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Journalism of Courage
A photograph of a man wearing an Army uniform and medals saluting and hugging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Punjab has gone viral on social media, drawing adverse comments.
The photographs in circulation show a slightly bearded man wearing full medals, a beret with the regimental insignia of The Grenadiers Regiment, the lanyard of the same regiment, and shoulder flashes of ‘Commando’ saluting Rahul Gandhi and later hugging him.
The name tag on the uniform identifies him as ‘Jatender Singh’. In one photograph, Rahul Gandhi is seen responding to his salute.
The photograph has drawn comments by retired military officers that an ex-serviceman or veteran must not wear his uniform on occasions that are political in nature. The assumption that the man in the photograph is an ex-serviceman has been reached by some due to the fact that the shoulder flash of ‘Commando’ was phased out by the Army many years ago and now the shoulder flash of ‘Special Forces’ is used.
Responding to the criticism on social media, G K Zhimoni, vice-president of Congress in Nagaland and a former Army officer himself, tweeted, “If the veteran wearing combat uniform while meeting Rahul Gandhi is wrong, then PM Modi ji is equally wrong, if not more. Who cares for @adgpi Dress Regulations in this era of fake nationalism.”
The photograph is believed to have been taken between the towns of Dasuya and Mukerian in Punjab on January 17 when Rahul Gandhi met a group of ex-servicemen for a short while.
Many Twitter users have demanded that the Army should hold an inquiry regarding the identity of the person seen in the photograph.
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