Former information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari on Saturday said that a news item concerning troops’ movement published by the Indian Express in 2012 was ‘unfortunate but true.’
However, then Army Chief and current union minister VK Singh rubbished his claims. Singh said, “He (Manish Tewari) has nothing to do these days. There is this book of mine, ask him to read it and everything will be clear to him.”
Distancing itself from Tewari’s claims, Congress party said that reports about troops’ movement were wrong.
“On behalf of Congress we want to clearly and categorically deny this report. There was no such troop movement without information of government,” said Congress leader PC Chacko.
“The report which appeared in Indian Express in past, has been denied officially by authenticated sources,” added Chacko.
Congress senior leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi also denied any such reports and said there is no truth in any such reports.
“I am again clarifying there is absolutely no truth in it,” said Singhvi when asked about the reports and Manish Tewari’s recent claims on troops movement in 2012.
The Indian Express had on April 4, 2012, reported that late on the night of January 16, 2012 (the day then Army Chief General VK Singh approached the Supreme Court on his date of birth issue), central intelligence agencies reported an unexpected (and non-notified) movement by a key military unit from the mechanised infantry based in Hisar (Haryana) as a part of the 33rd Armoured Division (which is a part of 1 Corps, a strike formation based in Mathura and commanded by Lt Gen. A K Singh) in the direction of the capital, 150 km away.
Brushing aside allegations that the story was fake, Tewari said, “At that time, I used to serve in the Standing Committee of Defence. And it’s unfortunate, but the story was true. The story was correct.”
“I am not getting into an argument. All I am saying is that to the best of my knowledge that story was correct,” said Tewari during a book launch function.
The Indian Express had earlier claimed the report is a meticulous reconstruction and a very sober interpretation of the movement of two key Army units towards New Delhi on the night of January 16-17. The then Army Chief had later said the report in The Indian Express on unusual troop movements in the direction of the capital in mid-January was “absolutely stupid”.