Amid row over new Army chief appointment, Lt Gen Bakshi meets Manohar Parrikar

Lieutenant General Praveen Bakshi met Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at the South Block in New Delhi on Wednesday in the wake of ongoing controversy surrounding the appointment of Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat as the new Army Chief.

The meeting between the two came days after Lieutenant General Bakshi, who headed the Eastern Command, was superseded by Lieutenant General Rawat for the top post.

The opposition has questioned the government's decision and demanded an explanation regarding the appointment.

The government has, however, clarified that Lieutenant General Rawat was found best suited to deal with emerging challenges including a reorganised and restructured military force in the north, continuing terrorism and proxy war from the west, and the situation in the North-East.

According to Ministry of Defence (MoD) sources, Lt Gen Rawat has tremendous hands on experience of serving in combat areas and at various functional levels in the Indian Army over the last three decades. Lieutenant General Rawat is also known for his balanced approach towards soldiering, compassion and connect with the civil society.

He has handled various operational responsibilities in many areas including along the LoC with Pakistan, the LAC with China and in the North-East.