MY FATHER, LET MY COUNTRY AWAKE
By PG KAMATH
India has a bicameral democracy with the PM as its executive head.
Unlike in a Presidential system, he is not able to take experts in
various fields as ministers in the cabinet. They have to come through
the legislature route either from Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. The latter
is considered a backdoor entry to the treasury bench; notorious among
them was the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had the
temerity to be the executive head of our country for a decade and
undermined his high office, by abdicating his authority to an Indian
national of a foreign origin? He, thus surrendered his Constitutional
authority, solely to be in the front seat, so that the Signora can do
the safe backseat driving.
Coming to the specifics, Indian politicians have always been naive on
strategic issues. Can any of those in power define what is India’s
national interest? What are our strategic goals? How do we use our
instruments of national power to achieve our strategic goals? Do we
aspire to be a global power? If so: what is our time line? What are
our interim goals to reach our ultimate strategic goals? Do we have a
game plan for our food security, energy security, maritime security,
environmental security, cyber security, space security, water
security, demographic security; our people should not get subverted by
anti-national ideologies, internal security and lastly external
security? What should be our area of interest, where and how should we
exercise our influence? Is it in immediate neighbourhood? Or; does it
include the extended neighbourhood? Our maritime dominance should
cover which areas of Indian and Pacific Oceans? Who are our
adversaries? Do we have a national security doctrine? What military
capacity should we empower ourselves to meet the combined might of our
adversaries in two front scenario? What should be the strength of our
armed forces? Having ignominious tittle of being the world’s largest
importer of arms; it flies on our face when we talk of strategic
autonomy. What would happen if these countries do not give us a
continuous supply of arms and ammunition in war? Don’t we have to
kowtow to them in crises? What happened during the peak of Kargil
war; Defence Ministry officials with begging bowls in hand were
scouring suppliers in Russia, Israel and South Africa for Bofors
ammunition? Indeed! They are obstreperous and livid to talk of our
defence preparations; saying “ We are prepared to give a befitting
reply to our adversary, who dares cast their evil eyes on us”? What a
rhetoric to feast the gullible? How the population in general and
press in particular lap it up with unrestrained national pride and
glee? The opposition, who are equally naive, would also let go the
statement without any discussion; as one need to have some rudimentary
knowledge on the subject to engage in a discussion? Best option is to
make no statement; as someone said “It is better to remain silent and
be thought a fool, rather than open ones mouth and remove all doubts”.
It is not just that the Indian politician is naive but many are also
evil and national interests does not interest them? Let us look at our
former Finance Minister and Home Minister? Now he has proved himself
as an anti-national traitor, who masked our country’s successful
intelligence operation as a staged encounter by amending the truth in
the first affidavit with deliberate falsehood in the second. He
obviously wanted the LeT terrorists to be successful in their mission?
There are enough bleeding heart liberals, who are perturbed at the
nation’s security agencies for having curtailed freedom of movement of
these armed terrorists and their right to life, by firing at them
mercilessly, without giving them a chance to execute their mission?
It was the same person, who said in Feb this year that the ‘parliament
attack’ accused terrorist accomplice Afzal Guru’s extent of
involvement did not call for his hanging? This, the honourable former
minister said after the case having gone through all the due processes
of law. The death sentence was passed by the Delhi High Court, upheld
by the Supreme Court of India and the mercy petition rejected by the
President. The charge was IPC Sec 121; waging war against the state
and the charge was confessed by the accused and proved beyond
reasonable doubt by the highest court in the land. Now our wise crack
former minister doubts the intention of Indian Judiciary and also the
wisdom of the President. He further says the slogan raised in JNU
were not anti-national? He condemns the arrest of the truant student
leader and terms the sedition charge against him as outrageous? I
believe he has just thrown his hat to enter the Rajya Sabha; and why
not, we need to destroy our nation from within as well?
