In a first, PIB Defence wing publicises ‘secular’ wedding of Lt Governor’s son

The press release, with the title ” A profile austere wedding Vs Army fraternity” had been issued on the official mail of the PRO bearing the letterhead of the Press Information Bureau, Government of India. The statement goes on to give details of the “secular” traditions of the Lt Governor’s family in that his son, who is a Hindu, got married in Sikh traditions at a local Gurdwara.

[related-post]

The release also states that the Lt Governor is a former Cavalry officer of the Army and that a number of serving and retired officers of the Army attended the wedding to show camaraderie.
When contacted and asked the reason behind using official means to disseminate information about a private function, the Defence PRO, Parvesh Sharma, said that he had received instructions from the Headquarters ofWestern Command to release the statement.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Brig Hitesh Kohli, BGS (IW) of Western Command, said that the press release may have been issued because the Lt Governor was a former Army officer an had retired as an Army Commander. “We should look at the positive side of it,” said Brig Kohli adding that he was currently on leave.

However, just an hour after the contents of the press release made it to Twitter and drew adverse comments, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, Sitanshu Kar took notice of it and tweeted that the PRO Chandigarh had been asked to withdraw the “avoidable” press release. Shortly thereafter, the PRO sent another statement withdrawing the release and claiming that it had been “mistakenly malied”.

READ FULL RELEASE HERE: