Cleansing Armys image a priority,says next chief

Lieutenant General Vijay Kumar Singh,who has been named the next Army chief,has said his priorities will be to end scams and cleanse the Armys image.

Singh,who took a strong stance in the Sukna land scam and recommended against Military Secretary Lt Gen. Avadesh Prakash,a close aide of Army chief Deepak Kapoor,made the statement while inaugurating a photography exhibition at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) here on Sunday.

Singh,Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Army Command at present,will take over from Kapoor on March 31. I will try and put a stop to such things in the Army and clean up its image, said Singh when asked about the Sukna land scam,which rocked the Army top brass lately,said.

On what will be his priority as Army chief,Singh said,I am not yet the chief. Let me first take over then I will decide. Time has not yet come to speak on the issue.

Speaking on Army chief Kapoors comment on taking action against Lt Gen Praksh for his involvement in the scam,Singh said,As Sukna falls under the purview of Eastern Command,it was my duty to send the recommendations. I have sent my recommendations and there the matter ends. Now,it is up to the government to decide the nature of action to be taken, Singh added.

Singh had recommended court martial against Lt Gen P K Rath and Major General P C Sen. He had recommended dismissal for Prakash,and administrative action against Lt Gen Ramesh Halgali.

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