New Delhi, Jan. 13: Army chief Gen. Bipin Rawat today said he would probe charges that there was a "malicious campaign" against the Eastern Army Commander, Lt Gen. Praveen Bakshi, who he superseded to be made the general.

The government today asked Bakshi to rejoin his duties as the Eastern Army Commander headquartered in Fort William, Calcutta. Bakshi was on leave and it had resulted in command turbulence after Rawat was chosen by the government for the top job.

Bakshi was in line to be the chief had the government gone by the seniority principle. He said in a speech to his command on December 31 that there "were men in shadows" who conducted a "malicious campaign" to stop him from heading the army. Bakshi has been on leave since Rawat took over.

Rawat, who has addressing a media conference - an annual event in the run-up to Army Day (January 15) - said if Bakshi came to him with a complaint, "I am sure the government would look into it".

Rawat said "we (Bakshi and I) have reached out to each other" and that "he has very kindly consented to attend" a unified commanders' conference scheduled for January 21.

The government chose Rawat to head the army superseding two commanders. Lt Gen. P.M. Hariz, who heads the Southern Command, met the chief earlier this week in New Delhi.

In the last such instance of supersession - in 1983 - when Indira Gandhi chose Gen Arun Vaidya over then vice-chief Lt Gen. S. K.Sinha, Sinha resigned.

The army now has a piquant situation in its command chain. Bakshi is still in service but, surprisingly for an army commander overseeing an operational area of responsibility with multiple international boundaries, is on long leave.

His continuance in service can be embarrassing for the chief. In typical fauji culture, the army will watch who salutes whom when Rawat visits the eastern command or when they come face to face in any other theatre.

Bakshi is due to retire in July this year. Rawat's term runs till December 2019.

At the media conference today, Rawat emphasised that soldiers may write to him directly for redress of grievances. He said that beginning with the Army Headquarters, he would have suggestion boxes across commands and units. Soldiers may drop their letters in this boxes and their anonymity would be protected, Rawat said.

He said "suggestion boxes and not social media" should be the way to communicate. Rawat was speaking after a BSF soldier posted a video on social media earlier this week complaining of poor conditions and food.