ELECTION 99
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Air Marshal Naqvi withdraws resignation

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

The defence ministry on Thursday permitted former deputy chief of the air staff, Air Marshal S S Hussain Naqvi, to withdraw his request for premature retirement. The ministry allowed the senior Indian Air Force officer to return to active service on Thursday. The air force headquarters posted him out of Delhi as the Senior Air Staff Officer, Training Command.

The resignation of the air marshal and his deputy, Air Vice Marshal M M Saigal had kicked up an unprecedented row in the IAF in the post-Kargil period. It was for the first time that two officers of such seniority were resigning from the IAF.

Though Naqvi had cited personal reasons for the resignation, speculation was rife that the episode had more to it than just the public excuse. Initially it was thought that the air force's decision to shift Naqvi from the post of deputy air chief to what is traditionally considered a lower level post, senior air staff officer with the training command, was to blame. But authoritative sources question this theory, as he has now returned to take up the post that had apparently angered him.

When contacted, an IAF spokesman told rediff.com that the defence ministry has accepted the "request of Air Marshal Naqvi", and that he has "been posted to training command with effect from 1 October 1999 as senior air staff officer."

On August 26, Air Marshal Naqvi put in his request for premature retirement from the IAF citing personal reasons: he told reporters that he had to immediately look after his wife who was taken ill, and that he has to fight court cases to secure his property worth Rs 15 million. He had demanded that he be relieved from the IAF by September 31.

Air Force sources said the resignation of his deputy Air Vice Marshal M M Saigal should not be linked to the Naqvi episode as the AVM and his wife are undergoing treatment. "Saigal definitely had personal reasons," an authoritative source said. But the Naqvi case has been throwing up only unanswered questions.

In a major turnaround that has puzzled defence circles, Naqvi submitted a letter in the first week of September requesting that he be permitted to withdraw his request for premature retirement. The IAF officials said they aren't sure why this turn around came about, but Air Marshal Naqvi said he has been promised that he would be "adjusted in the headquarters." That was not be. He has been given a SASO post outside Delhi now.

Speculation was that Naqvi would be posted as Air Officer, Personnel at the IAF headquarters. But on Thursday the IAF also announced that Air Marshal K S Bindra, who is presently SASO, training command, will take over as the air officer in-charge of personnel at the headquarters.

Thus the mystery over the Naqvi episode has only deepened. If Naqvi had resigned protesting his posting out of Delhi as SASO, then why is he returning now to take up the same post?

Air Marshal Naqvi was part of a high-level delegation that was looking into the purchase of 10 Mirage 2000 fighters from France for the IAF. He was also among those who negotiated with the French delegation that came to India during Kargil operations for the purchase of Mirage 2000-5 fighters.

There has also been speculation that the BJP-led government persuaded Air Marshal Naqvi to withdraw his resignation as the opposition could exploit the issue during Lok Sabha polls. The fact that Naqvi belongs to the Muslim community has added to the BJP woes.

Tell us what you think of this report