Tattoo inking Modi, Chouhan costs youth Army job

Tikamgarh (MP), Aug 28 (PTI) Over-enthusiasm by a youth toshow his admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi andMadhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, dashedhis hopes of joining the Army. The class X pass youth, Sourabh Bilgaiyan (22), ofJeron village in the district, wanted to serve as a soldier inthe armed forces. However, a tattoo on his chest reading: "Jab tak surajchaand rahega, Shivraj Mama aur Narendra Modi ka naam rahega"(Chouhan and Modi’s name will remain till sun and moon arevisible), has now shattered his dream of getting into themilitary service. "Though I have no interest in politics, I am a fan ofChouhan and Modi and got this slogan imprinted on my chest asa mark of respect for the two leaders during the 2013elections," Sourabh said. "However, when I went to Maharashtra’s Vimannagar in2014 to appear in a recruitment rally for Army and afterappearing in the written examination when I removed my shirtfor physical and medical examination, the recruiters declaredme unfit for the force because of this slogan," he claimed. The youth also claimed that he was treated in asimilar manner in the Army recruitment rallies held in Guna,Anooppur and Shivpuri. This has led the youth in a piquant situation as heneither wants to remove the tattoo that he got done on hischest in the honour of Modi and Chouhan, nor does he want togive up his dream of serving the military. Meanwhile, retired Colonel V K Saini, who also earlierserved as recruitment director, told PTI, "We do not permitany tattoo on the person, on the ground that it will disclosethe person’s identity and religion to enemy in thebattlefield. We are not supposed to reveal it at any cost inoperational areas." "Secondly, when a man wears a uniform then all shouldlook alike, especially when they go to fight an enemy," heclarified. A senior retired Army officer A S Tomar also said,"There is a rule in the Army that any person applying for anypost should not sport any slogan about any particular person,specially about political persons." PTI CORR MAS GKCHTJMF