We have another former minister, who defends the student leader in the
court. The student leader does everything else in JNU Campus except
his studies. He thrives on the subsidised food in the university,
pays a pittance for his stay and pays less than the cost of a pizza as
his term tuition fees. He was apparently protecting with a human
chain the freedom of speech of those who were raising slogans for
fragmenting India, and the possibility of he being a part of slogan
raising rabble is not yet disproved? No doubt! the courts would decide
on it? He also vociferously supports the slogan raising ruffians
hailing Afzal Guru as a martyr? What a sacrifice by the student
leader; a traitor with unbounded conviction to uphold the freedom of
speech of those eulogizing ‘Afzal Guru’; a convicted terrorist, who
thrived and prospered in this country and conspired to destroy the
voice and soul of our democratic institution. All those faceless
leaders of the left parties, who romped to JNU campus to hail the
freedom of speech of anti-national elements were looking like morons,
who escaped en-mass from mental reformatory? One always wonders; which
country do they belong? Are they still on the payrolls of those, who
supported the Chinese invasion of India in 1962? Whose philosophy they
follow? Marx? Engels? Lenin? Mao? Stalin? Che Guevara? Or Kim Il Un?
One of the leader from the left party had come to JNU as a father and
not as a leader? I probably missed out any mass leader among them. All
those present were with no mass base. They had tasted power as king
makers in UPA’s first term. Now, the party having been reduced to 9
seats in Lok Sabha and 8 seats in Rajya Sabha still masquerade as a
national party? I always wonder why the press gives space to such
non-entities?
I went through the election manifesto of the three national parties
for the 16th Lok Sabha in 2014 national elections. I was looking for
their views on defence issues. Let us take the Left Party; their
outright dubious role in ‘Quit India Movement, their support to the
two nation theory and their traitorous act of supporting the Chinese
aggression against their own country are not things, which can be
swept under the carpet? True to their past, they still support the
slogans calling for the breakup of our country at the JNU? In their
entire manifesto running to several pages, the only line that has some
remote reference to the defence of the country i.e. “Creating a
national security apparatus, which will work within the framework of
the parliamentary democratic system”. A country that has fought four
wars, with unrelenting adversaries in our north and west; the so
called national party neither has the knowledge nor inclination to
define the nation’s strategic goals. Or; they were wise to foresee
their decimation from national scene, hence thought; why take time to
tread on unfamiliar ground? As it is, the defence of the country had
historically never been their priority?
The Left Party, which champions the cause of farmers and workers do
not feel that they need to support the demand of soldiers of Armed
Forces of India on OROP. Are the soldiers ‘bourgeoisie’ from the Left
Party’s point of view? Does he not defend our country, when those they
are supporting are sloganeering to fragment it? Don’t we literally
throw the soldier out of service at the young age of 35 years to fend
for himself in the harsh world with a family and aged parents to
support? Does he also not come from the same peasants stock from
rural areas? Why don’t the so called lofty principles of Left Party,
apply to him? Again, with whom am I talking to; those, who supported
the Chinese in their invasion against our country? To expect
patriotism from them is to expect a shadow in the darkness?
Moving on to the Congress Party: The President and the Vice President
of the party know ‘defence’ only in the context of ‘National Herald’,
Bofor, Westland cases? The concept of ‘National Defence’ is alien to
them but they have deep and abiding interest in defence equipment and
middle men. They lament how Late Uncle Ottavio used to do such a fine
job but this man Gautam has bungled up everything?
In 2008, just a year prior to elections the party gave a massive
relief of ₹60,000 Crores by waiving the loan to farmers, but did not
feel it is worthwhile to give the soldiers a paltry ₹6000 crores
(figures of 2008) for OROP? Not once during their decade in power both
these office bearers ever uttered “OROP’ let alone implement it. The
Vice President of the party, came once to Jantar Mantar in 2015 to
show his solidarity with the agitating veterans, however he was shoved
out? This party did not do anything for nearly four decades, and two
months before the election, they allot a paltry ₹500 crores to OROP,
in order to take credit and win votes? Indeed, how stupid one can be,
to really think that the veterans are a bunch of doddering old fools,
who would not be able to discern their Machiavellian subterfuge? An
ounce of grey matter is enough to see through the game: but those who
have lesser; play these childish games endlessly.
