in-charge for Rajasthan said the Congress has started scams within 100 days of coming to power in MP. He added that the party should clarify the source of the unaccounted cash seized in the raids.