Army's importance reduced for it hasn't fought war in years: Parrikar

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is under fire after he said that the respect for the Indian Army is waning because it hasn’t fought a war in the past 40 to 50 years. However, he clarified that his statement should not be considered as an endorsement of war.

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Addressing a conference in Jaipur on challenges regarding border safety on Sunday, he said that soldiers were facing immense difficulties because people’s respect for the army had diminished during peacetime. The state governments were not attaching importance to matters related to the army though he had written to chief ministers repeatedly, he added.

"I have written to many chief ministers. Some have acted on it and at many places it (response) has ended. The primary reason for this is that we have not been to war for 40-50 years. I don't mean to say that we should go to war. I mean to say that without war the army's importance has diminished," said Parrikar.

The Opposition parties have slammed the defence minister’s remarks.

"Ministers in this government say anything and embarrass the nation. We are proud of our Indian Army and they have made us proud every time," said Congress leader Pramod Tiwari.

Image: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar