Army chief launches whatsapp number for soldiers to post grievances

By Express News Service  |   Published: 28th January 2017 12:15 AM  | 

Last Updated: 28th January 2017 12:15 AM  | 

 

NEW DELHI:  Amidst jawans taking social media routes to raise their anger against attitude of senior officers, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has launched a whatsapp number, on which any soldier can post his/her grievances.
Perturbed over series of videos being viral on social media by jawans , Army chief Rawat last month came with a suggestion box in his office, where any soldier can directly write to him, avoiding protocol. Assuring full confidentiality, the Army chief had announced anyone, irrespective of ranks or service, can use this mechanism to put whatever they wish to write into these letter boxes so that grievances can reach him directly. Gen Rawat said the soldiers should write to him with names but he will ensure that the names of the personnel is deleted before any action is taken.
The whatsapp number announced to register the complaint is — +91 9643300008, will be called complaint and advisory board.
The move came in after BSF, CRPF and Jawans from other regiments raised their voice on social media in regard with the low quality of food and poor conditions which were provided to them.
Taj Bahadur, a BSF jawan, highlighted the problems with images of burnt chappatis and runny daal that they are served during the mealtimes. In the video, that went viral, Tej came out with disclosure that there are even times when the soldiers have to go to sleep on an empty stomach. Following BSF jawan's post, a CRPF Jawan Jeet Singh, raised the issues being faced by them.
Even Army jawan YP Singh also lodged similar protest on social media against army’s buddy tradition.

 

PM Modi reveals BJP’s USPs for Punjab: OROP, Surgical Strikes, Indus Waters Treaty, ignore AAP, blast Congress

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today joined the Bharatiya Janata Party's campaign for Punjab Assembly Elections 2017 in Jalandhar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today highlighted the Unique Selling Points (USPs) the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would use to attract voters in Punjab. The BJP has been ruling the state for last five years in alliance with SAD. The party is facing a huge anti-incumbency, a resurgent Congress and a confident AAP. However, speaking during a rally in Jalandhar today, PM Modi said he believed people of Punjab would do a “miracle” in the state and prove the pundits wrong. Apart from the usual corruption-related issues, PM Modi talked about five things the BJP-SAD combine would likely try to use to their advantage in the upcoming Assembly election in the state. They were: One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme, Surgical Strikes, Indus Waters Treaty, ignoring AAP and attacking Congress. The PM said how his government successfully released most of the money for the implementation of OROP in a short span of time. A large number of soldiers in the Indian Army come from Punjab. PM Modi shared how the entire state was happy when Indian Army carried out surgical strikes on terror launch pads in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in September 2016. For farmers of the state, PM Modi once again reiterated his government’s “big” decision to repeal the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and bring the water of the river for farmers in Punjab. The Prime Minister didn’t say a word about Aam Aadmi Party. But indirectly hinted AAP was maligning Punjab across the world. “Some people, due to their inability to debate on important political matters, for some reasons, are trying to malign Punjab in these elections. It pains that the pride of Punjab is being maligned. Will politics stoop so low? To those who have defamed Punjabi youth across the world, give such punishment to them that no one in future can point fingers on Punjabis.” PM Modi used some choicest phrases to describe the current state of Congress party in his opinion. “Congress is desperate like a fish without power. It is an amazing party. They aligned with Communist Party in West Bengal after fighting against them for 50 years and took whatever that was thrown at them. “In UP, their party went across the state on a ‘rath yatra’ for a month. Said anything, used whatever words they could to incite people. But at last put its head in the Samajwadi party’s family feud after sensing an opportunity,” Modi said. “Congress follows no rules, no ethics but just want to get power at any cost. Will people of Punjab step into a sinking boat? Congress is history. Congress is surviving on its last breath. Nothing they can do,” he said. Earlier in the rally, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal accused Congress of indulging in the politics of ‘divide and rule’ to win Assembly election in the state.