Land scam: Protect Army Image

Shankar Roychowdhury
Jan 12, 2010, The Asian Age
The Indian Army has been under sustained battering in the media around a running series of incidents and allegations regarding senior and middle-level officers involved in various acts of alleged impropriety. The latest is that of three of its very senior officers in an issue pertaining to security clearance for commercial utilisation of non-military land in the vicinity of a formation headquarters in north Bengal. Whatever be the truth of the matter (and there most assuredly has to be another side to the story, too), seeing their proud and beloved institution under siege has been mortifying for veterans watching from the sidelines, and undoubtedly for their serving brethren as well.

The general reaction to the whole mess is anger, dismay and exasperation at the activities of a handful of individuals who have smeared the otherwise highly positive public image of the Army, painfully built and maintained by the achievements and sacrifices of successive generations of soldiers and commanders.

The perplexing aspect of the latest incident is — what on earth possessed these undoubtedly distinguished officers with unblemished records to become involved with a class of commercial entrepreneurs with whom they obviously have nothing in common? If reports of their supposed involvement are eventually found to be even partially correct, it would signify an abrupt and startling reversal of character which would indeed be incomprehensible. The truth lies somewhere out there and will perhaps emerge over time.
Read the full article from Asian Age
Protect Army image: Asian Age