MUSINGS OF A MAN IN UNIFORM

 Addition to our series of feedback from serving officers, here is an opinion from a man in uniform on the ongoing controversies that have pitted Army Chief General VK Singh in front of the civilian establishment.

 The last few days have been a roller coaster ride for all concerned. Wish to put across a few points to be pondered over :

1.  Why is everyone linking the last few days with the age row? So incomprehensible.....

2.  It is indeed sad to see majority of the media write-ups and anchoring fall short in their content and the grasp of the intricacies. There were embarrassing moments on TV particularly where the anchor/compere could not speak for some time resulting in utter silence which people thought was a technical glitch. Point for consideration, we need to specialise journos, maybe ask them to attend Select courses for a certain duration in Armed forces and not just invited to deliver lectures as guest speakers on media issues.

3.  The Chief of Army Staff will never leak out the letter as it will be in violation of the Official Secrets Act. I refuse to accept this charge. It is undoubtedly an attempt to smear him and malign him further. This is where the objectivity in discussions was missing. It is now dawning upon the media that the legality of leakage is more imp than the content. How could the media mandarins miss out on such a simple issue? Sheer lack of objective thinking....

4. The shortages are a known fact. Eg – It is a fact that shelf life of various categories of ammunition has on numerous occasions been found past its expiry date/past its shelf life OR found faulty (Eg Ordnance Factories) resulting in weapon damages or even accidents to individuals in certain cases. This results in segregation of a particular ammunition LOT, ie belonging to a batch in terms of date of manufacture etc. Once it is done, till the Ordnance Factories declare it safe, that ammunition cannot be used. Such quantities amount to thousands of rounds. This happens on extremely regular basis in terms of Armour/Artillery/Air Defence/Infantry ammunition. Such reports are forwarded thru regular channels in a proper official manner which ultimately land on the MoD desk. Where does it go from there??? Decisions are sought by the Army but without results. The contents of the letter have been debated previously. So what is it so great now? 

The corollary to this is that briefings attended by the RM + MoD officials FROM TIME TO TIME. Such aspects are debated and the hierarchy apprised of it in no uncertain terms. No parliamentarian or member of the Defence Standing Committee can deny this aspect. AND IF ANYONE DOES; IT REFLECTS THEIR LACK OF INTEREST IN DISCHARGE OF DUTIES. IT ALSO SHOWS THAT THE RM IS NOT KEEPING THEM AND THE HOUSES INFORMED. Isnt the parliament meant for this? Or is it meant only for 2G or Roll back on rail fares or petrol prices...........?????? Why is it that everyone is talking about it as something which should have been told earlier (including certain elements of media) and trying to juxtapose it with the age row???? How illogical and silly...

5.  Heard a lot about the issue of army returning its capital funds unused... people who talk about it show complete lack of procedural aspects. If projects are NOT CLEARED BY THE MoD within the financial year, the money has to be surrendered. That is what happens and most of the time.

6. The timing of these revelations - granting that there may be a devious angle to that, why are we harping on that and not the fact that here's someone who has blown it wide open instead of marking his time and going away. Leave the personality involved, allow the malaise that exists be reflected upon and acted upon. Let there be a whole scale purge of elements who try to subvert the system to their own gains. This is the ideal time to divert the Alpheus and Peneus so that the Augean Stable are cleansed thoroughly.

7.  It is high time we delve into the realms of higher def management. There is a need to amalgamate the Armed forces in the goverment machinery and the decision making process as is done by the other armies of the world. Let us not live in the Nehruvian era and we are certainly not Pakistan Army.

8. Lastly, the Army of any country is the direct reflection on its society and the societal influences. The nation is as responsible to the army as much as the army is to the nation. The citizenry of this country cannot absolve itself as is its wont. History is replete with examples, wherein ignorance of its armed forces has lead to the downfall of a nation's integrity and honour. Civilisations have fallen on account of such ignorance. The pen might be mighty but the pen needs the secure surroundings and in our country in particular it is provided by the man in uniform. India is a classic eg where the integrity of the nation is maintained by the Armed forces and sorry to say, not its citizens. Left to themselves, the citizens will Balkanise the nation.

It is worth remembering - "THE BOUNDARIES OF A CIVILISATION ARE BOUNDED BY THE GRAVE OF ITS SOLDIERS.