Owaisi, Digvijaya slam Army Chief over anti-CAA protests

New Delhi: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Thursday criticised Army chief General Bipin Rawat for his comment that leadership does not instigate people for violence and mislead them to "inappropriate direction".

Owaisi, while addressing the media, said, "Everyone has the right to protest. Even Prime Minister claims that he protested during emergency. If there is violence during the protest, there is police to control it. Why is army interfering in civilian matter?"

Owaisi also said, "He is undermining Modi government by making such comments."

Earlier in the day Owaisi commented on the micro-blogging site also. He had tweeted, "Leadership is knowing the limits of one's office. It is about understanding the idea of civilian supremacy & preserving the integrity of the institution that you head."

Army Chief General Rawat's comments on the anti-CAA protests also came in for sharp criticism from Congress Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh.

Tweeting his response to the Army Chief's comments, Singh said: "I agree General Saheb but also leaders are not those who allow their followers to indulge in Genocide of Communal Violence. Do you agree with me General Saheb?"

General Rawat, at an event on Thursday, said that the leadership is all about leading.

"Leaders are not those who lead people in inappropriate directions, as we are witnessing in a large number of universities and college students...the way they are leading masses of crowds to carry out arson and violence in our cities and towns. This is not leadership," he said.