Two veterans deny signing letter to President about Army's misuse

The controversial letter, purportedly signed by eight former service chiefs, was meant to draw President Kovind's attention to happenings in the nation.

"We refer, Sir, to the unusual and completely unacceptable practice of political leaders taking credit for military operations like cross-border strikes, and even going so far as to claim the Armed Forces to be Modi Ji ki Sena," the letter read.

Just as letter became a topic of discussion, two veterans maintained distance from it.

Former Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General SF Rodrigues, whose name appeared as the first signatory said he didn't know anything about the letter.

"We in the services have always done what the government in power ordered us, we are an instrument of the state," he said.

Echoing the same emotions, former IAF chief NC Suri said his consent wasn't taken either.

"I don't agree with whatever has been written in that letter. We have been misquoted," the veteran told ANI.

Amid the row, NDTV claimed sources at Rashtrapati Bhavan denied receiving any such letter from the veterans in the first place.

Since the purported letter mentioned phrases like Modi ki sena, a term Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath used to refer to armed forces, Congress quickly slammed the Centre.

"Modi may try to use soldiers for votes, but it's clear that soldiers stand with India and not the BJP," the official Twitter handle of Congress wrote. The letter was also tweeted.

Notably, Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh also urged President Kovind to act. "Politicization of armed forces is a serious matter and needs to be put an immediate stop to," he tweeted.

To recall, Singh has shot off a letter to EC after PM Modi asked first-time voters to vote for soldiers "who carried out Balakot strikes and were martyred in Pulwama".