The story of Congress would not be complete as one of its former
minister in a discussion on Nai Duniya TV in Pakistan in Oct last
year, asks the people of Pakistan and remove PM Modi from power and
bring us (Congress) back. I quote the former minister’s exact words
“Hame le aaiye ; Inko hataiye”; so that bilateral discussion between
the two countries can progress? Though as expected from a politician
of his genre, he denied the statement? It is for everyone to see on
the internet and come to their own conclusion. Here; a citizen of our
country, whose countrymen had reposed faith in him and made him a
Union Cabinet Minister going to a neighbouring country, which has
fought four major wars with us and asking them to remove our duly
elected Prime Minister? Do you believe it that it can happen in any
country? It is the same person, who said in Jan 2014 at the AICC
session "I promise you in 21st Century Narendra Modi will never become
the Prime Minister of the country. ...But if he wants to distribute
tea here, we will find a place for him". Just look at the mix of
haughtiness, arrogance, jealousy and hatred that is gushing out
unrestrained to craft such a thought? Yes! He continues to be a Rajya
Sabha MP of our country! I think our tolerance has become our national
weakness!
The Congress manifesto on defence and security is all promises with no
delivery? The manifestoes from 2004 onwards are a string of broken
promises; integration of defence ministry with military officers;
still a myth, maximum benefit to the service officers in pay and
pension and letting them down in the 6th Pay Commission without NFU,
not resolving the anomalies both in the 5th and 6th Pay Commissions,
not reorganising the higher defence with Chief of Defence Force,
foisting a RM, who spent more time in refurbishing his image as ‘Clean
Saint’ rather than the defence of the country and ensuring all the
defence deals have scams? However to be fair to them, at least they
have a vision on paper. It is possible, that the manifesto is their
check list to ensure those things do not happen, even by default?
After all, what can you expect from a party whose foundations of the
first government was laid by a Prime Minister, who had an anathema
against his own armed forces, till he was rudely awakened in 1962 by
the Chinese, to die a year and half later with shattered dreams and
broken persona?
Now let us look at the ruling party; BJP? Its manifesto does not even
talk of framing our National Security Doctrine that is vital to
formulate our future defence orientation? It also does not mention of
the unfinished agenda of PM Vajpayee’s tenure, where the then Deputy
PM had headed a GOM and recommended landmark measures in the
aftermath of findings of Kargil Review Committee? The manifesto wants
to address the deficiency in officers’ cadre and does not care to
rectify the anomalies in the 6th Pay Commission. The 7th Pay
Commission is convened without a member from the Armed Forces, who are
its biggest stake holders. The facile argument that the Defence
Secretary represents the Armed Forces is like asking the devil to read
the bible? He does not inspire trust and the appointment is the most
despised appointment by the Indian Armed Forces. The recommendations
of the 7th Pay Commission further undermines the services and instead
of rectifying the anomalies at the ministerial level, the fate of the
Armed Forces has been given to the Empowered Committee of Secretaries.
Again, the Armed Forces are being represented by the same defence
secretary, who was instrumental in giving lopsided data to the 7CPC
and ensured its degradation. It is the thief, who is sitting in
judgement over his own offence? If the BJP government was really
interested in the Armed Forces, then why were they not represented in
the 7th CPC? Coming again to OROP, a diluted version has been
sanctioned; though something is better than nothing! A soldier who is
75 years would have to wait to be 80 to get his next revision of
pension? Will he live for the next revision? The parliamentary
committee had approved revision every year, however when the fine
print of the approved OROP was released, the revision was to be done
once in every five years. It is the last vile stroke struck by the
bureaucracy, when they could not stall the OROP anymore, after having
delayed it for 43 years. In the intervening time lakhs of armed
forces personnel have retired and died without getting the OROP, which
was their legitimate right. Can this grave injustice be undone? Who
should be held accountable for perpetrating this injustice? Can our
Honourable PM answer this?
I think it was on 8 Dec 2014, our PM in an election rally in Srinagar
vouches his good intention at the cost of the army. He says for the
first time since independence the army has done a press briefing and
took responsibility of killing of two youths and the two soldiers
would be punished. Mr PM; whose army is it anyway? Are you putting a
divide between the people of Kashmir and the army? Are you using the
army for your politicking among the people of J&K. Who do you think
saved Kashmir from going to Pakistan in 1947/48, 1965, 1971, 1988 - 93
and during Kargil Operation. Do you know about the mass subverting of
government functionaries including police, press, people, government
servants in 1988/89, when a climate of collapse engulfed the valley?
