Comments by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday about the rise in Assam of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), a party predominantly popular among Muslims, have generated controversy, with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticising the remarks.
Owaisi tweeted that according to the Constitution, the Army worked under an elected civilian government. He also said the Army chief shouldn't interfere in political matters and it was not his work to comment on the rise of a political party.
What,the Army Chief should not interfere in political matters it is not his work to comment on the rise of a political party ,Democracy & Constitution allows it and Army will always work under an Elected Civilian leadership https://t.co/PacWqqYXz1
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) February 22, 2018
Rawat had made the comments about the AIUDF at a seminar in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Rawat claimed that the party was growing at a faster pace than the BJP in its initial years and drew attention to the influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh into Assam. He claimed the influx of illegal immigrants was part of Pakistan's proxy war against India.
A week ago, Owaisi was rebuked by the Army after he had claimed that the deaths of Muslim soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir were ignored by 'nationalists'. Responding to Owaisi's claim, the Army observed that it did not communalise its martyrs.