New Delhi: In his own diplomatic, roundabout way, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen (Retd) SK Sinha on Monday ticked off the Government for having ordered a head count of the number of Muslims in the Armed forces.
Mindful of gubernatorial protocols, the former vice-chief of Army Staff made it clear to reporters here that he would not "like to speak on the survey" as such.
Yet, to questions, he went on to explain how a soldier's religious background did not matter in the Indian Army.
Indian armed forces have played a key role in nation-building and in national integration both during and after Independence, he said.
In this context, he recalled the sacrifice of Brigadier Mohammad Usman, the hero of the battle in Naushera in 1948.
Describing the Indian Army as the "most apolitical" among armies of the third world, he said the Armed forces have cultivated a certain ethos and that needs to be maintained.
Gen Sinha was speaking to reporters at a function marking the launch of his latest book, "A Governor's Musings".
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