Srinagar: General Officer Commanding of the Army's 15 Corps Lt Gen Gurmit Singh on Saturday admitted the dress code gaffe and apologised to the scribes.
"I would like to personally say sorry for the Pheran thing. It was inadvertent but nevertheless a mistake," Lt Gen Singh told reporters.
Lt Gen Singh said while no words were enough to undo the hurt, Army will never trample the emotions of the local people.
"No words can undo the mistake. But we will never trample the emotions of the people," he added.
Yesterday, several leading journalists of Kashmir took exception to a Defence Ministry official asking them not to wear 'Pheran' traditional Kashmiri dress to the press conference addressed by the Corps Commander on Saturday.
Public Relations Officer of the Defence Ministry here Lt Colonel N N Joshi in an e-mail invitation to local mediapersons yesterday, said, "you are all aware of the security requirements. However, it is reiterated that you may refrain from wearing pheran."
In response, the journalists asked the PRO to withdraw the 'advisory' or they would not cover the event.
"You have also asked the journalists, intending to cover the press conference, to refrain from wearing Pheran as a security requirement. We fail to understand how can the traditional dress of the people of Kashmir which has also been an integral part of their unique identity pose a security threat to anyone!" the e-mail signed by more than a dozen scribes said.
Later, the Defence spokesman withdrew the earlier invitation.
"The press invitation issued earlier was erroneously sent due to clerical error and same is regretted. The previous press invite may please be treated as cancelled. There is no bar on dress code and it is as per your convenience," he said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also said that army should withdraw the 'advisory' issued to journalists regarding wearing of 'pheran'.
"If the army has in fact told journalists not to wear pheran to Corps HQ events that is unacceptable and the order should be withdrawn," Omar yesterday wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter.com.
Omar said 'pheran' cannot be banned as it is part of the Kashmiri identity and people wear it with pride.
Lt Gen Singh said there were no security forces casualties during the operations this year and there was also no collateral damage.
"We are committed to ensuring no human rights violations," he added.
The Corps Commander said the militant infrastructure was still intact across the Line of Control.
On the controversial Keran operation last year, Lt Gen Singh said it was a largescale infiltration attempt from multiple points by militants which was foiled successfully.
"Eight militants were killed and 59 weapons were recovered. There was no fatality on our side but six brave soldiers were injured during the operation," he said.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, February 22, 2014, 20:56
