Your Allegations Run The Risk Of Adversely Impacting Morale Of Armed Forces: Parrikar To Mamata

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has written a scathing letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in connection with the recent controversy surrounding the exercises carried out by Indian Army’s Eastern Command in West Bengal.

Banerjee had accused the centre of plotting a coup against her government by using the country’s armed forces. She had said that the army didn’t follow required protocols and take her government’s permission before deploying the soldiers on toll booths at national highways in the state. However, Banerjee’s allegations were proved wrong when the letters released by the Eastern Command showed that Army had indeed gone through proper channels and sought West Bengal police’s permission before carrying out “routine exercises”.

Today, Parrikar expressed pain over Banerjee’s allegations in his letter. He wrote that Indian Army is “one of the most disciplined institutions” of the country which is “proud of their professionalism and apolitical conduct” and Banerjee’s allegations “run the risk of adversely impacting the morale of the armed forces.”

Here is the complete letter released by ANI news network on its twitter feed: