Shocking

March 27, 2012 12:04 am | Updated 12:04 am IST

Army Chief General V.K. Singh's revelation that he was offered a bribe of Rs.14 crore by an equipment lobbyist to clear a purchase deal (March 26) was startling. India spends 2.4 per cent of its GDP on defence. How much of the money is spent on the genuine needs of the country is anybody's guess. Scarce resources should not be allowed to be siphoned off by unscrupulous elements.

E.M. Adithyan,Edapal

The Hindu deserves praise for taking the lead in disclosing the shady aspects of defence purchases, as it did in the case of the Bofors deal two decades ago. It was too much to expect the nexus among politicians, bureaucrats and middlemen to disappear. It is perhaps the first time that a serving Army chief has mustered the courage to make public such a shameful act.

Arguments like why Gen. Singh did not report the matter to the government and that he is seeking to retaliate because he failed to get his date of birth changed are unconvincing. Is the prospect of getting substantial kickbacks in defence equipment imports the real reason why our country has not made much progress in manufacturing them?

G.N. Misra,Dehra Dun

It was shocking to hear a person holding the top army post say that he was offered huge money to clear a tranche of 600 substandard vehicles of a particular make. While agitations against corruption by reformers like Anna Hazare are gaining momentum, people's mindset with regard to offering bribe does not seem to have changed.

Nagaraju Pulipaka,Vijayawada

Gen. Singh has dropped a bunker buster bomb on the eve of his retirement, setting off a war of attrition in the Defence Ministry, among Army officials — serving and retired — bureaucrats and lobbyists loitering the corridors of Sena Bhavan. What it at stake are not only national honour and the image of the 1.3 million-strong army but also a substantial part of its glory built by veterans like Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya. Many heads are likely to roll when the CBI starts the probe ordered by the Defence Minister.

Capt. T. Raju (retd.),Secunderabad

The Indian army has been losing its prestige in the last couple of years with exposures of corruption, especially by the higher officials. The latest in the list is Gen. Singh's charge that he was offered Rs.14 crore as bribe. If a person can offer the Army Chief a bribe, I wonder how easy it must be to target middle and lower rank personnel.

P.P. Manoj Kumar,Ottapalam

Every citizen of India wants the country to be protected by all means. The arms, ammunition and vehicles used by our soldiers should not fail them at the time of war. It is our duty to ensure that our soldiers do not become victims of corruption.

Aravind Paleri,Coimbatore

The bribe claim assumes special significance as it has been made by a serving general. It has once again exposed the corruption in defence purchases. The matter needs to be investigated thoroughly to reveal the names of serving and retired officials involved in malpractices involving defence purchases over the years.

Hari Mohan Sharma,Delhi

Gen. Singh's revelation does not come as a surprise because we have read about many scandals that have adequately driven home the point that the army is not immune to corruption. However, it is distressing that arms dealers and middlemen are on the prowl and those vested with the responsibility of defending the country are game to their enticements. The suggestion that bribes are a regular feature of defence procurement dampens our confidence.

Although one does not doubt the veracity of Gen. Singh's statement, one cannot help feeling that he goes to the media frequently for personal reasons and that he wants to salvage his reputation which has taken a beating in the wake of the DoB controversy.

P. Prasand Thampy,Thiruvalla

Gen. Singh needs to tell the nation why he did not lodge a police complaint against the person who offered him a bribe. He cannot absolve himself saying he reported the matter to the Defence Minister. The nation is also entitled to know what action the Minister took.

S.K. Choudhury,Bangalore

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