NEW DELHI: Amidst jawans taking to social media to raise their anger against attitude of senior officers, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has announced that now a jawan can directly write to him by avoiding protocol. While announcing setting up of a "suggestion-cum- grievance box" in the Army headquarters, Gen Rawat also assured whoever writes to him, his or her identity will be protected.
Calling social media as a two-sided weapon, Gen Rawat explained that said resorting to social media cab be detrimental also.
Addressing a customary annual media briefing ahead of Army Day, Gen Bipin Rawat said,"If a soldier writes to us regarding his grievances penning down his identity, I will ensure that his identity is not made public."
Launching a similar grievance redressal mechanism operational in the Prime Minister's office (PMO) and defence ministry, the Army Chief added, "If he or she (the complaint) is unsatisfied with the action taken, the concerned person can choose other ways (of voicing his grievance)."
When asked about a breakdown in communication between senior officers and Lance Naik YP Singh, who uploaded a video on social media alleging ill treatment by his seniors, Rawat said, "It is wrong to say that there's been a communication breakdown. Maybe he didn't get satisfactory reply or he wasn't happy with it."
On Thursday, a video surfaced of an army personnel, Lance Naik Y P Singh, alleging "abuse" by his senior officers who often threatened him that he would lose his job if he did not follow their orders which included polishing their shoes.
In the video Lance Naik Yagya Pratap Singh, posted in 42 Infantry Brigade in Dehradun, said that after writing a letter to the PM, Defence Minister, the President and to the Supreme Court in June last year, his brigade received a communication from the PMO asking it to investigate his grievances.
Singh then claimed that instead of investigating the allegations, his superiors in the Brigade started harassing him further and also initiated an enquiry, which might result in his court-martial.