It was then the army was inducted to bring it back into the fold of
India. Just three months before you gloated that the army jawans have
been punished, I hope you remember the same Indian Army, Air Force and
Navy had rescued thousands of Kashmiris in the devastating floods that
ravaged the entire valley? Was it proper for the PM of our nation to
undermine his last and the most effective instrument of the nation.
The Armed Forces are not above the law. They, in fact uphold the laws
of the country. They should be punished for wrong doing but no
political leader; be it the PM himself, has the right to use it to
gain brownie point in an election rally.
Incidentally Mr Prime Minister, if the army has put a barrier on the
road no one should cross the barrier till the soldiers manning the
barrier gives them permission to do so. Anyone does not stop and
rushes past the barrier would have to be shot. No questions about it.
Please do not dilute the ‘mission accomplishment’ ethos of the army by
punishing them. If you do not want the army to act in that manner
please do not put them there. You are at liberty to put police or any
CAPF. Incidentally you have reduced the CAPF in Srinagar to be
victims of stone throwing mob by towing a soft line. This has made the
anti-national elements more aggressive in Srinagar. I have seen a
member of CAPF with a weapon in his hands being literally chased by a
mob of youths and beaten up in the streets of Srinagar. He has been
forced to be submissive and local orders have deprived him the right
to fire, though the right of private defence gives him the right to
use force to protect himself. It is your duty to ensure the pride of
position of the armed forces is maintained so that the country can
rest in peace even during war.
Again on 11 Sep 2015, the Honourable PM says in Chandigarh that the
OROP has been given at the cost of poor people of this country; as if,
he is giving the money to the rich in the country? The PM should know
that a soldier who retires from service at 35 years of age gets less
than one third the pension of a peon in the government service who
retires at the age of 60 years. Now, where is the question of poor
people giving their money to the rich army personnel? Obviously the PM
may has been incorrectly advised?
The chest thumping post Myanmar raid against NSCN camp is a good
example of unprofessionalism. The NSA goes for damage control and on
return does not keep the Home Minister and Defence Minister informed
of his talks. Obviously information sharing mechanism on defence
matters has not yet been institutionalised in the government.
The government has still three more years to go. There is a need to
frame a ‘National Security Doctrine’ for the country, which should be
approved by the CCS and signed by the PM. The country needs to
accelerate and build military capacities to fight a two front
conventional war against both China and Pakistan simultaneously.
Building capacities should be phased over a 10 year period and
budgetary allocations be made to achieve those capacities. As
envisaged in the manifesto, a thorium route to build nuclear capacity
should be intensely pursued. ‘ Make in India’ program should be
pursued vigorously as it alone would give us the strategic autonomy to
take decisions in ‘National Interest’.
Chanakya says “ The serpent, the king, the stinging wasp, the small
child, the dog owned by other people and the fool: these seven ought
not to be awakened from sleep.” However as the time is running out I
have to make one exception; as said by Rabindranath Tagore’s words “My
father, let my Country Awake.”
( The writer is a veteran of Indian Army)
pgkamath11@yahoo.com
By PG KAMATH
India has a bicameral democracy with the PM as its executive head.
Unlike in a Presidential system, he is not able to take experts in
various fields as ministers in the cabinet. They have to come through
the legislature route either from Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. The latter
is considered a backdoor entry to the treasury bench; notorious among
them was the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had the
temerity to be the executive head of our country for a decade and
undermined his high office, by abdicating his authority to an Indian
national of a foreign origin? He, thus surrendered his Constitutional
authority, solely to be in the front seat, so that the Signora can do
the safe backseat driving.
