Public sale of army fatigues and gear by private players compromises national security as terrorists posing as security personnel have launched attacks in India, including at the Pathankot Air Force base, a PIL in Delhi High Court has said today.
Seeking steps to curb private sale and manufacture of such items, the public interest litigation contends that combat apparel, like uniforms, shoes, badges and other gear used by armed forces were being made by private industries in Ludhiana and Amritsar in Punjab and sold all over the country.
One such place where such articles are sold is at the Railway Market at Pathankot, the petition by an NGO said.
In January this year, the Air Force base in Pathankot was attacked by terrorists wearing Indian Army fatigues, leading to the death of several security personnel.
The NGO has said that as per a January 8 guideline issued by Indian Army, civilians and private shopkeepers have been directed not to wear or sell combat apparel.
It has sought directions to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to take "immediate and concrete" steps "to prevent private enterprises, shops, individuals etc from unauthorisedly manufacturing, stocking and selling of combat uniforms, backpacks, sleeping bags, badges, shoes etc used by armed forces in India".
The PIL has also sought that MoD be directed to handle with immediate effect the responsibility of manufacturing, stocking and sale of combat apparel and gear used by the armed forces, saying private shops do not check to whom they sell such articles.
