news details |
|
|
| Panag looses war with Kapoor, shifted to Central Command | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Feb 25
Despite a tough resistance, perhaps first time in the history of Indian Army, the GoC-in-C of Northern Command Lt Gen HS Panag has been removed and shifted to the Central Command.
The move of transferring Gen Panag had been initiated some three months back which he had vehemently resisted and even met the Defense Minister AK Antony to make his point. The EARLY TIMES had extensively reported on the entire series of events relating to Lt Gen Panag’s transfers.
Even though Antony had promised a fair deal, but Panag had today been shifted to a relatively less important Luknow based Central Command. Lt Gen PC Bhardwaj, the Chief of 14 Corps has been promoted as Army Commander to replace Panag as GoC-in-C of Northern Command. Panag and Bhardwaj take over their new positions on March 1.
The Indian Army does not have any history of resistance from the transfers and postings but the move to shift Panag to Central Command had not gone well with him and he had ever since been protesting. Panag had joined at the Udhampur headquartered command January last year.
With the displeasure of Lt Gen Panag known, the matter had reached the Defence Minister AK Antony as Panag had a meeting with him on January 5 to discuss the issue. The Chief of Army Gen Deepak Kapoor had approved the transfer and the file was subsequently cleared by the concerned joint secretary in the defence ministry when Panag had a meeting with Antony.
Lt Gen Panag had all along vehemently resisted his transfer and had sought an appointment with Antony to present his side of the story. This in itself was an unprecedented move in the annals of the Indian Army.
"It's rather surprising that Panag should have sought and been granted an appointment with the minister. In the armed forces, once you receive an order, you follow it in letter and spirit," an officer pointed out.
Explaining the rationale behind the transfer, the officer said it had become necessary as the lieutenant generals heading the Central Command and the Kolkata-based Eastern Command were retiring on Feb 29 and their replacements have to be found.
He also pointed out that there had been more than a dozen transfers of army commanders in the past. Among the most recent was that of Gen. (retd) S. Padmanabhan, who was shifted from the Northern Command to the Southern Command before becoming army chief in Oct 2000.
Top sources in the Army have linked the transfer row with two probes ordered by Gen Panag into two scandals. Incidentally both cases date back to the time when Gen Deepak Kapoor, the Chief of Indian Army, was the Commanding Officer of the Northern Command –immediately before Panag.
Refusing to be named, a top Army officer vehemently denied this, saying the events are not linked. The scams relate to the purchase of tents and eggs under special powers granted by Panag's predecessor Kapoor, who headed the Northern Command till January 2007. Kapoor had subsequently served as the army vice chief before being elevated to the top job Sept 30, 2007.
A major general has been served a show-cause notice in the case of the tent purchases and though there is no evidence of any personal wrongdoing by Kapoor, a case of impropriety can be made out, sources in the northern command say. The army refuses to comment on this but says that the enquiries into the scams were completed three months ago.
Among other transfers at the high level of Army made today include, Lt Gen VK Singh, presently GOC 2 Corps has been promoted as Army Commander and posted as GOC-in-C Eastern Command. He replaces Lt Gen KS Jamwal who also retires on 29 February 2008. All the Army Commanders will assume their new assignments from 01 March 2008.
As for other appointments on promotion, Maj Gen JP Singh, presently the Deputy Commandant of Armoured School and Centre is to be the GOC of 2 Corps, while Maj Gen VK Ahluwalia, presently the Additional Director General of Military Training is to be the GOC of 14 Corps. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
