New Delhi, Jan 18 (IANS): With army chief Gen. V.K. Singh set for a showdown with the government over his age, Defence Minister A.K. Antony is under attack from opposition leaders and even some in the Congress.
Former defence minister and BJP leader Jaswant Singh accused an "incompetent Antony" of treating the "sensitive issue in an insensitive manner".
"I am amazed at his (Antony's) incompetence and the sheer folly of treating such a sensitive matter in an insensitive manner," he said here.
On Wednesday, Jaswant Singh told IANS: "I stand by my opinion. The mishandling continues.
"Could the defence minister or the prime minister not stopped or asked the army chief ... sort out this elementary matter of sorting government records?" Singh asked.
Samjwadi Party leader Mohan Singh said the "government should have taken it as an extraordinary issue and dealt with it with utmost sincereity and sensitivity".
On Wednesday, the government fielded Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju on the subject. Antony did not reply when journalists quizzed him about the matter Wednesday.
Some Congress leaders have told party president Sonia Gandhi that the issue should be handled carefully to avoid any repurcussions in the coming assembly elections.
Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, an ex-Indian Army captain, has openly supported Gen. Singh.
Several traditional critics of Antony in the party, from Kerala, have told Gandhi that Antony's "indecisiveness" should not now affect national-level politics.
"Antony often becomes adamant and a prisioner of his holier than thou image," said a party leader.
According to him, partymen normally refrained from criticising him as he was in Gandhi's good books.
"As Antony's actions are creating political problems, more leaders are now raising their voices inside the party," the leader added.
Outside the political arena also, criticism of Antony is on the rise.
"The minister (Antony) and the government have messed it up. The number of former army officers criticising the government on TV channels should embarass the government," former Border Security Force chief E.N. Rammohan told IANS.