Janata Dal-United (JD-U) chief Sharad Yadav on Tuesday asked former army chief General V.K. Singh to maintain caution during speeches in public after the latter's remark that money was paid to ministers in Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace and stability in the state triggered a political storm.
"I don't want to comment on it. It is not correct. There shouldn't be such controversies. People, who have served in the Army, should talk in a responsible manner," he told media in Patna.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home R.P.N. Singh commenting on the former army chief's remark said that it was extremely unfortunate.
"There should be some restraint shown by the General as well as media because these are sensitive issues and these are of internal security of the country. These are things that can't be discussed on television," Singh told media in New Delhi.
"I definitely feel anyone, who has served in the Army especially on such a top post, shouldn't be talking about the Army. I think it is extremely unfortunate," he added.
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Clarifying the 'JandK ministers paid' remark, the former army chief has said the money paid to Jammu and Kashmir politicians wasn't a bribe, but to win the people's hearts. Earlier the reports indicated that money was paid to destabilise the State Government.
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde earlier today said the former chief should name the ministers to whom money had been given from a secret defence fund for social schemes.
"He should name the ministers to whom money has been given. We can probe if details are given," he said.
Reacting to accusations that he had funded a Jammu and Kashmir politician to destabilise the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's government, General (Retd.) Singh on Monday said those who levelled these allegations were anti-nationals, as the army had to pay ministers in the border state "to bring people together"
He told a news channel that "paying ministers" was nothing new in Jammu and Kashmir.
"It has been happening since independence and everybody would have known about this. It is not something invented by V K Singh. Funding ministers is to get people together in Kashmir," he said.
General (Retd.) Singh on Saturday launched an all out attack on the ruling UPA Government, and said he is targetted because of his forthrightness, the arms lobby and because people in the bureaucracy stopped getting money.
"I am being targeted because of my forthrightness. I am being targeted because of the arms lobby which started feeling that they cannot bribe people and palm off equipment that is not worth it. I am being targeted because people in the bureaucracy stopped getting the money they were getting from all these lobbies," Singh said.
"And I am being targeted because some people in the political circles feel that I am uniting the veterans who have not got a good deal even from the UPA Government," he added.
General (Retd.) Singh had dragged the government to court prior to his retirement, seeking a change of date of birth in the official records that would have given him an extra ten months in service and in office.
The former army chief is now in the midst of yet another controversy following a report that he had set up Technical Services Division, a secret intelligence unit, and misused secret funds to try and topple the Omar Abdullah Government, and to try and change the line of succession in the Army's brass.
General (Retd.) Singh, who shared the dais at a rally in Rewari last week with the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, had earlier this year joined veteran social activist Anna Hazare in his crusade against corruption.