Coming to the specifics, Indian politicians have always been naive on
strategic issues. Can any of those in power define what is India’s
national interest? What are our strategic goals? How do we use our
instruments of national power to achieve our strategic goals? Do we
aspire to be a global power? If so: what is our time line? What are
our interim goals to reach our ultimate strategic goals? Do we have a
game plan for our food security, energy security, maritime security,
environmental security, cyber security, space security, water
security, demographic security; our people should not get subverted by
anti-national ideologies, internal security and lastly external
security? What should be our area of interest, where and how should we
exercise our influence? Is it in immediate neighbourhood? Or; does it
include the extended neighbourhood? Our maritime dominance should
cover which areas of Indian and Pacific Oceans? Who are our
adversaries? Do we have a national security doctrine? What military
capacity should we empower ourselves to meet the combined might of our
adversaries in two front scenario? What should be the strength of our
armed forces? Having ignominious tittle of being the world’s largest
importer of arms; it flies on our face when we talk of strategic
autonomy. What would happen if these countries do not give us a
continuous supply of arms and ammunition in war? Don’t we have to
kowtow to them in crises? What happened during the peak of Kargil
war; Defence Ministry officials with begging bowls in hand were
scouring suppliers in Russia, Israel and South Africa for Bofors
ammunition? Indeed! They are obstreperous and livid to talk of our
defence preparations; saying “ We are prepared to give a befitting
reply to our adversary, who dares cast their evil eyes on us”? What a
rhetoric to feast the gullible? How the population in general and
press in particular lap it up with unrestrained national pride and
glee? The opposition, who are equally naive, would also let go the
statement without any discussion; as one need to have some rudimentary
knowledge on the subject to engage in a discussion? Best option is to
make no statement; as someone said “It is better to remain silent and
be thought a fool, rather than open ones mouth and remove all doubts”.
It is not just that the Indian politician is naive but many are also
evil and national interests does not interest them? Let us look at our
former Finance Minister and Home Minister? Now he has proved himself
as an anti-national traitor, who masked our country’s successful
intelligence operation as a staged encounter by amending the truth in
the first affidavit with deliberate falsehood in the second. He
obviously wanted the LeT terrorists to be successful in their mission?
There are enough bleeding heart liberals, who are perturbed at the
nation’s security agencies for having curtailed freedom of movement of
these armed terrorists and their right to life, by firing at them
mercilessly, without giving them a chance to execute their mission?
It was the same person, who said in Feb this year that the ‘parliament
attack’ accused terrorist accomplice Afzal Guru’s extent of
involvement did not call for his hanging? This, the honourable former
minister said after the case having gone through all the due processes
of law. The death sentence was passed by the Delhi High Court, upheld
by the Supreme Court of India and the mercy petition rejected by the
President. The charge was IPC Sec 121; waging war against the state
and the charge was confessed by the accused and proved beyond
reasonable doubt by the highest court in the land. Now our wise crack
former minister doubts the intention of Indian Judiciary and also the
wisdom of the President. He further says the slogan raised in JNU
were not anti-national? He condemns the arrest of the truant student
leader and terms the sedition charge against him as outrageous? I
believe he has just thrown his hat to enter the Rajya Sabha; and why
not, we need to destroy our nation from within as well?
We have another former minister, who defends the student leader in the
court. The student leader does everything else in JNU Campus except
his studies. He thrives on the subsidised food in the university,
pays a pittance for his stay and pays less than the cost of a pizza as
his term tuition fees. He was apparently protecting with a human
chain the freedom of speech of those who were raising slogans for
fragmenting India, and the possibility of he being a part of slogan
raising rabble is not yet disproved? No doubt! the courts would decide
on it? He also vociferously supports the slogan raising ruffians
hailing Afzal Guru as a martyr? What a sacrifice by the student
leader; a traitor with unbounded conviction to uphold the freedom of
speech of those eulogizing ‘Afzal Guru’; a convicted terrorist, who
thrived and prospered in this country and conspired to destroy the
voice and soul of our democratic institution. All those faceless
leaders of the left parties, who romped to JNU campus to hail the
freedom of speech of anti-national elements were looking like morons,
who escaped en-mass from mental reformatory? One always wonders; which
country do they belong? Are they still on the payrolls of those, who
supported the Chinese invasion of India in 1962? Whose philosophy they
follow? Marx? Engels? Lenin? Mao? Stalin? Che Guevara? Or Kim Il Un?
One of the leader from the left party had come to JNU as a father and
not as a leader? I probably missed out any mass leader among them. All
those present were with no mass base. They had tasted power as king
makers in UPA’s first term. Now, the party having been reduced to 9
seats in Lok Sabha and 8 seats in Rajya Sabha still masquerade as a
national party? I always wonder why the press gives space to such
non-entities?
