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FROM A GROUP OF VETERANS TO OUR SUPREME COMMANDER ‘Ape 11, 2019 Honourable Shri Ram Nath Kovind President of India and Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Deli Dear Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji, We, the signatories, ae Armed Forces Veterans who have served in he defence of cur nation in various appointments, in peacetime and in operational and war zones over the past several decades. ‘The apoltical and secular nature of India’s Armed Forces has been an article of faith for every sole, ‘salor and aman. India's Armed Forces have loyally upheld the democratic principe of civil contra over the miitary. Their mitary professionalism on and of the feld, combined withthe devotion to uy in pratecting India's tercitonal sovereignty and national integrity, remains widely appreciated. ‘The soldiers, salors and airmen of the Armed Forces owe allegiance to the Constitution of india, of which you, 3s President of the Indian Union, are the logal custodian It is for this reason that the President is also the Supreme Commander ofthe Armed Forces and we serve and execute orders at the wil ofthe President and as decided from time to ime by the Executive that i, the Government of the day. ‘You would be aware that those in active service (men and women ofall ranks inthe Ary, Navy and ‘Air Force) cannot speak out, aven on matters which might affect thei interests adversely, since they ‘re subject to miltay aw end are governed by the pariamentary Acts of ther respective Service. However, we Veterans being in continuous touch vith our awn military fraternity, as also with serving personnel at al levels, have finger on the pulse, so to speak. And itis for this reason that we writa {bring to your attention, as the Supreme Commander of India’s Armed Forces, some concerns which have caused considerable alarm and disquiet among both the serving and the retired personnel of our Forces. ‘We refer, Sir, othe unusual and completely unacceptable practice of poilical leaders taking credit for ritary operations lke cross-border strikes, and aven going so far as to claim the Armed Forcas to bo "Modi ki Sona’. This s in addition to media pictues of election platforms and campaigns in which party workers are seen wearing miitary uniforms; and posters and images with pictures of soiers and ‘especially of Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abninandan Varthaman, displayed. ‘We do appreciate that complaints by some senior retired personnel, including a writen submission from 4 formar Chiat ofthe Naval Staff to the Chet Election Commissione, have ected a prompt response, Indeed @ rotifation has been issued asking for an explanation from those responsibie for these ‘statements, including fom the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. However we regret to stale that these {do not appear to have resuted in any substantive change of behaviour and practice onthe ground. |With the General elections round the corner, and given the prevailing environment where poitical parties and candidates saem to ba acting in total disregard of the declaration of the ‘model code of ‘conduct’, we fear that such incidents may ony increase as poling day draws near. ‘We believe that you wil surely agree thal any such misuse ofthe Armed Forces established under the ‘Constitution of India and under the supreme command of the President of Inda, would impinge ‘adversely on the morale and fighting efficiency of the serving man or woman in uniform. It could therefore drecty affect national secunty and national integrity