Political apathy is breaking down the great Indian tradition of soldiering, writes Lieutenant General Vijay Oberoi. 23 September 2008: While civilian employees of the Central government would be counting their fatter pay packets by the end of the month, the Indian military would have no such luck. Their revised emoluments are still awaiting resolution. The reason is not monetary but something more dear to the defence forces: honour and izzat. What do they mean?
Essentially, the defence forces are trying to impress on the political leadership the urgent need to restore to the military its previous exalted status, failing which national security may be jeopardized. The huge shortage of officers, which continues to increase, will get progressively worse, resulting in sub-standard military leadership. And the only national instrument that has always delivered and that has the confidence of polity will gradually weaken and become ineffective.
The early military leaders of independent India like Cariappa and Thimayya, to name only two, had left behind a legacy of nationalism, personal and professional values, and an apolitical approach. "Soldiering" was their sole message. This was nurtured by subsequent military leaders and it became a way of life in the armed forces. Military veterans, too, carried this ethos to their retired lives. This is now on the verge of breaking down, unless urgent action is taken.
This "soldiering" culture was cultivated in an environment where the political leadership was highly suspicious of the military. It is regrettable that this perception has not changed even after six decades of the military always acting in national interest. This perception is in large measure exacerbated by the bureaucracy to meet its selfish ends.
The civilian bureaucracy's self-promoting activities have included framing rules of business of government in a manner that without its advice, nay consent, even elected representatives cannot pursue policies of good governance. Eventually, the political leadership joined the self-aggrandizing bureaucracy. One consequence of this was the infamous Licence-Permit-Quota Raj which institutionalized political corruption. The so-called "Hindu rate of growth" followed, till visionary leaders and economists forced the bureaucracy to open up a decade ago.
During India's economic rise, it is the Indian military that secured peace in the country. But while occasional leaders, entrepreneurs and farmers are commended for national contribution, the military has every time been studiously ignored and marginalized. Let me illustrate this with but four unrelated examples.
First, the military has been steadily downgraded both in status and in being kept out of the policy-formulating loop. Second, deliberately no CDS has been appointed for the last seven years because it would undermine the position of the defence secretary. Third, the celebration of India's biggest victory of 1971 has become a political football, depending on the regime in power. Early this year, angst in the military peaked on account of the callous treatment of the departed 1971 war hero, the formidable Sam Bahadur. Finally, an extremely high bravery award was conferred on a bureaucrat because he happened to be at the site of a bomb blast, thus belittling the award, and degrading exceptional courage.
But the military bore the many provocations, true to its ethos "that the country always came first", until recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay Commission exploded anger across the board, in all ranks and amongst both serving personnel and veterans. Military veterans have been unprecedentedly provoked to take their protests to the streets. More about it in my next piece, if there is still interest in your soldiers who continue to give their today for your tomorrow.
Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd)
Disillusioned military
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