Raising a Formidable Force
BY
RN RADHAKRISHNAN
The Gloomy Scenario
Many of the veterans of the three services feel that a great injustice has been and is being done to the soldiers of all ranks, serving as well as those since have been retired prematurely. Notwithstanding, it is true that recruitment at the level of soldiers is not posing any problem; but the picture at the Commissioned Officers’ level is pathetic. To serve the nation as a Commissioned Officer is no more alluring. Shortage of officers in the three services is of alarming proportion, alarming to the Chiefs; not so to the Government. What is baffling is the perception of the seriousness of the issue at the level of the Service Chiefs, the Ministers, the Bureaucrats that matter in decision making and, above all, the President of India, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. It seems that there is a consensus among these authorities that the discontentment in the veterans and the deficiency of the Commissioned Officers’ level are not factors that affect the nation’s future. The nation’s sovereignty is in no way under threat and hence the march to super power status is not likely to be hindered in any way, they perhaps feel.
Over the years, all are hell bent to belittle the soldiers, deprive them of the privileges they have been enjoying, lower their status in the society and underestimate their contribution in ensuring that the sovereignty of the nation is never threatened. Their contribution in bailing out the states, whenever some natural calamity or breakdown of Law and Order occurs due to the inept handling by the inefficient administration, is taken for granted and, the failure on the part of those responsible is condoned. The recent vociferous voicing of the concern of the neglect of the services, by many that foresee the inevitable decline of the security and thereby, the threat to the sovereignty, have fallen on deaf ears. The decision of the Government in implementing the 6th PC recommendations seems to be in conformity with the ongoing policy to cut the services down to insignificance.
It is obvious that the perception at the Government level is that the sovereignty of the nation is not dependent on the Armed Forces. Any disturbance due to acts of violence of any nature or interference of neighbor countries is not likely to undermine the sovereignty of the nation and can be dealt with by political diplomacy, seems to be their appreciation. The sacrifice, loyalty, integrity, the grit and duty consciousness of the soldiers are taken for granted and are of not much significance.
The media and the public wait for some sensational situation such as the one that occurred in Kargil, to have fun viewing TV shows in their living room. They show their concern and support through very short living adoration of the soldiers who provided the entertainment at the cost of their lives and grave concern to their families. The intelligentsia is mighty pleased with its prowess in composing lucid papers highlighting the blunder of the government to tackle the situation and the courage of the Armed Forces. That is the end of it. Notwithstanding the blunders of the politicians, all believe in the resilience of ‘Bharat Mahan’ to get over all adversities. The soldiers’ cry that the sovereignty of the nation is steadily being compromised is, therefore, believed to be false and motivated by a hidden agenda of self-promotion.
Let us now review the attitude towards the Armed Forces and the civil administration. The soldiers and their families know of the severity of the conditions to which they are exposed; quite natural. The severity of pain has to be experienced and cannot be explained. Thus, for the decision makers, the media and the people, the pain of the soldier and their families, when spoken of, is an exaggeration, at its best and possibly false, at its worst. Quite visible to them are the distorted pictures of the free rations, the so-called luxurious housing facility at substantially subsidized rate of rent in exclusive cantonments, the canteen facility, the officers’ mess and the living style of the officers and soldiers’ community, as compared to that of the civilian counterpart. The undeserving soldiers, they grudge, are very well taken care of at the cost of the poor nation – a legacy of the British who pampered their soldiers with selfish motive. Now that the Country has gained its independence, is it really necessary to pamper these soldiers any more in spite of their insignificant contribution to the Nation’s welfare and development, they ponder. Cut the services down to insignificance, is what ought to be done, is their conviction. Services are more in the nature of pain in the process of treating an illness that has to be unfortunately tolerated, they complain. Recall the recent flurry of presentations to the RRM, the Standing Parliamentary Committee and the President of Congress party a couple of days before Independence Day celebrations and the announcement by the PM regarding implementing the 6th PC recommendations, to get the cunningness of the rulers in dealing with us.
In their perverted way of analysis, all the other allied services, allied to the fighting arms namely the Office of the CAO at Delhi, DEO, MES, DRDO, The Ordnance Factories, Defence Accounts, the Department of Defence Suppliers are all doing wonderful job by ensuring that the wasteful expenditure by the Defence Personnel is minimized, thus playing a positive role in building the Nation. Hence, what is required for the progress of the nation, they have concluded beyond an iota of doubt, is to ensure that all civilians, no matter which service they belong to, have to be taken care of and at the cost of the villains, the Armed Forces.
