Veteran fighting Covid writes to Rajnath, says situation worse than Kargil

Stating that the ongoing situation is even worst than the Kargil war, a former Indian Army officer has written to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, suggesting him to declare it as war and ask the Army Medical Corps to lead the operation in the fight against the deadly Coronavirus pandemic. 

In his letter, Major General Bishamber Dayal (Retd), who is undergoing Covid-19 treatment at Delhi-based Base Hospital, stated that India is in the midst of a 'biological war'. 

With the support of three services, the civil administration and the private sector, the officer stated that the operation should be called 'OP Life Rakshak'. 

He also requested the defence minister to consider the AMC warriors who died after March 20, 2020, as battle casualties and allow their families to draw life pensions like Kargil widows. 

"Let the Army Medical Corps commission their two senior-most batches with five days crash Covid training. Similarly, the nursing officers and other boys under basic training should also be given crash course and then join this battle," he mentioned in his letter to Rajnath Singh. 

Major General Dayal further added that Southern Command and Central Command should only be mobilised for such operation. “Northern, Eastern and Western Commands should at be in their regular deployment as we have dirty enemies along the borders."

Offering more suggestions, Major General Dayal urged to set up a war room headed by DG AFMS with DGs of all three services. 

In this operation, he advised incorporating all medical professions, including government and private.

"We need our motivation our morale, it comes from the mission. It has to be done the military way. To achieve our mission we need to muster resources, nominate a commander. All other procedures will fall," he wrote.

• Coronavirus
• Covid fightback
• Major General Bishamber Dayal (Retd)
• Rajnath Singh
• Army Medical Corps
• Covid pandemic