India, June 5 -- Retired lieutenant general HS Panag has joined the brigade of supporters standing behind newly commissioned Army pilot Captain Bharat Bhardwaj, saying young officers should not be subjected to excessive scrutiny over personal moments, as a debate continues over the officer's viral proposal to his partner following a passing-out parade in Nashik.

Panag's intervention adds to a growing list of retired senior military officers who have defended Bhardwaj after videos of the proposal - filmed at the Combat Army Aviation Training School in Maharashtra on Tuesday - triggered a social media storm over questions of military protocol and security.

In a post on X, the former Army officer said he had encountered similar situations ...