New Delhi: Retired Major General S.P. Sinha, who has stirred a controversy by appearing to endorse rape and murder as legitimate military tactics during a TV debate, apologised Monday and said he was in a “disturbed state of mind” after hearing “sordid” tales of torture.
In a hand-written letter addressed to the TV9 Bharatvarsh news channel, a copy of which was also marked to the additional director general of public information (ADGPI), Sinha said he regretted the episode and offered an apology.
“On hearing sordid and very rousing stories from the Kashmiri families who were present during discussion, I was very deeply moved. In the disturbed state of mind, I made remarks which were unwarranted,” he said in the letter.
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‘Death for death, rape for rape’
During the TV debate Sunday on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, Sinha, who was in the Ordnance Corps, asked “death in return for death, and rape in return for rape” to avenge the brutalities on Kashmiri Pandits.
His remarks drew an instant rebuke from fellow panelists as well as the woman anchor. The retired major general was asked to apologise but he had refused then.
Several Army veterans had also hit out at the former major general for his remarks.
The Army, meanwhile, distanced itself from Sinha’s remarks and said the retired officer does not come under the purview of the Code of Conduct for serving personnel or the Army Act.
Sources in the Army, however, said such remarks by an officer “who has never commanded soldiers in anti-terror operations or taken part in any such operations in the Valley” sullies the image of the force.
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