Using social media a violation of army discipline, warns Parrikar

New Delhi: Government today said raising complaints of service conditions like poor quality of food on social media was basically a violation of Army discipline. Replying to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said raising these issues on social media did not help to resolve the conditions. If there were any suggestions for improvement, soldiers 'could raise these with the Army Chief or even me'.

The standard procedure in case of grievance was to go to superior for redressal, doing otherwise was basically a violation of Army discipline, the minister said in a reply during Question Hour. Asked about action taken by the government to redress the soldiers' grievances, Mr Parrikar said there was a well laid down mechanism for feedback of redressal of grievances in armed forces to the Commanding Officer.

The Army's constant endeavour was to acquire state-of-the-art equipment for the soldiers to enhance their capabilities, he said replying to supplementaries. Improvement in quality of food and clothing was an ongoing process and was being 'undertaken based on feedback from troops and advice of scientific bodies like Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPSAS).'

Besides improved specifications of shoes and helmets, the Government had authorised individual combat kit for entire army, increased meat or chicken broiler for JCOs/OCs as basic ration at 136 stations, introduction of ready-to-eat vegetables in pouches with longer shelf life and extension of special rations of Siachen Glacier to troops across the country anywhere above 12,000 feet. (UNI)