Medals pose gallantry query 26/11 shower lifts eyebrows

The Telegraph: Medals pose gallantry query 26/11 shower lifts eyebrows by SUJAN DUTTA
New Delhi, Feb. 18: The Indian Army finds an “awkward” situation arising after the government this year conferred as many as 11 Ashok Chakras, the highest peacetime gallantry awards most of them to policemen who were killed.

Unable to articulate its dissent in public, the army has expressed its protest by posting on its website the criterion for conferring the medal which, it says, is not meant for members of the regular police services.

In reality, officers in Army Headquarters here say in private that they find the decision to award the Ashok Chakra to Hemant Karkare, Vijay Salaskar and Ashok Kamte of the Maharashtra police and Mohan Chand Sharma of Delhi police dubious because their actions do not fit the definition of “conspicuous gallantry beyond the call of duty”.

The four policemen died in the course of their duties, the first three in the terror attacks in Mumbai and Sharma in the encounter at Batla House in Delhi’s Jamia Nagar.

Former army officers are voicing dissent. “The Ashok Chakra has an aura and a dignity only because it is given rarely. It will lose that dignity if it is given away commonly. Second, these awards are for gallantry and not for dying.

“My condolences to the families and it is true that they have died in action but unfortunately I do not think they are deserving of gallantry,” says former deputy chief of army staff, Lieutenant General (retired) Raj Kadyan.

Kadyan says maybe the army is itself to blame because it recommended the Kirti Chakra, also a gallantry award a notch lower than the Ashok Chakra, to Brigadier R.D. Mehta, India’s defence attache who was blown up when a terrorist drove a bomb-laden truck into the embassy in Kabul.

“There is no gallantry in getting blown up,” he says. “By that token, every civilian in Sarojini Nagar who was killed in terrorist blasts or in CP (Connaught Place) ought to be given Ashok Chakras.”

There are also insinuations that political expediency shaped the decision on the Ashok Chakras for Sharma and Karkare. The BJP had demanded the medal for Sharma who led the raid against the alleged Indian Mujahideen suspects in Batla House where he took bullets and died hours later. Karkare, of Maharashtra police’s anti-terror squad, was leading the probe into the Malegaon blasts in which an army officer is an accused.

Since the Ashok Chakra — its wartime equivalent is the Param Vir Chakra awarded for gallantry in the face of the enemy — was instituted, only about 40 have been granted. The highest given in a single year was three in 2002 to security personnel involved in defending Parliament against the attack on December 13, 2001.

But on January 26 this year, 11 Ashok Chakras were given by the President, and the Republic Day parade was cut short to make time for the award-giving ceremony. The Ashok Chakra is the only gallantry award given on Republic Day.

Six of the 11 awardees were for security personnel in 26/11 — all posthumous: Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Havildar Gajendra Singh (from the NSG), and Karkare, Kamte, Salaskar and Tukaram Omble from the Mumbai police.

The other awardees were inspector Sharma, Havildar Bahadur Dohra, Colonel Jojan Thomas, Orissa Special Operations Group assistant commandant Pramod Satpathy and Meghalaya’s DSP Raymond P. Diengdoh.

Former Vice-Chief of Army Staff Lt General Vijay Oberoi, who lost a leg in the 1965 war with Pakistan, says in an article titled Death is humbling but not synonymous with bravery that “by all accounts, all four police officers were highly efficient, dedicated and exemplary officers. Their devotion to duty needs to be recognised and honoured, but this is not the way of doing so. There is a vast difference between gallantry awards and awards for distinguished service. A large number of military personnel, especially from the army, lay down their lives or lose limbs fighting terrorists in various parts of the country, nearly on a daily basis…. Yet most of them do not qualify for earning gallantry awards….

“Let me cite my own example. I lost my leg during the 1965 Indo-Pak War and became permanently disabled, but I did not get any award. Neither did I ever think that I should have been given one. The same is the case with the large number of soldiers and officers who are killed or disabled in wars or warlike situations. That is how it should be.”
Medals pose gallantry query 26/11 shower lifts eyebrows

Comment: The aura and halo of Ashok Chakra reduced to medal for dying sans bravery. The Military Medals are being freely distributed to those not in the Armed Forces! The Police too should come under the Army Act to be eligible for the awards?

Gallantry Awards - sans bravery

This years’ Republic Day awards have diluted and corrupted the system. We are being carried away by the media. I am confident that none of the defence personnel both serving and retired would approve dishing out these to policemen. We have forgotten the Defence Services Regulation.

