Army studying Maj-Gen's Narendra Modi praise

NEW DELHI: Holding that the Army was an avowedly apolitical organization, General V K Singh on Friday said the case of a serving major general lavishing praise on Gujarat chief minister was being examined to ascertain whether any impropriety had been committed.

"The Army is absolutely apolitical. I don't know what statement was made. We are studying it as to what he said. I can only say one thing that there is no politicization in the Army," Singh said.

Earlier this week, while welcoming the Gujarat CM at a defence function in Ahmedabad, Golden Katar Division commander Major General I S Singha had praised Modi for having all the qualities of a successful Army commander who set targets and then went all out to achieve them in time.

Asked whether Singha's statement was appropriate, the Army chief said, "I don't know in what context and what he said. Just be rest assured that there is no politicization in the Army."

Defence minister A K Antony, on his part, also described the armed forces as "apolitical" but said he was yet to get a report on the statement made by the major general.

"I cannot comment on the basis of media reports. One good tradition of the armed forces, compared to many others, is that they are apolitical. I am sure our armed forces will continue with that tradition," said Antony.

Gen praises Gujarat CM Modi, raises eyebrows at Army HQ

AHMEDABAD/NEW DELHI: In a statement which sent ripples across the armed forces, a serving major general on Monday lavished praise on Gujarat chief minister to him qualities of a top-notch army commander who sets targets and then goes all out to achieve them in time.

Maj-Gen IS Singha, who as general officer commanding of the Golden Katar Division in Ahmedabad is the seniormost Army officer in Gujarat, was speaking at the launch of the three-day 'Know Your Army' exhibition which was inaugurated by Modi at the police stadium ground.

"He (Modi) works like we in the Army do. He sets a deadline for completion of projects and then ensures that targets are achieved in time. These are qualities of a successful Army commander," said Maj-Gen Singha.

Praising Modi for his "vision of development for the state and the nation," Maj-Gen Singha also requested the CM to follow the example set by other states in providing land to the Army Welfare Housing Organization to help serving and retired military personnel. Modi, on his part, said his government would look into the request. He then went on to add that there was a need for the National Cadet Corps to impart naval training in schools and colleges in Gujarat's coastal areas, which would ensure that some youngsters opted to join the maritime force.

It is certainly unusual for a senior officer of the largely apolitical Indian armed forces to publicly praise political functionaries. Asked about this, a senior officer at the Army HQ at told TOI that an explanation had been sought from Maj-Gen Singha. "The statement has been made in his personal capacity. We are looking into it. If he indeed said so, its inappropriate. His comments have been sought," said the officer.

Another officer, however, said "too much was being read into a customary welcome speech" at the inauguration of a military function. "Maj-Gen Singha spoke in Hindi. It has been twisted out of context in its English translation," he said.

Narendra Modi has qualities of successful Army commander: GOC

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat chief minister has all the qualities of a successful Army commander, said General Officer Commanding (GOC) Major General I S Singha of the Golden Katar Division in Ahmedabad on Monday.

He was speaking at the inauguration of three-day 'Know Your Army' exhibition organised by the Golden Katar Division of the Army.

"Chief minister Modi has all the qualities of a successful Army commander. His programmes are aimed at development of both the state and the nation," Singha said.

"Like in the Army, he (Modi) keeps deadline for completion of work, and ensures that target is achieved by the set time," he added.

Singha praised Modi and his government for the developmental work in the state.

The Golden Katar GOC also sought land for ex-servicemen housing scheme. "I would like to request the chief minister to provide land to the Army for setting up housing welfare societies for the ex-servicemen in Ahmedabad. Such schemes are available in all other states," Singha said.

CJ asks litigant to meet Narendra Modi

AHMEDABAD: The chief justice of Gujarat high court has asked a petitioner who heads a senior citizens' body to meet chief minister he filed a litigation seeking action against police for manhandling his demonstrators at a Modi event.

The petitioner Praful Desai is president of a senior citizens service trust and was protesting against poor civic amenities in Vadodara on August 29 last year with six others. The demonstration was held at a garib kalyan mela which Modi was to address, after the union ministry of urban development ranked Vadodara 232 of 423 cities for civic services.

Just before Modi's arrived, local police shooed away the senior citizens and snatched their placards and banners. Desai then got in touch with the J P Nagar police station in Vadodara and the DGP and questioned why the police's act of snatching placards should not be considered a violation of their right to freedom of expression. He even sought reply under RTI laws on circulars by which police could behave in high-handed manner with senior citizens.

