The differences between a senior army commander and his second-in-command came to light on Monday, and the chief of the army, General Manoj Mukund Naravane, appointed a senior lieutenant general to bridge the gap between the two senior officers. rank, people familiar with the events said, on condition of anonymity.
The differences, rare at the highest echelons of the army, between the Jaipur-based Western South Command chief and his chief of staff relate to the roles and responsibilities of various offices at the command’s headquarters, the officials said, without give more details on the exact nature of the ongoing fight between the two lieutenant generals.
There was no official news from the army on the development.
The Southwest Command is headed by Lieutenant General Alok Kler, an armored corps officer, and his second in command is Lieutenant General KK Repswal, who is from the Corps of Engineers.
After receiving statements from the two three-star officers, Naravane appointed the deputy army chief, Lt. Gen. SK Saini, to investigate the matter and present a detailed report with measures to streamline the operation of the command headquarters, the officers said. .
“Differences of opinion at that level can hamper day-to-day operation and decision-making. Hopefully the fact-finding mission will resolve the matter, ”the officials said.
The Southwest Command has around 130,000 troops and is responsible for protecting India’s border with Pakistan in Rajasthan and Punjab.
On December 31, 2019, Kler wrote a letter to the commanders under his command asking them to avoid military pageantry, to ensure that the offices closed at 2 p.m. (the time they should be closed), and to encourage professional dissent ( so different from insubordination) as they. Focus on your main task — constant preparation for battle.
In instructions issued to 265 commanders on New Year’s Eve to improve the operational readiness of the Southwest Command, he asked them to take a practical approach to the soldier, as “it is not a question of whether we go to war, but when. “
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