Is the Army questioning the government's decision to award the Ashok Chakra to seven police officers who took part in operations against terrorists in Mumbai, Delhi, Orissa and Meghalaya?
One gets that feeling after going through the Army website, which says that country's highest peacetime gallantry award can not be given to 'members of police forces and recognised fire services'.
Mentioning different categories of people who can be given the award, the Indian Army website says the armed forces personnel and civilians "other than members of Police forces and of recognised fire services personnel" can be given the award.
The website says that Ashok Chakra can be awarded to officers, men and women of all ranks of Army, Navy and Air Force, any reserve forces, Territorial Army, Militia and of any other lawfully constituted forces, including the Military Nursing Services.
The Indian Army's website is maintained by the office of Additional Director General-Public information (ADG-PI) headed by a Maj Gen rank officer.
Asked to comment on the issue, an officer from the ADG (PI) branch said, "What we have written on the website is as per the notification issued by the President of India in 1967. Some amendment has been made in this regard but we do not have a copy of that."
The officer said the Army was trying to get a copy of amendment from the Home Ministry.
This statement on the Army's website has come at a time when there are murmurs in the force against the award being given to Maharashtra ATS head Hemant Karkare, Mumbai police's Ashok Kamte and Inspector Vijay Salaskar on the grounds that these three officers had allegedly died in an ambush laid out by terrorists involved in the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes and not during any act of bravery.
The website says that Ashok Chakra is awarded for most conspicuous bravery or some act of daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice otherwise than in the face of the enemy and can be awarded posthumously also.
