Congress says Army is country's pride, cautions against speculation

NEW DELHI: Describing Indian Army as the "envy of our neighbours", Congress today rubbished reports on troop movement to the capital, saying that those who speculate by innuendo cause serious damage to the national fabric.

"Army is the hallowed institutional pillar of Indian democracy and it is our pride and our neighbour's envy. It is many of our neighbours' envy.

"Those who speculate by innuendo in sensitive matters must realise that they are causing serious damage to the national fabric," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

Wondering whether every movement of troops must lead to "this kind of conclusions", he said the subjective conclusions drawn on the basis of speculation and rumours does "irreversible damage" to the fundamental foundations of vibrant democracy.

A newspaper report had stated that two military units had moved towards New Delhi on the night of January 16 as part of a routine exercise which had "spooked" the Defence Ministry. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A K Antony and the Army have denied the report.

Noting that Congress stands for creating institutions, he said it was easy to destroy them. Singhvi, however, steered clear of questions whether he saw a deeper design behind the report.

Singhvi, who was asked a number of questions including the alleged trust deficit between the Defence Ministry and the Army, frowned upon attempts to play politics in the matter.

Asked whether the report was libellious, Singhvi said that he was going beyond legal doctrine. "I am saying national interests have to prevail."