Parrikar placates on rank down of forces

Tribune News Service & PTI

New Delhi, October 25

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today asked for an internal cross-checking of facts to ascertain if a circular on equivalence of ranks of armed forces vis-à-vis civilian counterparts was issued erroneously.

Officers in the armed forces are upset over the October 18 Defence Ministry circular that purportedly brings the rank of armed forces officers a notch down compared to their earlier status.

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The circular puts Major General (Rear Admiral in the Navy and Vice-Marshal in the Air Force) on the same level as principal director at the Armed Force Headquarters (AFHQ) Civil Service. Similarly, Colonel has been placed on the same level as joint director on a civil post. So far, Major General was equal to a joint secretary, which is higher than principal director, and Colonel was equal in status to director.

The circular says the equations are to be followed at service HQs, and “has the approval of the Raksha Mantri”. Replying to a query, Parrikar said some people were trying to “misguide” as the issue related to only functional responsibility (of armed forces) and not status vis-à-vis civilian counterparts.

“These are functional responsibilities. They (military officers) will be on the same platform as earlier. I will check up myself,” he said.

Parrikar said he had asked for details of the circular and if there had been an error, it would be corrected within a week. Similar circulars issued in 2005 and 2008 would be studied, he added. “The government is sensitive to issues concerning serving and retired soldiers,” he said.