How about the men of Border Roads Organisation who worked under the constant threat of Taliban and completed one of the most challenging tasks in Afghanistan? Every day soldiers are doing some of the most challenging tasks which a normal human being will never even think of attempting because of the risk involved. A patrol in mountains during a blizzard, demining, removal of blind bombs, clearance of landslides, rescue of flood marooned- the list goes on. The system has done great injustice to all those people who have displayed courage.

In Mumbai, a NSG commando to clear a terrorist enters the hotel room knowing fully well that he is going to be shot at. When he is faster than the terrorist and shoots him down, his courage as per the system is less than the one who gets shot in a similar situation. How can one compare? One fails to understand! The martyred gets the highest award and the courageous and fast commando will have to wait for the next opportunity to be martyred to receive such an award posthumously.

Lt Gen (Retd)KS Rao,PVSM,SC,SM
Arjuna Awardee
Controversy hits awards for 26/11 cops

Death is humbling but not synonymous with bravery

Date: Wednesday, 4 February, 2009, 5:22 PM
Dear All,
My article relating to the largesse in awarding Ashoka Chakras this year, titled "BRAVERY AND DEATH" is attached.

I had sent this article to the Indian Express on 26 Jan 09, but they did not publish it. I then sent it to the Hindustan Times last week and it has been published today (04 Feb 2009) in the Chandigarh Edition. Last para and a half of my piece has not been published. My original article is appended below.

The analyst I have quoted is Col Kharab, who had written a piece soon after the Mumbai Mahem.

Regards,
Vijay Oberoi

DEATH IS HUMBLING BUT NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH BRAVERY
By
Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi
An unprecedented eleven Ashoka Chakras were presented by the Rashtrapati on the 60th anniversary of the Republic. That the numbers are exceptionally high may not be an issue, as bravery of the most exceptional order cannot and must not be constrained by numbers. However, the highest peace-time award must only be bestowed for exceptional bravery and for no other reason. There is a question mark on whether the awards this year were given only to the exceptionally brave.

In writing this piece I am aware that I am touching a sensitive issue, especially as it is about the death of four highly regarded police officers. To that extent, I am guilty of being politically incorrect, but there are times when one has to speak one’s mind, however unpalatable it may be. This is one of those exceptional occasions. My aim in doing so is not to denigrate the sacrifices made by these officers but to caution the national leadership not to succumb to political expediency when considering such weighty issues as conferring of the highest bravery awards.

We Indians are highly emotional when it comes to death, but emotions have no place when it is a question of recognising valour. The highest recognition for exceptional bravery is the award of Ashoka Chakra in peace time and that of the Param Vir Chakra in the face of the enemy during war. These are the only two awards that are bestowed publicly at the Republic Day Parade and for good reason, so that the bravery of the awardees is fully appreciated by the entire nation. All other awards, for bravery as well as for distinguished service, are presented by the Rashtrapati on investiture parades held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

In accordance with the official website, Ashoka Chakra is awarded for most conspicuous bravery, or some act of daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice otherwise than in the face of the enemy. All ranks of the army, the navy and the air force, members of the nursing services of the armed forces or of any of the reserve forces, the territorial army, militia and of any other lawfully constituted forces are eligible to receive this medal. Civilian citizens of either sex in all walks of life, other than members of police forces and of recognised fire services are also eligible.

Soon after the terrorist attack in Mumbai, where a number of senior police officers had lost their lives within a few hours of the terrorist strike, an analyst had termed them “Innocent Casualties”. In amplification he had stated that these three officers, along with a few policemen had been surprised, waylaid and butchered without getting a chance to use their weapons. Perhaps their lack of training did not permit them to anticipate and react with operational swiftness. Their dear ones do deserve our deep sympathy and heartfelt condolences, as well as care and compassion, but do they meet the criteria of “the most conspicuous bravery”? The same applies to another police officer who was unfortunately killed in an earlier incident in Delhi.

By all accounts, all four police officers were highly efficient, dedicated and exemplary officers. Their devotion to duty needs to be recognised and honoured, but this is not the way of doing so. There is a vast difference between gallantry awards and awards for distinguished service. A large number of military personnel, especially from the army, lay down their lives or lose limbs fighting terrorists in various parts of the country, nearly on a daily basis. Their sacrifices are for the country. Yet most of them do not qualify for earning gallantry awards, even of a lesser category. Let me cite my own example. I lost my leg during the 1965 Indo-Pak War and became permanently disabled, but I did not get any award. Neither did I ever think that I should have been given one. The same is the case with the large number of soldiers and officers who are killed or disabled in wars or warlike situations. That is how it should be.

