Army defends Bipin Rawat remarks on Assam's minority pol party

The Army defended on Thursday its chief General Bipin Rawat's reported comments that AIUDF grew in Assam because of the Muslim population's support, and Pakistan and China were pushing illegal Bangladeshi migrants into India

The force said there was nothing political or religious in his Wednesday's remarks in Delhi. "The Army Chief just mentioned amalgamation and development," it said.

AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal had called Rawat's comments shocking. "Why is it a concern for the Army Chief that a political party, based on democratic and secular values, is rising faster than the BJP?" he tweeted.

"There is a party called AIUDF. It has grown at a faster rate than the BJP has over the years," Rawat had reportedly said.

Reacting to the Army's statement, Ajmal said: "If nothing political, why was the Army Chief dragging a political party, in his speech, whose representatives are democratically elected by Indian citizens?"

Comments that triggered a furore 

• There is a party called AIUDF; it has grown faster than BJP over the years, Rawat had reportedly said 
• Senior Congress leader Tarun Gogoi said such comments are dangerous not only for Northeast but for the country