Reports of suspicious movement of Army units fable: VK Singh

NEW DELHI: Former Army Chief General V K Singh, who was at the centre of a controversy over reports of suspicious movement of two Army units two years ago, tonight described such reports as " fable" and said it was a routine exercise.

The row surrounding the movement of troops around Delhi on January 16, 2012 resurfaced today with the statement by the then DGMO Lt Gen A K Choudhary that he was called by the then Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma and asked about the troop movement because people in the government were "worried".

Referring to the fresh controversy, Gen Singh, now retired, said it was never said at that time that no one moved but it was emphasised that it was a routine exercise.

He said what pained him was that the Army was sought to be denigrated. "It's an institution which thinks of nation first and is the only institution which rectifies when everything else fails," he said.

Gen Singh said "people should trust Army, Air Force and Navy where men and women sacrifice their today for your tomorrow."