FILE photo: Former Army Chief General VK Singh
Former Army Chief General VK Singh today failed to appear before the privileges committee of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly which had summoned him over his controversial remarks that state ministers were beneficiaries of the Army's secret funds.
General Singh had, in a TV interview in September last year, sparked a furore after saying that paying ministers was nothing new in the state, claiming it was a means to "get people together in Kashmir. He was reacting to allegations that a secret intelligence unit set up by him had funded a minister to topple the National Conference-led government. The minister, Ghulam Hasan Mir, has denied that allegation.
"The committee, in its wisdom, has decided to issue summons to him through the Director General Of Police, Haryana to appear before this committee on the 22nd of this month at 2:30 pm, failing which necessary action under law which is available with us, will be taken against him," Devinder Rana, Member, Privileges Committee said.
The former Army Chief resides in Gurgaon in Haryana.
Even as the controversy over his comments raged, General Singh had later, at a press conference, said that the money paid to the ministers was not a bribe.
"This money wasn't for their personal use or political reasons. It was not a bribe. It was meant to organise events to win the hearts and minds of people and get them away from separatist propaganda," the former Army Chief said, also emphasising that every paisa was accounted for.
A resolution moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's National Conference has asked General Singh to name the politicians he claims to have been paid by the Army or face legal action.