Reports on movement of Army units towards Delhi alarmist, says India PM

New Delhi, Apr 4 (PTI) Terming as "alarmist" a media report that the Army moved two units towards Delhi in January without informing the Indian government, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said such reports "should not be taken at face value". "These are alarmist reports. They should not be taken at face value," Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a function to give away the country's civilian Padma awards at the President's House here. Singh was asked to comment on a media report that the central intelligence agencies reported that on the night of January 16, an unexpected - and non-notified - movement by a key military unit from the mechanised infantry based in Hisar in Haryana state in the direction of the capital. The reports said that another unit - identified as a large element of the 50th Para Brigade based at Agra - was also moving towards Delhi. The Prime Minister said that the Ministry of Defence had already issued a clarification in this regard. According to the report, the Army had said that the exercise was to check effectiveness in fog. Meanwhile in Visakhapatnam on the southeast Indian coast, Defence Minister A K Antony termed the media report as "absolutely baseless". "Army has already explained this. It is usual, natural activities. Nothing unusual. We are absolutely confident of the patriotism of the armed forces. Don't question their patriotism. They will not do anything to undermine Indian democracy," he told a press conference on Wednesday held in connection with the induction of a nuclear submarine into the Indian Navy. PTI