New Delhi Correspondent
The Indian Army has strongly refuted misleading narratives propagated during a joint press conference organised by AAP MP Sanjay Singh and RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha at the Press Club of India, urging citizens to rely solely on official sources amid concerns over deliberate misinformation. Analysts and Think Tanks strongly feel that rejecting the allegations only is not enough as it can be seen as a natural rejection of any claim by any organisation. People are left in dilemma and bound to believe, irrespective of the reality of the issue. Same had happened when Rahul Gandhi had levelled allegations against Army on Galwan and Pangong Tso Lake issues, just because of those allegations, a large section of the society, both in India and outside, believes that China has grabbed large area of India during the rule of Modi government.
In the widely circulated video, Singh and Jha shared the platform with four individuals, Chandu Chavan, Harendra Yadav, P Narender, and Shankar Singh Gujjar, allegedly to highlight grievances within the armed forces. The event has drawn sharp criticism from veterans and defence analysts for attempting to create an artificial divide between officers and ranks.
The Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) issued a detailed clarification, stating that three of the individuals were dismissed from service on disciplinary grounds, while the fourth is a declared deserter. Again, a point is raised in the minds of common people that if Shankar Singh Gujjar is a declared deserter, then what was stopping the Army, Police, Intelligence agencies from arresting him from the venue of that press conference?
Chandu Chavan was discharged on July 25, 2024 after accumulating five red ink entries for repeated indiscipline, including instances of intoxication on duty and unauthorised political campaigning. Harendra Yadav was dismissed on January 27, 2024, and P Narender was also removed for indiscipline. Shankar Singh Gujjar has been absent without leave since November 2024, with disciplinary proceedings underway against him in both military and civil courts.
“These individuals are deliberately spreading fake, malicious and misleading narratives on social media to divert attention from their own misconduct and dismissal from service,” the Army statement emphasised. It further noted that the exercise appears aimed at manufacturing an “Officer- Soldier divide” while falsely portraying legitimate disciplinary actions as victimisation.
Sanjay Singh had defended Chavan as a ‘Brave Soldier’ who reportedly crossed into Pakistan following the 2016 Uri terror attack. However, these constitute unverified personal claims, reiterating that service records and disciplinary actions are based on established military procedures.
Defence experts have expressed concern over the potential impact of such campaigns on the morale of serving personnel and public trust in the institution. “The Indian Army has one of the most robust disciplinary systems globally, rooted in fairness and operational necessity,” said a senior retired officer who wished to remain anonymous. “Politicising individual cases risks undermining the sacrifices of over 1.4 million serving soldiers”, he said.
In an era of hybrid threats, maintaining institutional credibility remains paramount for national security. Defence Chronicle will continue to monitor developments.
contact: drrajeshjauhri@gmail.com
Dr Rajesh Jauhri is a Journalist with an experience of over 25 years in Indian and foreign media, a Social Scientist, an Ac-complished Author, a Political & Strategic Analyst, a Marksman (Rifle & Pistol), an Orator, a Thinker and an Educationist. He holds a Ph.D. degree on “Impact of colonial heritage on Indian police”. He runs an NGO dedicated to the social and eco-nomic uplift of tribal communities in MP and two decades back, he established a school in a village of Indore district, providing education and moral values to children belonging to underprivileged and minority families. Has received multiple awards in various fields.
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