The attitude of the serving soldiers almost at all levels is typical and the veterans also had the same attitude, while in active service. They are quite content with what their seniors got for them from each of pay commissions. Conditioned with the sense of pride in serving one’s nation, with the sense of contentment with what one gets from the nation that is struggling under severe economic constraints and with lack of awareness of the manipulative civilian counter parts who unashamedly feather their nests through the powerful tool of Associations for Collective Bargain and other corrupt practices, they, the serving soldiers, are indeed very happy. Lucky is our Country to get such men to guard it from the enemy. They are brainwashed to believe that to form associations for collective bargaining is sacrilegious. If IAS and IPS can form associations, I wonder how associations in Armed Forces may become a threat to the security of the nation. Every soldier while joining the service voluntarily foregoes a few and important fundamental rights. No soldier with his sense of utmost loyalty will dream of ever going on strike, if at all that is the fear harbored by the government. Even if that fear lingers, all one has to do is to withdraw the right to strike for the soldiers and gracefully permit them the forum for discussing their woes and the possible remedies.
The Shift in the Mindset – The need of the Hour
This is the gloomy scenario in which we the veterans are intending to raise our voice. This is the paradigm in which we hope that better sense can prevail in the Government. This is the paradigm in which we are hoping that the media and the public to extend a helping hand of support to the services. Isn’t it obvious that we are barking the wrong tree? Is it possible for us to achieve any of these without a distinct shift in the mindset of the government and correct perception of the bond between the Sovereignty of the nation and Services?
There is consensus among all of us that it is time we the veterans take matters in our hand to put some sense in the heads of the ministers and the bureaucrats. But the answer to the question ‘how do we go about it’ varies based on the varied individual observations of what is going on around in our country.
· Shall we agitate in the manner of most of the political and non-government organizations, or
· Can we launch a political party of our own or
· Perhaps better that we consolidate our right to franchise into a distinct and influential vote bank
are a few of the thoughts that emerged quite emphatic. Unvoiced publicly and still made audible was a suggestion that we must form into an NGO for the Sovereignty of the Nation with members exclusively from the Services Veterans.
IESL, an organisation of good standing and great strength, has voiced its concern on the confrontational approach and recommended to stick to the ‘lakshman rekha’ of decorum of the Armed Forces for maintaining our dignity at all cost. The route they suggest is to prevail upon the patrons of the League to view the seriousness of the issues from the correct perspective. IESL believes that we will achieve substantial results by adopting representation through proper channel.
I am sure that you are saying now ‘Enough! We know it all, say something on what is needed to be done’. I am not, by any stretch of imagination, capable of moving a single person let alone the mass, as whole, the way Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela did. Without sounding arrogant let me put it in all humility, I do not see any one among us as yet, who is so capable. What I want to convey is that whatever we ought to do must have the unfailing support of the maximum, if not the whole, of veterans and the serving soldiers as well. And that support emerges only when the approach chosen is in deliberation with all of them. Each one of us has the right to propose an approach and argue with facts and figures in favor of that approach. But, ultimately the majority – the majority in real sense and not by a thin margin – has to accept the approach. Thus it is the strength behind a movement and soundness of the approach that shall ensure the desired result.
The Suggestion
I repeat what I have been harping on. We have to consolidate ourselves. United we represent. There are many associations all over our country. A few, some remark, are with double digit membership. If these associations are functioning for some noble purpose they have in view, let us compliment them and wish them well. We shall appeal to each one of them to unite for a common cause that has to be addressed by the government at the apex level. We convince them that we are not in any way likely to interfere with their independence or their pursuit. We shall be facilitators to represent to the highest level of the government on behalf of the whole lot of us the Services, is what we shall pledge to them. Let us remind to ourselves that it is not our dexterity – I mean the dexterity of the few of us who lead the representation – which will finally win over the authority. It is the strength of the people who stand in support of us and stand united as a force to reckon with. It all boils down to the following steps.
· Form a study team comprising members from each of the major leagues and associations,
o with the task to study the possibility and methodology of amalgamating under one banner and.
o If not possible, to evaluate creation of a Confederation of All Associations and Leagues solely for the purpose of taking up representation of common issues.
· Conduct a seminar to analyze our common problems and find ways and means to solve those problems.
· Finally get set and march on to the target.
The Conclusion
I, for one, am engaged in consolidating the various associations and leagues in the state of Tamilnadu, under the banner of IESL. I intend to interact with the Apex Body of the august IESL in understanding its role and functions and to insist on more transparency in its functions. I am convinced that if all of us become members of IESL and actively participate in their venture which is the common good of the veterans, we will achieve what we are aiming at. I have no doubt that IESL will have no hesitation to march under the banner of the Confederation if formed, and with due representation of all major associations and leagues at the Apex level of the Confederation.
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