Has General Praveen Bakshi offered to quit? Speculation rife

New Delhi: A 15-minute meeting between defence minister Manohar Parrikar and Eastern Army commander Lt. Gen. Praveen Bakshi on Wednesday set the corridors of power in South Block abuzz with intense speculations as to whether the officer had indeed put in his papers.

Lt. Gen. Bipin Rawat’s appointment as India’s new Army Chief ahead of Lt. Gen. Bakshi and Southern Army commander Lt. Gen. P.M. Hariz on Saturday also sparked a fierce political row between a section of the Opposition and the government.

While concrete details of the one-on-one crisp meeting remained elusive with top ministry and Army officials preferring to remain tightlipped, ministry sources claimed the meeting to be a “courtesy call” requested by Gen. Bakshi.

It led to speculation that he might have come to express his intention to resign on December 31 rather than serve under a junior. Lt. Gen. Rawat, currently vice-chief of the Army Staff, is set to take over from General Dalbir Singh Suhag on December 31.

On the other hand, the possibility of offering Gen. Bakshi a yet-to-be set up post of the chief of defence staff (CDS) has also been talked about, although defence ministry sources ruled it out.

“It is unlikely at this point of time as the process of setting up such a post is still a very long way off… nor has a final decision been taken,” a top source told this newspaper.

With the prevalent strict hierarchical nature of the 13-million-strong Army with its fierce ethos of regimental loyalty and honour, there has been just one exception to the seniority norm till date.

In 1983, General A.S. Vaidya was made the Army Chief overlooking the seniority of Lt. Gen. S.K. Sinha. Soon enough, the latter promptly put in his papers rather than take orders from his junior.

Without doubt, while the latest appointment has ruffled certain sections in the Army, the official stand is that it is the government’s prerogative to choose the most suitable officer from a panel of five commanders.

According to sources, new Army Chief-designate Lt. Gen. Rawat’s wide experience in counter terrorism and insurgency weighed in his favour.

The Congress and the Left asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday to spell out the “compelling reasons” behind the choice, while the government said it followed standard norms, and did not require the permission of 10, Janpath (Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s residence) for the same.

The BJP said issues related to the defence forces should not be politicised.

The slugfest also came at a time when the Opposition is bitterly opposed to the government’s demonetisation move, disrupting an almost entire Parliament session.