New Delhi, December 26: After political row erupted over Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat’s statement on students’ protest, sources within the Army defended his statement. General Rawat on Thursday lashed out at people instigating protests in the nation against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Speaking at a healthcare leadership summit in New Delhi, The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) said that leaders are not those who lead people in inappropriate directions. Why Citizenship Amendment Act+NRC Raise Fear And Concerns: A Multi-Dimensional Take.

A senior Army officer of the at the Army headquarters told The Times of India that Gen Rawat had basically talked about “leadership qualities” in his speech and it was not a political statement. The officer added that the COAS did not mention about the CAA or the National Register of Citizens in his statement and only expressed his concern on the current law and order situation in the country.

However, many former defence personnel expressed disappointment on Gen Rawat's staement. Former Navy Chief Admiral L Ramdas (retd) said that Gen Rawat’s remarks were wrong. Gen Rawat is retiring on December 31. He is also the front runner for the post of Chief of Defence Staff, which will coordinate operations of all three wings of the armed forces.

Hours after General Rawat’s remarks, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) lawmaker Asaduddin Owaisi expressed sharp disapproval of the Army chief’s comments. In response to General Rawat's comments on students' protest, Asaduddin Owaisi said that the Army chief should know the limitation of the institution he heads. Owaisi tweeted, “Leadership is knowing the limits of one’s office. It is about understanding the idea of civilian supremacy & preserving the integrity of the institution that you head (sic)." Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also took a dig at General Rawat for his comments.

Nation-wide protests erupted after the Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha on December 11. The protests intensified after action by Delhi police inside the Jamia Millia Islamia University after the student’s demonstration turned violent. On December 15, a huge crowd gathered outside the JMI University in protest against the CAA. Miscreants burnt buses and vandalised public and private properties. Police then resorted to lathicharge and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 27, 2019 12:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).