Finally, Desai filed a PIL in the high court demanding the placards and banner back. He urged the court to punish the police personnel for violating fundamental rights of citizens. He argued that Modi's Z+ security must not prevent citizens from staging peaceful demonstrations. The court was not inclined to entertain the PIL, but the petitioner insisted that removal of demonstrators by force was the violation of their fundamental rights. The chief justice proposed that he make a representation to the chief minister regarding the issue of civic amenities in Vadodara city and Desai agreed.

The bench headed by chief justice SJ Mukhopadhyay asked the government pleader Prakash Jani to fix an appointment of the litigant with chief minister Narendra Modi after the assembly session.

Desai agreed to meet the chief minister so that he could make the representation. Advocate Jani submitted that the appointment with CM would be subject to his convenience.

Further hearing in this case is kept on April 18.

The meteoric rise of Narendra Modi

Modi assumed reins of government in Gujarat at a time when BJP in the state was afflicted by intense internal bickerings. He replaced senior BJP leader Keshubhai Patel as chief minister in the wake of criticism over mishandling of relief and rehabilitation after the devastating earthquake of January 26, 2000.

As he sought to gear up the administrative machinery to set things right, he was faced with another challenge in the form of the Godhra massacre on February 27 this year.

Modi was accused by many, both within and outside the country, of complicity in the riots that followed but he responded saying it was an unnecessary hue and cry over violence that was a reaction to the Godhra carnage and had hardly affected two per cent people of the state.

As chief minister, Modi initiated "Samaras Gram Yojna", a scheme of unanimously elected gram panchayats, and launched "Vidya Lakshmi" and "Kanya Kelavani Yojna" with financial rewards for education of girls besides organising "Lok Kalyan Mela" to bring government closer to the common man.

A poet and author of repute, he has penned a number of books including "Sangharsha Ma Gujarat" (Gujarat under Struggle), "Setu Bandh" and "Patra Roop Guruji."

A techno-savy person, Modi is up-to-date with latest developments in information technology and makes it a point to surf the internet everyday.

As part of e-governance, he launched "Tele-Fariyaad" and video gramsabha to open the doors of government to remote areas and promote people's participation in rural management.

The meteoric rise of Narendra Modi

AHMEDABAD: From a backroom strategist to BJP's top Hindutva icon, it was a meteoric rise for Narendra Modi who was back in the saddle as Gujarat chief minister on Sunday.

Just three years ago, Modi became a BJP national general secretary with his main job as backroom strategist. He soon became the party's most visible face for the media and later Gujarat chief minister.

Ahead of the just concluded Gujarat Assembly polls, Modi positioned himself as the most aggressive crusader of Hindutva.

His passionate championing of the cause of Hindutva, often bordering on what his critics allege venom, paid off handsomely for BJP in the elections.

Almost single-handedly, he led the party's bid to retain power in the state whose poll outcome was viewed as a prelude to the shape of national politics in months and years to come.

Unmindful of severe attack from critics at home and abroad, Modi stuck to his gun despite words of caution even from senior party leaders including Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

His personal appeal and crowd-pulling during Gaurav Yatra in post-Godhra Gujarat earned him the sobriquet "Chhote Sardar" and made even Vajpayee appear in the campaign as his advocate holding brief for him.

Modi was never apologetic about taking on "pseudo-secularists" and giving a tongue-lashing to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

In fact, he gave the menace of terrorism a new dimension in the wake of terrorist attack on Akshardham temple by successfully pleading that a victory for Congress would please Islamabad the most.

Born at Vadnagar in Mehsana district in Sept 1950, Modi obtained a Masters degree in political science. He made his mark as a firebrand youth leader when Jaiprakash Narayan launched his anti-corruption movement known as "Navnirman Andolan" in 1974.

In the following year, he became the general secretary of Lok Sangarsh Samiti in Gujarat formed to wage a struggle against the Emergency regime of Indira Gandhi.

A Sangh Pracharak, Modi is among a select band of individuals who were nominated to BJP by the Sangh. He became a general secretary of BJP's state unit in 1988 and won a number of elections from panchayats to Lok Sabha.

The big break for Modi came in 1996 when he became national general secretary of the party and showed his organisational skill by looking after its affairs in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. He was also given charge of election campaign in Madhya Pradesh.