#news Gen Rawat dismisses DS Hooda's 'surgical strikes' remark as 'individu

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New Delhi [India], Dec 8 (ANI): Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Saturday dismissed as "individual person's perception" the remarks made by former Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General (retired) DS Hooda that there were over hype about the 2016 surgical strikes carried out in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK). Hooda, who had overseen the surgical strikes conducted across the Line of Control (LoC) on the night of September 28-29, 2016, has triggered a major controversy by saying that constant maintenance of hype around the military operations was unwarranted. Attending an event in Chandigarh on Friday, he said in response to a question that "in hindsight, it would have been better had we done it (surgical strikes) secretly." Asked about the remarks made by Hooda, General Rawat told ANI on Saturday: "These are individual person's perception. So let's not comment on them." The Army Chief noted that Hooda was "one of the main persons involved in the conduct of these operations. So, I respect his words very much." Hooda, however, maintained on Saturday that there was too much hype about the surgical strikes. "I do think there was too much hype over it. The military operation was important and we had to do it. Now how much should it have been politicised, whether it is right or wrong, is something that should be asked to politicians," the former General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command told ANI. The surgical strikes were conducted after a terror attack on an Army camp in Uri in Kashmir on September 18, 2016, in which 19 soldiers were killed. The Indian Army said several terrorist launch pads were destroyed and many terrorists were killed in the operation. Incumbent Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, while commenting on Hooda's remarks, said, "Surgical strike is one of the options available to the Army. It had a positive effect on country, We've been able to curb terrorism to a great extent." Hooda, while participating in the discussion in Chandigarh on Friday, also said that the aim of any offensive like the surgical strikes has to be strategic besides being tactical as it substantially affects the morale of the enemy. He added that India needs to be pro-active and have an unpredictable response considering the happenings on the LoC. (ANI)

https://www.aninews.in/news/gen-rawat-dismisses-ds-hoodas-surgical-strikes-remark-as-individuals-perception201812081437260001/

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I have not joined Congress: Lt Gen (Retd) DS Hooda

NEW DELHI: Lt Gen (retd) D S Hooda, who was the commanding officer during the 2016 surgical strike, has denied reports of having joined the Indian National Congress. "I have not joined the Congress party", Hooda told when asked whether he had joined Congress party, which has asked him to prepare a report on national security. Hooda was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command during the terror attack on Uri Army camp and the subsequent surgical strike in September 2016. The Congress has on Thursday roped in Hooda to prepare a "vision document" for the country's security, more than two months after the former Army Commander said the surgical strike was "overhyped and politicised". "The Congress President (Rahul Gandhi) is setting up a Task Force on National Security to prepare a vision paper for the country,"' the Opposition party said in a statement here. It added that Hooda will lead the Task Force and prepare the paper in consultation with a select group of experts. Hooda, who had overseen the surgical strike of September 2016 on terror camps across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, retired from service in November 2016. In December, he had triggered a controversy by saying that the surgical strike was "overhyped and politicised." "The military operation was important and we had to do it. Now how much should it have been politicised, whether it is right or wrong is something that should be asked to politicians," he had said. "I do think that there was too much hype over it," Hooda had said. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had later dismissed Hooda's remarks as an "individual person's perception. Read the full article