The army has decided to hit with police cases and pension freeze ex-servicemen who “spread false narratives” on social media that can “tarnish the force’s image” or sow disharmony within its ranks, military and defence ministry sources have said.

Local military commanders across the country have been instructed to closely monitor social media posts by ex-servicemen and file police cases, if necessary, a ministry official said.

“The additional director-general (discipline and vigilance) has already written to all seven army commands for necessary action,” an army official confirmed.

The development comes at a time many veterans, including retired generals, have through newspaper columns and social media posts been highlighting the government’s weaknesses in handling the Chinese incursions in Ladakh.

Several veterans have underlined incidents such as soldiers forcing villagers at a Kashmir mosque to chant “Jai Shri Ram”, expressing fear that the armed forces’ secular and apolitical ethos is in danger from neo-nationalists and religious fundamentalists within its ranks.

An army official said the force’s top brass had in the recent past noted several instances of ex-servicemen tarnishing the force’s image by spreading false narratives and propaganda through social media.

“Some social media posts along with videos were found to be inciting and converging public opinion on matters related to service life, service conditions and service privileges,” the official said.

He said these posts and videos were “defamatory” and many of them targeted the officer cadre, in particular.

He did not cite specifics, but many veterans have flagged the flaws of theAgniveer scheme of short-term military recruitment, underscored regimental nepotism in promotions, and highlighted the denial of leave to jawans.

“Such malicious propaganda through social media is bound to create a rift between officers and the men, and sow mistrust and disharmony among the rank and file,” a defence ministry official said.

“The army has taken strong note of such social media posts.”