New army chief General M.M. Naravane on Saturday said armed forces deployed on the borders safeguard not just the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country but also secure for all the people the core values enshrined in the Preamble to the Constitution.

Addressing his first media conference in the capital, Gen. Naravane began his opening remarks with a reference to the Constitution, including the Preamble which is now being read repeatedly on the streets across the country by those protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Referring to his overall focus as chief of the army, Gen. Naravane said it will be “ABC” — “allegiance, belief and consolidation”. He noted that protecting the core values of the Constitution would remain the driving force of his personnel.

“The army swears allegiance to the Constitution of India. In fact, be it a jawan or an officer, we take an oath,” he said, reading out the operative lines from the oath of office in Hindi. “This is what should guide us in all our actions and at all times.”

“What this translates into is also the core values which are enshrined in the Preamble to the Constitution. That is justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. That is what we are fighting for. When we are deployed on the borders safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity, it is to secure for our people these core values. That is what we and I would like to say that we need to keep in mind at all times,” the general said.

Later, responding to a question on whether he agrees with his predecessor and current chief of defence staff Bipin Rawat’s statement on student protests against the CAA, Naravane said: “We respect the fundamental rights of the citizens. If we remember this, then we will not go wrong in the discharge of our duties. We are an army of the people and for the people, and whatever we do, we will be for them.”

Shortly before he stepped down as army chief, Rawat had said: “As we are witnessing in large number of universities and colleges, students… the way they are leading masses and crowds to carry out arson and violence in cities and towns. This is not leadership.”

Naravane on PoK

Gen. Naravane has said his force can take control of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir if it gets orders from political authority.

He said the army would remain very vigilant at the Siachen glacier as there was a possibility of collusion between China and Pakistan against India in the strategically sensitive area.

“As far as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is concerned, many years ago there was a parliamentary resolution on it… that the entire Jammu and Kashmir is part of India. If Parliament wants that area should also belong to us and if we get orders to that effect, then definitely we will take action on it,” the army chief said.