VK Singh on 2012 Indian ‘Army coup’ story: ‘Nothing short of treason, trying to destroy institution of army to achieve personal objectives’

Singh who is now a minister in the NDA government took on Facebook and said “by splashing it across banner headlines, this was nothing short of treason, for the gentleman was willing to openly destroy the institution of the army to achieve personal objectives.”

Calling it a national disgrace, Singh further added “It's a shame so many people who played games and falsified news, are even today not accountable. In the interest of our country's future where fake news is such a major threat, it is imperative to take action at the very root of this evil especially when all the evidence is there in the public domain.”/ Getty Images/ FILE

NEW DELHI: After the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress over the reports that a few cabinet ministers of UPA–II government had spread fakes news seven years ago in 2012 that the army is planning to topple the government, General VK Singh on Thursday said that the 2012 'Army coup’ story by a leading journalist “was nothing short of treason.” Singh who is now a minister in the NDA government took on Facebook and said, “by splashing it across banner headlines, this was nothing short of treason, for the gentleman was willing to openly destroy the institution of the army to achieve personal objectives.” “With those in power backing him then, virtually all institutional platforms of redress were not available to me, even though I was the serving Chief of the Army,” Singh said.

Calling it a national disgrace, he further added “It's a shame so many people who played games and falsified news, are even today not accountable. In the interest of our country's future where fake news is such a major threat, it is imperative to take action at the very root of this evil especially when all the evidence is there in the public domain.” A newspaper report by the Sunday Guardian Live on Saturday claimed that the UPA had tried to defame the Indian Army. The report stated, “The top leadership of the UPA 2 government, in the last few months of 2011 and early 2012, had informally indicated to the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to try and establish that the Army, under its then chief, General V.K. Singh, was attempting a coup to topple the government.”