Investment in armed forces shouldn't be seen as burden on economy: Army chief Gen Naravane
Gandhinagar, Apr 13: The expenditure on the armed forces is an investment on which one gets full returns and it should not be seen as a burden on the economy, Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane said on Wednesday.
A nation can survive the shocks that wipe out the share market and leaves thousands of investors bankrupt only when the armed forces of that country are strong, he said addressing a gathering after releasing a book, titled 'Fifty Years of 1971 War: Accounts from Veterans,' at the Rashtriya Raksha University.
The book is compiled by the university and contains a message by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The book is an outcome of a series of webinars organised at the university and deals with various aspects of the 1971 war.
General Naravane's comments have come at a time when Russia and Ukraine are engaged in a war and there is eastern Ladakh border standoff between the India and China.
"Whenever we talk about the armed forces, and whenever we talk about investments and expenditures made for the armed forces, we should see this as an investment -- an investment on which you get full returns, and it should not be seen as a burden on the economy," the Army chief said.
He said one has seen how the economy suffers whenever there is a crisis.
"The moment there is a war anywhere, whenever there is instability in a region, straightway you can see the impact on the shares, on the stock market," he said.
Surviving such kinds of shock can only happen if the armed forces of the country are strong, he said.
While the armed forces play a major part in the security of a nation, other organs of the state play an equally important role, he noted.
"All of us are equal players and stakeholders in the safety and security of the nation," he said.
General Naravane also advised students of the university to do whatever they feel passionate about, and not because their parents asked them or out of peer pressure.
He said the Army has also opened up more avenues for women.
"We have made it more and more easy, and more avenues have been opened up for women to join the armed forces in more and more streams," he said, adding that even the Army Aviation wing has been opened up for women, and two of them will be graduating sometime in July.
"As time goes, more avenues will be available to women in the armed forces," he said.
General Naravane also talked about cooperation between the Indian Army and the Rashtriya Raksha University.
He visited the university's School of Information Technology where he was briefed about works done on cyber security, artificial intelligence and digital forensics, and how they can contribute to the national security.
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If Ambedkar was not there, Nehru would not have allowed reservation for SCs and STs: PM Modi
Motihari (Bihar) (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday alleged that the INDIA bloc stood for corruption, appeasement politics and a "perverted anti-Sanatan mindset", all of which would receive a "big blow" when the Lok Sabha poll results are announced on June 4.
Addressing an election rally in the East Champaran Lok Sabha constituency of Bihar, the PM also launched indirect attacks on leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav, who he said were "born with silver spoons".
"The nation cannot move forward with the sins of the INDIA bloc, which stands for corruption, appeasement politics, represents the 'tukde-tukde' gang and a perverted mindset that heaps scorn on Sanatan Dharma," he said.
"This is the reason why the INDIA bloc was exhausted in the very first phase of the elections. In the subsequent phases, it was battered. In the remaining two phases, the trend will continue and on June 4 when votes are counted, the results will come as a big blow to the intentions of the opposition alliance," he claimed.
Modi alleged that Congress wants to change the Constitution to "snatch" reservations from SCs, STs and OBCs, and hand it over to those who indulge in "vote jihad".
"If Ambedkar was not there, Nehru would not have allowed reservation for SCs and STs," he claimed.
Modi also bristled at the opposition parties' criticism of welfare schemes run by his government, claiming his opponents had "bundles of notes stashed away in Swiss banks" and could not understand the plight of the common people "the way I do, having been born in a poor family".
"They were opening accounts in Swiss banks, while the people of India were starving," he alleged.
Referring to Tejashwi Yadav, whom he did not mention by name, Modi said, "I am told that the 'waaris of jungle raaj' has been saying I will be advised bed rest after the Lok Sabha elections. The 'shehzada' of Congress says he wants to see me in tears. His party openly chants slogans like 'Modi teri kabr khudegi' (your grave will be dug)."
"These people have a counterpart in Uttar Pradesh (an allusion to Akhilesh Yadav) who says I have reached the end of my life and hence contesting from Varanasi," said Modi, adding that the remarks betrayed a lack of sensitivity on the part of those "born with silver spoons, who have never known what is a life filled with struggles".
In his speech, Modi also made a reference to the much-talked-about feast Gandhi had enjoyed at Lalu Prasad’s residence last year.
"Those who refused the invitation to the consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya had no problems in sharing a meal with the corrupt," he said.
Modi also referred to East Champaran as Mahatma Gandhi's "karma bhoomi" and his own roots in Gujarat "the janmabhoomi (place of birth)".
"The Congress betrayed his ideals upon coming to power and devoted itself to promoting the interests of one family," he alleged.
"I have spent my first 10 years in power filling the potholes left by the Congress. I intend to speed up progress in the next term," said Modi as he spoke about his thrust on welfare measures like toilets for women "who had to suffer physical ailments because of the absence of this very basic of all amenities".