I went through the election manifesto of the three national parties
for the 16th Lok Sabha in 2014 national elections. I was looking for
their views on defence issues. Let us take the Left Party; their
outright dubious role in ‘Quit India Movement, their support to the
two nation theory and their traitorous act of supporting the Chinese
aggression against their own country are not things, which can be
swept under the carpet? True to their past, they still support the
slogans calling for the breakup of our country at the JNU? In their
entire manifesto running to several pages, the only line that has some
remote reference to the defence of the country i.e. “Creating a
national security apparatus, which will work within the framework of
the parliamentary democratic system”. A country that has fought four
wars, with unrelenting adversaries in our north and west; the so
called national party neither has the knowledge nor inclination to
define the nation’s strategic goals. Or; they were wise to foresee
their decimation from national scene, hence thought; why take time to
tread on unfamiliar ground? As it is, the defence of the country had
historically never been their priority?
The Left Party, which champions the cause of farmers and workers do
not feel that they need to support the demand of soldiers of Armed
Forces of India on OROP. Are the soldiers ‘bourgeoisie’ from the Left
Party’s point of view? Does he not defend our country, when those they
are supporting are sloganeering to fragment it? Don’t we literally
throw the soldier out of service at the young age of 35 years to fend
for himself in the harsh world with a family and aged parents to
support? Does he also not come from the same peasants stock from
rural areas? Why don’t the so called lofty principles of Left Party,
apply to him? Again, with whom am I talking to; those, who supported
the Chinese in their invasion against our country? To expect
patriotism from them is to expect a shadow in the darkness?
Moving on to the Congress Party: The President and the Vice President
of the party know ‘defence’ only in the context of ‘National Herald’,
Bofor, Westland cases? The concept of ‘National Defence’ is alien to
them but they have deep and abiding interest in defence equipment and
middle men. They lament how Late Uncle Ottavio used to do such a fine
job but this man Gautam has bungled up everything?
In 2008, just a year prior to elections the party gave a massive
relief of ₹60,000 Crores by waiving the loan to farmers, but did not
feel it is worthwhile to give the soldiers a paltry ₹6000 crores
(figures of 2008) for OROP? Not once during their decade in power both
these office bearers ever uttered “OROP’ let alone implement it. The
Vice President of the party, came once to Jantar Mantar in 2015 to
show his solidarity with the agitating veterans, however he was shoved
out? This party did not do anything for nearly four decades, and two
months before the election, they allot a paltry ₹500 crores to OROP,
in order to take credit and win votes? Indeed, how stupid one can be,
to really think that the veterans are a bunch of doddering old fools,
who would not be able to discern their Machiavellian subterfuge? An
ounce of grey matter is enough to see through the game: but those who
have lesser; play these childish games endlessly.
The story of Congress would not be complete as one of its former
minister in a discussion on Nai Duniya TV in Pakistan in Oct last
year, asks the people of Pakistan and remove PM Modi from power and
bring us (Congress) back. I quote the former minister’s exact words
“Hame le aaiye ; Inko hataiye”; so that bilateral discussion between
the two countries can progress? Though as expected from a politician
of his genre, he denied the statement? It is for everyone to see on
the internet and come to their own conclusion. Here; a citizen of our
country, whose countrymen had reposed faith in him and made him a
Union Cabinet Minister going to a neighbouring country, which has
fought four major wars with us and asking them to remove our duly
elected Prime Minister? Do you believe it that it can happen in any
country? It is the same person, who said in Jan 2014 at the AICC
session "I promise you in 21st Century Narendra Modi will never become
the Prime Minister of the country. ...But if he wants to distribute
tea here, we will find a place for him". Just look at the mix of
haughtiness, arrogance, jealousy and hatred that is gushing out
unrestrained to craft such a thought? Yes! He continues to be a Rajya
Sabha MP of our country! I think our tolerance has become our national
weakness!
The Congress manifesto on defence and security is all promises with no
delivery? The manifestoes from 2004 onwards are a string of broken
promises; integration of defence ministry with military officers;
still a myth, maximum benefit to the service officers in pay and
pension and letting them down in the 6th Pay Commission without NFU,
not resolving the anomalies both in the 5th and 6th Pay Commissions,
not reorganising the higher defence with Chief of Defence Force,
foisting a RM, who spent more time in refurbishing his image as ‘Clean
Saint’ rather than the defence of the country and ensuring all the
defence deals have scams? However to be fair to them, at least they
have a vision on paper. It is possible, that the manifesto is their
check list to ensure those things do not happen, even by default?
