Army chiefs should not be allowed to contest election for 5 years post retirement: Tarun Gogoi

Former Assam chief minister Tarun gogoi on Saturday suggested that chiefs of India army must be barred from contesting elections for at least five years from the date of retirement.

His statement comes in response to Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat's political statements recently that illegal influx into Assam from Bangladesh is continuing in a manner planned by India's western and northern neighbours.

The Army chief also referred to Ajmal's AIDUF in connection with reports of increase in Muslim population in several districts of Assam, observing that the party has grown "faster" than the BJP in the 1980s.

Gogoi said that Rawat's statements is not expected from the chief of army. "The Army chief should desist from making political statements. Army chiefs should not be allowed to contest elections for 5 years from their retirement to ensure they do not hobnob with the ruling party towards end of their service to fulfil their future political aspirations."

"I was chief minister for 15 years and I have interacted with at least three Army chiefs and none of them of have told me about this issue. If the influx is still on, why isn't the centre taking any steps to stop it, more so when the chief of the Indian Army himself is talking about it?" Gogoi said.

OneIndia News