Government decision to appoint new army chief will be wrong in principle: VK Singh

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate from Ghaziabad and former army chief Gen. (retired) V K Singh on Monday said that in principle and ethically the government decision to appoint new army chief will be wrong when it is about to demit office.

"In-principle and ethically it is wrong to take a decision when you are about to go. Same decision will probably be taken by the next government. Why don't you have the grace and courtesy that in your dying moments you do not leave a question mark. now everybody will say why you have done in a hurry. Had even asked the EC that the new government be allowed to take a decision on appointing new army chief," Singh said while talking to the reporters.

"Anybody who is try to fool the people of this country is only pulling a smokescreen," Singh added.

The Election Commission on Monday gave its assent to the Central Government to appoint the next army chief.

According to media reports, the poll panel has given its go ahead to the Defence Ministry to start the process of appointing the new army chief.

Citing its March 27 order, the poll panel said that decisions related to the defence ministry are not covered by the Model Code of Conduct.

The BJP has raised strong objections to the government going ahead with the process of appointing the next army chief, on grounds that its tenure is coming to end on May 16, and that the new government should have the right to decide who the next head of the army will be.

The BJP has said that it cannot understand the government's hurry to go ahead with such a crucial decision.

The government had earlier said that it would wait for the EC to give its nod before announcing the appointment.