The wall decor of the lounge at the Army Chief’s office at South Block here has undergone a change. A painting that had “sharply divided opinion” has been removed from the venue where the Army Chief receives and meets visiting dignitaries.The much-debated painting had been put up in December 2024 replacing another famous painting depicting the Pakistan Army’s surrender at Dhaka in 1971.Yesterday, the Eastern Command posted a video message of the Army Chief, Gen Dhiraj Seth, wishing success for the Durand Cup football tournament, to be hosted from July 25.The Eastern Command is hosting the 135th edition of the tournament this year. General Seth had taken over as Army Chief on June 30.In the video message shot in the lounge of his office, the General is seen sitting against a wood-panelled background which has the Army’s insignia at the same spot where the now-removed painting existed.The painting that has been removed had been put up in December 2024. It depicted tanks along the Pangong Tso near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. It also showed Lord Krishna riding a chariot with Chanakya pointing towards the LAC and armed helicopters flying overhead. It combined civilisational history and modernity of equipment, besides depicting the military stance at the LAC.At that time, several veterans had questioned the need for removing the painting depicting the surrender of the Pakistan Army — easily the finest hour in the annals of Indian military history.The painting depicts Pakistan’s Lt Gen AAK Niazi signing the documents following the surrender of its army at Dhaka in 1971.Within days of the controversy, the then Army Chief, Gen Upendra Dwivedi, had hosted an event to relocate the painting to the Manekshaw Centre at the Delhi Cantonment, named after the architect and hero of the 1971 war, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.The Manekshaw Centre, located on the Delhi-Gurugram road, is a glass façade building were all important events are hosted by the three services.The argument behind relocating the painting to the Manekshaw Centre was to allow a larger global and domestic audience to see it, as the Army Chief’s lounge at South Block does not have that kind of footfall.Paintings at the Army Chief’s office keep changing. A former Northern Army Commander, Lt Gen HS Panag (retd), today welcomed the change. He posted on X, “Hail the Chief! The Indian Army emblem now forms the backdrop. Hope it is the first step towards bringing back the iconic ‘1971 surrender’ painting!”