A day after West Bengal chief minister lashed out at the Centre, against the Army presence near the secretariat, the officiating GoC of Bengal area, Major Gen Sunil Yadav clarified that it was an 'annual exercise'.
Addressing a press conference in Kolkata on Friday, Yadav said, "This is an annual exercise carried out every year. We had carried out a similar exercise last year from November 19-25, in the same location, with the same number of personnels." He added that similar drills were carried out by the army in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand too, from September 26 to October 1.
The army personnel were stationed at around 1:00 am on 31st November. When asked if there was a confusion with the local police regarding the deployment, Yadav denied the same.
Yadav also denied, 'with full contempt', the allegations that the soldiers were collecting money at the toll gates and demanded for proof for the same. The exercise was done to get data from entry points.
NDTV displayed the letters communicated by the Army, informing the state government about the exercise. The letters were reportedly delivered to different police stations as well as the Transport department.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien tweeted one of the letters, presented by Parrikar in LS, in army's defense.
In Lok Sabha, Defence Minister Manmohar Parrikar termed it a "routine exercise not unique to West Bengal" and saying that similar operations to collect information on heavy vehicle movement that can be used during national emergencies had last month being conducted in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Along with West Bengal, similar exercise was carried out in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghlaya and Mizoram, he said while responding to TMC and Congress MPs.
He also stated that originally the exercise was planned for November 28-30 but was shifted to December 1 and 2 at the request of Kolkata Police as those dates were clashing with the protests against demonetisation.
"It is shocking that a Chief Minister is saying this. The Army's deployment was part of routine exercise which has been going on for several years, which has been going on for last 15-20 years. Even last year it was held on November 19 to 21," Parrikar said.
"Concerned officials were informed in West Bengal. The original date was fixed for November 28 to 30 but due to Bharat Bandh the local police had advised the army to shift it to December 1 and 2," he said. "Due to traffic congestion, the exercise is being done with the help of local police."
TMC leaders in both Houses alleged that neither the state government, nor local administration including police were taken into confidence on the exercise or their permission sought.
Congress and BSP too wanted to know from the government how such an unprecedented move to carry out an army exercise without taking state government into confidence was done.
"It was very unfortunate that army has been dragged into an unnecessary controversy," Parrikar said. "It was political frustration rather than projection of correct situation."
(With inputs from agencies)