In the army, grant of gallantry awards is an elaborate process, where commanders at successive levels give their recommendations after evaluating all facts. Eventually, a committee presided over by the Vice Chief takes the final decision. During this process, the operational staff briefs the committee about all facets of the relevant operations. It is only when all members of the committee are fully satisfied that the award is approved. In the case of higher level of awards, the cases also need the Chief’s approval and later that of the Minister of Defence.

The trend of bestowing gallantry awards merely because officers had lost their lives in terror-related incidents goes back to the death of two senior officers in Afghanistan in a terrorist incident, who were awarded Kirti Chakras, the second highest gallantry award not in the face of the enemy. The two, one a brigadier from the army and the other an officer of the foreign service, lost their lives as they were driving in when an explosive device was exploded by terrorists at the embassy gate. Surely there was no bravery there. The government must take all actions to help the next of kin monetarily and for subsequent rehabilitation, but it must not be done by bestowing high level gallantry awards. Such hasty and irrational decisions taken by the Government devalue the awards, besides creating embarrassment.

My concern in this piece is that if we persist in this type of populous largesse, the sanctity and aura attached to these highest level gallantry awards that the nation bestows on the bravest of the brave would disappear. Surely, the nation does not want this, even if some political leaders desire it for extraneous reasons.

Do we need a common yardstick to evaluate valour for grant of gallantry awards?

“Honors and awards distinguish the mediocre. While the superior are embarrassed by them, the decoration itself gets devalued when awarded forlesser deeds”

Let the Figures Speak for Themselves
The Param Vir Chakra(PVC) and the Ashok Chakra (AC) are the highest gallantry medals awarded in India. The essential wording for both these decorations is the same; they are granted for “most conspicuous bravery or act of daring or pre-eminent valor or self- sacrifice...” The essential difference between these two supreme decorations is that while the PVC is granted for acts against the enemy the AC is for similar acts in the peace time. The investiture of both these medals is done on the Republic Day parade and the monetary compensation admissible is of the same order. It is learnt that till date about 40 brave hearts have received this medal, though we do not have a comprehensive list of their names or deeds on the Internet. The PVC awards are well documented, and only 21 soldiers have been awarded the highest decoration till date:

From 1947 to 61: Six (including one in Congo)

The 1962 Indo-China Conflict: Three

The 1965 Indo-Pakistan War: Two

The 1971 Indo-Pakistan war: Four

Clashes with Pakistan in Siachen and Kargil: Six

Statistically speaking, during the 61 years since our independence, exactly sixty one men have qualified for the highest honor, making it one per year. Now, if eleven persons receive it in 2009, there sure has been a significant departure from the norm!

Norms for Evaluating Courage and Valour
Those who have dealt with the Pay Commissions know about the systematic manner in which jobs are evaluated and functional relativities are established to assign pay scales to the different posts. No such exercise has been conducted for measuring or estimating bravery or courage. Perhaps it is not possible to do it either. But over the years, the military has evolved some kind of general norms for grant of medals and decorations which has found general acceptance. These decorations are granted to individuals, but it is well known that the award recognizes the action of the unit and the regiment to which the soldier belongs. Thus when some is granted a medal, the whole unit is proud of it, since no one fights the battle alone. The overall number is kept within limits to retain the sanctity of the award. Thus, if four PVCs were awarded in 1971, it roughly signifies the importance attached to that war. Notice that the above pattern reveals a balanced picture. Now, if we choose to give eleven ACs in a single year, it seems to convey the impression that during the last year the threat to our national integrity was three times more than what we faced in the 1971 war. Would any one buy that story?

The Tyranny of the Printed word and Television
The Mumbai episode got blown out of proportion because of two reasons: one that those two hotels entertain high profile guests and two, because of the media coverage it received. The general public was led to believe that something of great significance had happened. The ten odd irregulars were able to instill fear of a greater magnitude than the entire armed forces of our adversary! And then the politics took over. The results are there for every one to see. We have created an imbalance, the ripples of which will take quite some time to fade.

