'Want him to sacrifice life, but...': Ex-officer backs Army captain amid row over proposal

A retired lieutenant general has come out in support of a newly commissioned Army pilot whose proposal to his partner at a passing-out parade ceremony has drawn mixed reactions. The proposal, which happened at the Combat Army Aviation Training School near Nashik in Maharashtra, has sparked a debate over whether it broke protocol. The retired officer has slammed negative comments, calling them "petty criticism" over a "pure gesture of love" and asserting that military equipment has been on display during various exhibitions.