The Bharatiya Janata Party MP and Board Of Control For Cricket In India president Anurag Thakur was today commissioned into the territorial army as a lieutenant by Army Staff General Dalbir Singh Suhag.
Like most politicians, he is usually dressed in a kurta pajama in Parliament. However, this morning he caught his colleagues by surprise by turning up in army fatigues.
Thakur is attached to the Sikh regiment and will undergo a month-long rigorous training with the regiment in between the parliamentary sessions and his duties as the BCCI chief.
With this, Thakur has become the first serving BJP Member of Parliament to join the military force.
After the ceremony, Thakur said his grandfather served in the Army and it was his childhood dream to serve India in uniform.
“I will continue to serve the people by being their voice in Parliament and serve my country as a Lieutenant in the Territorial Army,” said Thakur.
The Territorial Army, the second line of defence after the regular army, is composed of volunteers who receive military training for about a month in a year so that in case of an emergency they can be mobilised for the defence of the country.
The Territorial Army is not a profession, occupation or a source of employment. It is only meant for people who are already in mainstay civilian professions. In fact, gainful employment or self-employment in a civil profession is a pre-requisite for joining the Territorial Army.
PTI inputs
