Indian Army: Another Hero Under Attack

And I believe we need heroes, I believe we need certain people who we can measure our own shortcomings by - Richard Attenborough


To have no heroes is to have no aspiration, to live on the momentum of the past, to be thrown back upon routine, sensuality, and the narrow self - Charles Horton Cooley


In modern day India, there are very few heroes. I am talking about real heroes not the kind who scores runs. In a country where the politicians have the credibility lower than drug dealers and pedophiles, where our protectors in Police are often more corrupt that the ones they chase, where education has become a business and a lot of teachers are just traders selling their wares, where most walks of life reek of dishonesty and despair, we only had our army to look up to. I remember the bravery of our boys during the Kargil war. I have read stories and written on this blog about battles and wars won by these true sons of Mother India. Unfortunately for the Army and for us, they have to report to Netas and deal with babus. That happens in all democracies and there should be and are ways to maintain the balance where the army serves the nation and in turn, the nation takes care of them.

However, one look at the recent headlines tell a story which is depressing at many levels. One on hand one expects the pseudo secular establishment to continue the demonization of Hindu heroes. Bhai Narendra Modi is cannot catch a break despite of being given a clean chit for the umpteenth time. Netas and Babus connected with the establishment continue their tirade against the anti corruption campaigners in the Anna camp. It now seems that improper photo-shopped pictures of Baba Ramdev are doing rounds on the social media sites. All this is expected as they are deemed as threat to the politicians. However the reports where the entire establishment has declared an open season on the last of our heroes, our Army. We have seen that there are corrupt people in the army. It shouldn’t surprise anyone. However the rest of it seems to be a battle of turf between the Army, netas and babus.


Gen VK Singh got into a mess about his age and that spilled over into the other areas he was trying to fix. We all know how deeply rotten is our army procurement system. Gen. Singh’s suggestion of introducing active and retired military officers as part of the defence secretary’s team when decisions are made on arms purchases. If implemented, this would have seriously curtailed the power of the IAS officers. Needless to say the blow back from the babu lobby has be vicious. A report at rediff says the following:

Government sources claim a group consisting of retired diplomats and civil servants have opposed the inclusion of army officers in the MoD.
Rahul Bedi, the well-known defence expert and correspondent for Jane's Defence Weekly, says, "Since the last 20, 30 years experts have given advice to the government to induct uniformed men in the MoD. It's frightening to see delays in taking such decisions. The way this situation can escalate is very frightening. I am not saying that there is going to be a military takeover, but the morale of the soldiers is likely to be adversely affected."
"As it is," he added, "the Indian soldier looks upon the babus (civilian bureaucrats) and politicians as chors, and this is not going to change. This (the opposition to induct military officers at the MoD) is only going to reinforce his belief and his dislike of the MoD and the babus of the MoD and the political class."
When officers of India's armed forces sit along with the babus, Bedi says a certain responsibility and accountability will be imposed upon this newly formed establishment to make change come about.

Then there was the leaked report about how our military is extremely low on crucial supplies. Anyone could have leaked this report. Netas and babus would leak it to make the army look bad. The army would leak it to force the issue and hope that under the pressure of public opinion, the defence ministry would do the right thing. Meanwhile, our enemies are probably licking their chops. I hope that the right thing is being done right now without and heavy-handedness.
Of course the cherry on the parfait was the report in Indian Express, which implied that a coup by the army might have been in progress when two small army units were mobilized without informing the GoI. By use of simple logic, a coup has been ruled out. The GoI and the army chief have joined hands and declared the whole even as a routine mission. A report by Sudha Ramachandran says the following:

Many have responded angrily to the Indian Express report, describing it as an insult, even a slur that does a "great disservice" to the armed forces. Indeed, the Indian army has a fine reputation of being apolitical and professional. India, unlike most other post-colonial states has never had a military coup nor has a coup been attempted.
But did something less than a coup happen on the night of January 16? Were units moved just to spook the government, rather than overthrow it? Was Singh flexing his muscles to scare his political bosses?

It does not matter who did what and for what reasons. What is of paramount importance is that a much-admired nay revered institution stands slighted. The aam aadmi must feel like a boy who discovers that Superman is not real. Loss of heroes hurts badly. In their war for turfs netas, babus and the corrupt soldiers (a few that we have) they have ignored the safety of the nation and feelings of the entire population which already has very few things to look forward to and fewer people to look up to.

The rediff report can be read at: http://www.rediff.com/news/special/babus-now-oppose-general-singhs-vision-for-mod/20120405.htm

The Sudha Ramachandran report can be read at: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/ND11Df03.html

Our own post on the topic can be read at: http://thenethindu.blogspot.com/2010/06/is-indian-army-being-deliberately.html