Himachal CM takes Annadale row with Army to PM

“I have met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. I have personally brought the matter to the notice of the Prime Minister. I am also trying to meet the Defence Minister and seeking time from him today,” Dhumal,who was here to attend the meeting of CMs on internal security,said.

Annandale Ground in Shimla is a huge open space surrounded by thick forests,about 4.5km below the state capital’s famous Ridge.

Asked about moving the court against the Army for making “defamatory” statements,Dhumal said “some press statement has been given. I have said if an unconditional apology is tendered it is fine,otherwise I am filing a defamation suit in the court. The allegations are without any basis… I don’t know why such a statement has been given. Now,let them face the result of giving such statements.”

The Army-Himachal govt row had escalated after the Army had in a statement said national security cannot be ignored for “game and gimmicks”. The Army maintains Anandale is of strategic significance.

The Himachal CM said “they (Army) are in forcible occupation of the Annadale land since 1982. The residents of Shimla are launching a Jan Andolan. Over one lakh people have given a memorandum to reclaim the prime land and convert it into a playground and develop parks. Army officers are only playing Golf there. Let them produce the record what they have been doing there for last 30 years on the basis of security.”

The 121-bigha ground at Annandale has been under the Army’s control since World War II.

The row between the state government and the Army came to the fore afresh amid an intensified campaign launched by Himachal Pradesh Cricket association headed by Anurag Thakur,MP and son of Dhumal,to restore it to the state authorities.

Dhumal also raised the matter at the Chief Ministers conference on internal security and sought the handing over of the Annadale ground to the state government from “illegal” possession of defence authorities” because lease of the said ground had expired many years back.

He especially took up the issue of the army authorities raising the issue in the media by “not only distorting the facts but also making false and baseless” allegation against the state government and elected high functionaries”.

He also demanded an inquiry into whole matter and suitable action against all those responsible in this matter.

Army orders probe into “derogatory” statement

With the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister taking an exception to it,Indian Army has ordered an inquiry into the “derogatory” press release issued by its Western Command Headquarters against the state government over Annadale ground ownership controversy.

Insisting that the relationship between the force and the state government is very good,Army Chief General V K Singh also said he would speak to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister P K Dhumal over the issue.

“I will talk to the Chief Minister. Ours and the Chief Minister’s relationship is very good,” Singh said when asked to comment on the row between Himachal Pradesh government and military over ownership of Annandale ground.

Singh said he has sought a report from the Western Command Headquarters over the statement issued by it.

“They (Western Command) have told us. They will rectify it and we have no problem with that,” Singh said.

Ordering an inquiry,the Indian Army in a release said,”With regards to Annadale land issues,Army has instituted an inquiry into the Press Release issued by HQ Western Command,which was derogatory against the State Government and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.”

The 121-bigha ground,surrounded by thick forests just 4.5 km from Shimla’s Ridge,has been under the army’s control since World War II.

The area has become a bone of contention between the state government and the Army amid an intensified campaign launched by Himachal Pradesh Cricket association headed by Dhumal’s son and MP Anurag Thakur.

Thakur has been demanding restoration of the ground to the state authorities.

The row escalated after Army,in a statement yesterday,said national security cannot be ignored for “game and gimmicks”.

After the Army’s statement,Himachal Chief Minister P K Dhumal had threatened to file a defamation suit against the Army if it did not tender an unconditional apology for allegedly maligning the image of the government and him in particular.

No conflict with Himachal on Annandale: Army

Shimla,April 16 (PTI) The Army today sought to play down its standoff with Himachal Pradesh government over control of Annandale ground here saying there was “no conflict” with the state authorities on the issue.

However,the Army maintained the ground was under its possession since World War-II and was important from of strategic and logistic points of view for carrying out exercises and operations in forward areas.

Brig A K Sharma of Western Command said “there is no issue with the government”.

However,he did not say anything about the claim of the state government that the ground was under “illegal possession” of the Army.

Sharma said the ground “is of very critical importance operationally and from disaster management points of view”.

Apparently responding to Chief Minister P K Dhumal’s question wanting to know what the Army has been doing in the Annandale ground for the last 30 years,Sharma said the ground was also important for carrying out relief operations in case of natural disasters in forward areas in the region.

The armed forces were regularly conducting exercises,both operational and disaster management,in addition to routine training,he added.

“It is a mother helipad (important point for landing and operations of helicopters) from where both relief and rescue operations are carried out quickly and smoothly”,Brig Sharma,who was at Annadale to oversee the exercises of the Army,said.

“Considering the fact that this area falls under the high seismic zone and has history of flashfloods,the Army needs its possession”,he said.

Referring to the statement of Dhumal threatening to file a defamation suit against the Army for the alleged insinuations made against the Chief Minister and the state government,Sharma said “we have never issued any such statement and have nothing to do with what has appeared in the press”.

Brig Sharma denied reports that the Army and the state government were on collision course and said “both have good relations” and the state government had been cooperating with the army.

“It is one of the states which contributed maximum people to the armed forces and the state government has even promised to provide land to the army for setting up a regimental Centre”,he said.

Commenting on the claims of the government that it had offered an alternative land to the Army,Brig Sharma said “there is no other ground in the region which is of strategic significance from the national security perspective”.