New Delhi: Former Army Chief Bipin Rawat took charge as the first Chief of Defence Staff on Wednesday. He also paid his tribute to the martyrs at the National War Memorial in Delhi, ahead of taking over his duties. While speaking to the media, Rawat said that his task is to create synergy between different wings of the armed forces. "All the three services will work as a team. As per the task given to the Chief of Defence Staff, we have to enhance integration and do better resource management," he said. "Our action will depend on teamwork. We have to achieve more through our integrity and teamwork," he added.

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General Rawat, who demitted office on retirement as Chief of Indian Army on Tuesday received the guard of honour from all the three forces. Besides Rawat, Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane, Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria and Navy Chief Karambir Singh and other senior officers were also present during the guard of honour.

While refusing the allegations about him being politically inclined, Rawat asserted that the services work on government directions. "We stay far away from politics, very far. We have to work according to the directions of the government in power," General Rawat said.

On December 26, then Army Chief General Rawat had said that leading masses and crowds to carry out arson and violence in cities and towns is not leadership, in a reference to the countrywide anti-CAA protests. "Leaders are not those who lead people in an inappropriate direction," he had said.

Several leaders across the political spectrum had taken exceptions to his statement and condemned the then Army chief's remark.

Communist Party of India (CPI) released a statement on General Rawat's remark, accusing him of violating Section 21 of the Army Act. The remark violated service rules which prohibit him from making any kind of comment unrelated to Army matters, it said.

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Taking a dig at him, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi had said, "Leadership is knowing the limits of one's office. It is about understanding the idea of civilian supremacy and preserving the integrity of the institution that you head."

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had also expressed similar sentiments. "I agree [with] General Saheb but also leaders are not those who allow their followers to indulge in the genocide of communal violence. Do you agree with me General Saheb?" he questioned.
Several parts of the country witnessed a spate of protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), many of which turned violent.

(with inputs from agencies)