The logical conclusion in payoff allegations is seemingly sliding under the ‘debris’ of Gen VK Singh’s mounting statements. On Tuesday, he again broke his silence by retracting from his earlier payoff allegations against the state’s politicians saying no such thing happens.
In his latest U-turn, former army chief claimed that he had cited purported comments attributed to former US Ambassador to India David Mulford when he said “certain ministers” of J&K were being paid by the army for stability.
While justifying his latest statement, Gen Singh said that he has never said that ministers and MLAs are paid money under Sadbhavana (civic action schemes undertaken by the Army).
“I have just said that certain projects are taken up which help in stabilizing. This can be a bridge or a transformer,” he said. “I have already given a reply to the notice issued by the state Assembly. Let them deal with it accordingly.”
A day after Gen Singh’s statement, Speaker of the House Mubarak Gul said he is yet to review the reply.
“I have gone through his (VK Singh’s) statement (claiming that he has responded to my notice), but I have not received it as of now,” Gul was quoted as saying. “We will go by the rules of the House in the matter.”
Gen Singh had made the allegation while commenting on a report in an English daily, which had claimed that Technical Services Division, an intelligence unit of the Army created during his tenure, had paid Rs 1.19 crore to state minister Ghulam Hassan Mir allegedly to destabilise the Omar Abdullah government in 2010.
October 25, Gul instead of issuing summon to the former army chief shot a notice to him to explain his position on the allegations. Gen Singh was given 20 days time to explain his position in the matter.
Following allegations, the state’s Legislative Assembly had passed a unanimous resolution demanding a probe into his statements. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, during a discussion in autumn session of assembly, that lasted the better part of four hours, said Singh’s allegations had “belittled” the state’s politicians.
The resolution, Gul said, was submitted by the Assembly Secretariat to Chief Secretary for communicating it to the Government of India.
“I have never said that in the book,” Gen Singh said about his earlier payoff allegations, “I have not even said that in the interview.”
-Bilal Handoo
