New Delhi:
First, it was corruption among some of the country's most senior generals that embarrassed the Army Chief, General Deepak Kapoor. Now, it's his own actions that have him on the defensive.
Kapoor has been accused of doing far too little to punish the general at the centre of a land scam. Lieutenant General Avadesh Prakash was indicted by an army inquiry of being the "main facilitator" and using his office to help a businessman acquire land that the army had earlier reserved for itself in Siliguri in Assam. The army's inquiry recommended that Prakash be sacked. The Army chief is taking his own time and has asked General Prakash for an explanation so far. Prakash has two weeks to rely. The chief can either let him go or punish him after that.
In Delhi, on Thursday, despite the pressure and criticism he's facing, Kapoor did not commit to a stronger stand.
General Kapoor said it was his responsibility to "dispense justice that is firstly fair, secondly just and based on facts of the case and thirdly it takes into account the culpability of the individuals involved."
"Fourthly," he said, "justice that is not swayed by external considerations-- be it personal biases or media pressure or any other aspect. And perhaps that is the right way to dispense justice."
Kapoor has been accused of doing far too little to punish the general at the centre of a land scam. Lieutenant General Avadesh Prakash was indicted by an army inquiry of being the "main facilitator" and using his office to help a businessman acquire land that the army had earlier reserved for itself in Siliguri in Assam. The army's inquiry recommended that Prakash be sacked. The Army chief is taking his own time and has asked General Prakash for an explanation so far. Prakash has two weeks to rely. The chief can either let him go or punish him after that.
In Delhi, on Thursday, despite the pressure and criticism he's facing, Kapoor did not commit to a stronger stand.
General Kapoor said it was his responsibility to "dispense justice that is firstly fair, secondly just and based on facts of the case and thirdly it takes into account the culpability of the individuals involved."
"Fourthly," he said, "justice that is not swayed by external considerations-- be it personal biases or media pressure or any other aspect. And perhaps that is the right way to dispense justice."
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