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Appointments controversy a passing issue: Sareen

Outgoing Chief of Air Staff S K Sareen described as a ''passing phase'' the current controversies surrounding some senior-level appointments in the services.

Air Chief Marshal Sareen was speaking to the media informally at the South Block in New Delhi after the farewell function for him. Sareen is also the chairman of the Chiefs Of Staff Committee.

"At the end of it all we will emerge stronger and the services will bounce back with much more vigour," the air chief said in response to a spate of queries in the wake of the controversy surrounding the appointment of some senior officers.

Navy chief and COSC-designate Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat refused to comment on the controversy surrounding Vice Admiral Harinder Singh, saying it was not the appropriate occasion for such a discussion. The naval chief also mentioned a proposal submitted in October for an integrated ministry of defence.

Earlier, at the function, Sareen formally handed over the baton to Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat.

Army chief V P Malik and a large number of senior defence officers attended the function.

Meanwhile, in a media statement, the defence ministry denied media reports hinting at interference and a rift with services headquarters as being untrue.

UNI

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