Disregarding the Courage of Valiant Survivors
There is one more serious imbalance in this list. All the eleven medals have been awarded posthumously. Was there not a single man who showed courage and survived to tell the tale? There seems to have been a definite bias towards the ‘martyrs’ while preparing the lists. It may be noticed, that of the 21 PVCs awarded so far six were granted to soldiers who were not killed in action. (One of the six survivors succumbed to frost bite in Chinese captivity) Similar is the case with the Victoria Crosses (VC) awarded by the British. More than one-third went to living soldiers. In fact three of them went on to win a second VC. It needs to be noted that it needs greater skill to survive in the midst of fire than to fall a victim to the fire. At the Academy they taught us, “A good soldier does not die for his country. He makes the enemy die for his!”

The Imperative Need to Evolve a Common Standard for Gallantry Awards
Courage can not be measured, weighed or counted. That much is certain. Awards are, and will forever remain the exclusive preserve of the personages who sit on the awards committees. But just as we have, as a nation, evolved grades for jobs and posts, and also created a ceremonial table of precedence for apex ranks, it is imperative that some standards be created for determining gallantry awards. I do not know whether military officers form part of the committee that determines the winners, but if they are not represented on the awards committees, there is a serious lacuna. Getting killed or wounded in an ‘operation’ can not be the sole determinant of valor or courage. It must not be allowed to become a dominant factor for granting the supreme gallantry awards. And if media coverage is allowed to sway the awards committees then the soldiers who perform similar feats under the following kinds of situations will remain unrewarded, for exactly similar acts of ‘conspicuous’ bravery:

Counter insurgency in remote areas where a low-intensity war has been continuously raging for the last four decades and several hundred soldiers are killed or wounded every year. The press and the media give them scant coverage. A soldier getting killed in the Valley gets less than two column centimeters in our national newspapers.

Pilots of service aircraft perform heroic actions as a routine. On an average, ten to twenty of them make the ‘supreme sacrifice’ every year. The fighter pilots have the option to ‘eject’ and save themselves, but many of them die in an effort to save the aircraft or prevent it from crashing in populated areas to save civilian casualties. Many others make miraculous landings on damaged aircraft. I think each one of them deserves an Ashok Chakra.

Officers and men who live and operate in high altitude areas face avalanches and landslides as a routine. In a single incident in Sikkim in 1982, a whole company was washed away in a flash flood. Several vehicles fell into ravines. Soldiers performed heroic acts to save the victims and salvage war-like equipment. But there was no one; not even birds and animals to see and recognize their acts of valor. And so, they shall remain unsung.

Naval divers go deep into the water on rescue missions. But that is considered to be a part of their duties.

Care and Consideration for the Living
It is my belief that, during the last few years, the balance has tilted in favor of those killed in action or otherwise. There was a time when we used to raise money for the widows of soldiers who died of illness or were killed in accidents, since there was no provision of ‘family’ pension. The pendulum has swung the other way now. The State now bends backwards to look after the widows. Their numbers are small, and so the government can afford it. But when it comes to the living veterans, our government holds back. The past pensioners get crumbs. The government neither has jobs for them nor proper pension. And when the soldiers die of mal-nutrition the family pension is even lower. The families could be justifiably envious of those who died or were killed in the field areas. The need of the hour is to do something for those “jo laut ke ghar aa gaye” The present situation is relates to the old saying, “Haathi zinda laakh ka; mara sawa lakh ka” (When artifacts were carved out of elephant tusks, the living one was cheaper than the dead beast)

The Summing Up
Life is a series of waves. Events swing from one extreme to the other. A few years ago the “Padma” awards went berserk. The list of the “Bharat Ratnas” was verily drawn from the political party in power. Then some one went to the court, and the award itself got discontinued. Now it has been restored, but it has lost its sheen. Neither the press nor the public takes any notice of a “Padma Shri” It is my fond hope that the gallantry awards do not meet the same fate. The marching columns in the Republic Day Parade this year were reduced to create space for the award of the 11 Ashok Chakras. Now, if all States and political parties start demanding their share in the largesse based on the current norms, we might have no parade next year. Since the “investiture ceremony” will take up all the time. If I am allowed to offer a solution, it is, “Please involve military officers in all decisions related with security of our country” This is far more important than “One Rank One Pension” and resolution of pay anomalies. In fact non-inclusion of a service member is the root cause of much that ails our system.

Acknowledgement
I was struck by the imbalance when I saw the parade, and wanted to write something. But when I saw the mails sent by Brig PT Gangadharan, that urge turned into this paper.

Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)

National Defence Academy 60 Glorious Years

A Tribune Supplement
Chandigarh, December 7, 2008
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