Admiral L Ramdas (retired) said veterans and those in service were upset with "Modi ji ki sena" comment
Former Navy chief Admiral L Ramdas (retired), who took strong objection to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's "Modi ji ki sena" comment, has written to the Election Commission to look into possible violation of the poll code, news agency ANI reported today.
Admiral Ramdas said the armed forces do not belong to any individual, and claimed that veterans and those in service were upset with the comment made by the saffron-robed chief minister in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad on Saturday last.
"Congress people used to serve terrorists biryani and Modi ji's sena (Prime Minister Narendra Modi's army) gives them only golis and golas (bullets and bombs). That's the difference. Congress people use ji for terrorists like Masood Azhar but under the leadership of PM Modi, the BJP government is breaking the backs of terrorists by striking their camps," Mr Adityanath had said at the rally.
The Election Commission has already sought a report from the Ghaziabad district magistrate.
"The armed forces do not belong to any one individual, they serve the country. Till the polls get over, the Chief Election Commissioner is the boss. I am going to approach the Election Commission in this regard," Admiral Ramdas said, according to news agency PTI on Monday.
The remarks have also not gone down well with the military, with sources indicating that it was "upset".
Lieutenant General HS Panag (retired) told PTI the comments did not come as a surprise as such remarks have been made by politicians over the last five years in an attempt to link nationalism with the armed forces. "Such comments lead to politicisation of the Army," Lieutenant General Panag said. He said the Army remains apolitical.
The opposition has accused the Modi government of politicising the armed forces in election season. Last month's televised announcement of the launch of an anti-satellite (ASAT) missile by PM Modi was also taken up by the Election Commission to check if it violated the election code, though the poll body said announcements related to national security were allowed.
With inputs from agencies