We therefore appeal to you to ensure thatthe secular and a-poltical character of ow Armed Forces is preserved. ‘We hereby rospectfuly urge you to take all necessary steps to urgently direct af political patios that they must forthwith desist from using the military, mary uniforms or symbols, and any actions by imitary formations or personnal, for political purpeses orto futher their poical agendas, “This communication is copied to the Chief Election Commissioner of the Election Commission of India {or information and action. We, the undersigned, endorse the above. Yours Faitiuly, (Signed *) 1 Gon SF Rodrigues, PVSM.VSM. 2 Gen Shankar Roy Chowdhury, PVSMADC 3. Gen Deepak Kapoor, PVSM, AVSM.SM,VSMADC WSSSVAFLSRLSSSLSHLSSASS SARE SS LERUNIRABNLSSSIsaaaessoovos ‘Adm Laxminarayen Ramdas, PVSM,AVSM.VIC, VSMADC ‘Ac Vishnu Bhagwat PVSMAVSM ‘Agim Arun Prakash, PVSW.AVSM.VIC, VSMADC ‘Adem Suresh Mebia, PVSM.AVSM ‘ir Chief Marshal NC Sur,PVSM AVSMVM ADC Gen Sanjoow Anand Li General KS Rao, PVSM, SC, SM, Arjuna Awardew tGonoral onan Ramdas Lt General YN Sharma i General Vinay Shankar i General Prakash Gokarn Lt General Viay Oberci, PVSM, AVSM, VSM Lt General MA Gurbaxani, PVSM, AVSM [Lt Gonoral RK Nanavaty, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM Lt General RK Gaur, PVSM Li General CA Barreto, PVSM Lt General ML Naidu, PUSM, AVSM, YSM Vice Admiral Madanji Singh Vice Admiral DB Kapila, PUSM, AVSM, VSM Vico Admiral A Brito, PVSM, AVSM, VSM ‘Ar Marshal Vi Narain, PSM Na Gen A K Shukla ‘Maj Gen PC Panjkar, VSM Na} General KM Bhimaya ‘Ma General Joce Manavalan, AVSM ‘Nay General Shi Dev Singh ‘Maj General Motan Singh [Ma General Harsha Kakar ‘Maj Goneral Rajendra Prakash, VSM [Maj General GH Isrant ‘Ma General ank Sawnny, AVSM ‘Ma General LS Dhidon ‘Ma General Kshiin Pandya, AVM. ‘Maj General TK Kaui, PUSM, AVSM, VSM ‘Na General ML Mali Na} General SG Pive ‘Nay General SG Vombatiere, VSM Rear Admiral Shankar Mathur Rear Admiral Sudhe Pia, NM ‘Air Vieo Marshal Kept Kak rg A.A Ramchandani ‘Bre UPS Patnania Brg Vinod Reizada Brigadier VHM Prasad CCommadore C Jayara, (Commedere Rajan Mathow, VSM (Commodore R Rahmathulan ‘Gommedore G Kalath, AVSM, NM. VSM (Commedore Dirabandhu Jena CCommedore Jal Postwalia CCommadore PC Guia, NM (Gmde MS Chahat ‘A Gmde Sanjay Sharma (Gol Bharat Hala Col Sanjeev Choudhary Cal Krishna Prasad NG (Col Mukesh Trenan, Gal RP Sunag SELRKELRISSSLRSESRASBAAzaLaNzaseseaeee Col Pankaj Fotedar, VSM Col Vivek Mathur Gol Arun Hariharan ColKN Singh ol DM Sharma ol Shantanu Majumdar, Col Gurpinder Singh Col Rarmnk Kanna ol Abhay Prasad Col Abhi Chatteree, Gol Manmohan Singh ol. Rajv Kanwar Col Bharat Kumar Col Jayadey P Gol Sut Duta Col Lal Kesavan Col Melwyn D'Souza Col Sanjay Diwaria Col. K S Kamboj Gol Shashi Thoomes Kilo Gol k Katara, SM Col MK Keshwvar Gol Manish O Kachhy Col. Apareet Nakai Gol CMS Babu CoIRS Singh Capt (IN) HPS Sodhi Capt (IN) Rakesh Kumar Prabhakar Captain (IN) S Prabhala, VSM api(IN) Sandeep Kapoor ‘Group Captain Ashutosh Srvastav (Ret) Gp Capt Rajinder Abrol Gp Capt D.V. Shukla, ‘Gp Capt Philips Jacob, VM Gp Capt Satvinder Singh Gp Capt Deepak Mundade Gp Capt MS Sadanand Leal Arvind Kumar Singh LtCol MS Kanwal, VSM" LiCol Sajan Moideen LE Col Muruganantham LG Ved Prakash Sharma Lico R Panka), LLC Shantand Rishi LLL Col Sanjeev Kumar Gupta LiGol SPS Panwar Lol Neera Sharma LUCol Shantnu Rishi LU Col, Gagan Khanna, DE LtCol Satish Chan LU Col Akash Sachan Lt. Col PP Singh LUCol Sandeep Chandorkar UL Col. SS Nath LtCol JS Pat Li Col Amit P Mathur Col Jagit Singh Judge Col RP' Shankar

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