Report offensive WhatsApp, FB posts, Army tells its staff

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 28

Faced with criticism on social media, the Army has asked its personnel to report back any “vitriolic, abrasive or negative” posts against the force or its individuals.

The message has been posted on internal website ‘Army wide area network’ (AWAN). Additional Director General Public Interface, a senior officer under the Military Intelligence wing stationed at South Block, New Delhi, has been listed as the person to be contacted. 

A WhatsApp number has also been provided where the “offensive” messages can be reported. Posted earlier this week, the message also provides an email-id — of the official Army web-server — and two Delhi-based MTNL landline numbers.

Sources said posts on WhatsApp groups in recent weeks airing “discontent” over the pending 7th Central Pay Commission proved to be the trigger. These messages reportedly questioned the government as well as top brass of the three forces for their “failure” to sort out the matter, pending since September last year.

Barring the forces, all central government employees have received hiked salaries. The forces had raised six objections, including disability pension, risk area allowance, increased pay and accordance of status, but the matter could not be resolved despite several meetings with the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Last week, the MoD approached the Supreme Court to contest a lower court’s verdict okaying the grant of non-functional upgrade hike in salary without getting promoted. 

This has been given to all central staff minus the forces. The moment the appeal was filed in the SC, messages started doing the rounds on WhatsApp groups naming “three officers who were behind the appeal”.