NEW DELHI: Two days after a jawan posted a video critical of the Army on social media, Army general Bipin Rawat said if army personnel don't use "proper, specified channels" to air their grievances they will be liable to be punished.

"Proper channels are in place for jawans to put across their grievances...if they aren't satisfied with action taken, they can contact me directly," General Rawat during an address on Army Day today.

Warning soldiers against using social media to voice their complaints, General Rawat said, "You will be found guilty for any action you take outside these channels and will also be liable for punishment."

Army chief said the use of social media to highlight an issue could have deleterious effect on "brave soldiers guarding India's borders."

General Rawat first talked about the grievances issue on Friday, after a jawan, Lance Naik Yagya Pratap Singh, posted a video on social media criticising the use of soldiers as 'sahayaks' or 'buddy'.

The Army says officers get 'sahayaks' for upkeep of their uniforms and weapons, as well as to act as their radio operators and "buddies" during combat operations. But parliamentary committees and other critics have slammed the 'sahayak' system as a vestige of the colonial era. They say officers blatantly misuse their 'sahayaks', getting them to do household work, walk the dogs and take kids to school.

The Army, on its part, has already asked the government to examine whether "non-combatants" should replace soldiers as 'sahayaks' in peace-time locations, while pressing for the system to continue in field and forward areas, said Gen Rawat late last week.

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