Another close aide of ex-Army chief Gen V K Singh shifted

[steel]

After the DGMO, Delhi Area Commander Lt Gen V K Pillai, another close aide of former Army Chief Gen V K Singh, is to be moved out from the Capital by the Army Headquarters.

Lt Gen Pillai is being shifted to the Madras Area in Tamil Nadu, sources said today.

He was appointed as the Delhi Area General Officer Commanding (GOC) by Gen V K Singh and both he and the former chief belonged to the Rajput Regiment.


The shift came a few days after Gen Singh's close associate Lt Gen A K Choudhary was removed from the key position of Director General of Military Operations(DGMO) and given the charge of the Bengal Area in Kolkata.
The sources said Lt Gen Pillai was being moved out after Army headquarters was informed about allegations that a large number of guests of a former Army Chief, who lives in the Delhi Cantt area, were being looked after by the Delhi Area.

They said a number of these guests had political affiliations also.

Three months after taking over, Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh has started bringing in officers of his choice as his Principal Staff Officers (PSOs).

He has brought in Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia as the DGMO and Lt Gen J S Bajwa has been appointed as the DG (Infantry) and both the officers have worked closely with Gen Bikram Singh during his stint as Eastern Army Commander.

Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, who also served with the present Chief in Kolkata-based Eastern Command, has been given the charge of the Assam Rifles.

More changes are expected to be made by the Chief in the near future.

Another close aide of ex-Army chief Gen V K Singh shifted | Business Standard

 

[trackwhack]

Looks like after 60 years politicians have broken through the armed forces too. To me it is quite clear that the new chief is UPA man while the previous chief was NDA leaning. V K Singh will probably run on a BJP ticket in 2014.

Really sad to see these things happening.

 

[Ray]

Lt Gen Pillai is from the same unit as Gen VK Singh, IIRC.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

The shift came a few days after Gen Singh's close associate Lt Gen A K Choudhary was removed from the key position of Director General of Military Operations(DGMO) and given the charge of the Bengal Area in Kolkata.

LTG Choudhary was reassigned, then. Is there a purpose to calling it a removal, and is the new position suitable to his rank and length of service ?

The sources said Lt Gen Pillai was being moved out after Army headquarters was informed about allegations that a large number of guests of a former Army Chief, who lives in the Delhi Cantt area, were being looked after by the Delhi Area.

No sources named in this article, but what does being "looked after" mean -- were other ranks made to perform duties which were unsuitable?

Moving high-ranking officers around might be good for them.

 

[Ray]

LTG Choudhary was reassigned, then. Is there a purpose to calling it a removal, and is the new position suitable to his rank and length of service ?

Technically, it is not removal.

It is more of an insult wherein a person found qualified for a high profile appointment a few months ago, is being moved, practically within a few months of his assuming the appointment, from a high profile appointment to a sinecure.

It is like putting a cow to pasture since its worth as a cow is over!

DGMO is responsible for the whole Indian Army's operations and operation plans. GOC Bengal Area has a few administrative units under his command and NO operational responsibility.