After all, what can you expect from a party whose foundations of the
first government was laid by a Prime Minister, who had an anathema
against his own armed forces, till he was rudely awakened in 1962 by
the Chinese, to die a year and half later with shattered dreams and
broken persona?
Now let us look at the ruling party; BJP? Its manifesto does not even
talk of framing our National Security Doctrine that is vital to
formulate our future defence orientation? It also does not mention of
the unfinished agenda of PM Vajpayee’s tenure, where the then Deputy
PM had headed a GOM and recommended landmark measures in the
aftermath of findings of Kargil Review Committee? The manifesto wants
to address the deficiency in officers’ cadre and does not care to
rectify the anomalies in the 6th Pay Commission. The 7th Pay
Commission is convened without a member from the Armed Forces, who are
its biggest stake holders. The facile argument that the Defence
Secretary represents the Armed Forces is like asking the devil to read
the bible? He does not inspire trust and the appointment is the most
despised appointment by the Indian Armed Forces. The recommendations
of the 7th Pay Commission further undermines the services and instead
of rectifying the anomalies at the ministerial level, the fate of the
Armed Forces has been given to the Empowered Committee of Secretaries.
Again, the Armed Forces are being represented by the same defence
secretary, who was instrumental in giving lopsided data to the 7CPC
and ensured its degradation. It is the thief, who is sitting in
judgement over his own offence? If the BJP government was really
interested in the Armed Forces, then why were they not represented in
the 7th CPC? Coming again to OROP, a diluted version has been
sanctioned; though something is better than nothing! A soldier who is
75 years would have to wait to be 80 to get his next revision of
pension? Will he live for the next revision? The parliamentary
committee had approved revision every year, however when the fine
print of the approved OROP was released, the revision was to be done
once in every five years. It is the last vile stroke struck by the
bureaucracy, when they could not stall the OROP anymore, after having
delayed it for 43 years. In the intervening time lakhs of armed
forces personnel have retired and died without getting the OROP, which
was their legitimate right. Can this grave injustice be undone? Who
should be held accountable for perpetrating this injustice? Can our
Honourable PM answer this?
I think it was on 8 Dec 2014, our PM in an election rally in Srinagar
vouches his good intention at the cost of the army. He says for the
first time since independence the army has done a press briefing and
took responsibility of killing of two youths and the two soldiers
would be punished. Mr PM; whose army is it anyway? Are you putting a
divide between the people of Kashmir and the army? Are you using the
army for your politicking among the people of J&K. Who do you think
saved Kashmir from going to Pakistan in 1947/48, 1965, 1971, 1988 - 93
and during Kargil Operation. Do you know about the mass subverting of
government functionaries including police, press, people, government
servants in 1988/89, when a climate of collapse engulfed the valley?
It was then the army was inducted to bring it back into the fold of
India. Just three months before you gloated that the army jawans have
been punished, I hope you remember the same Indian Army, Air Force and
Navy had rescued thousands of Kashmiris in the devastating floods that
ravaged the entire valley? Was it proper for the PM of our nation to
undermine his last and the most effective instrument of the nation.
The Armed Forces are not above the law. They, in fact uphold the laws
of the country. They should be punished for wrong doing but no
political leader; be it the PM himself, has the right to use it to
gain brownie point in an election rally.
Incidentally Mr Prime Minister, if the army has put a barrier on the
road no one should cross the barrier till the soldiers manning the
barrier gives them permission to do so. Anyone does not stop and
rushes past the barrier would have to be shot. No questions about it.
Please do not dilute the ‘mission accomplishment’ ethos of the army by
punishing them. If you do not want the army to act in that manner
please do not put them there. You are at liberty to put police or any
CAPF. Incidentally you have reduced the CAPF in Srinagar to be
victims of stone throwing mob by towing a soft line. This has made the
anti-national elements more aggressive in Srinagar. I have seen a
member of CAPF with a weapon in his hands being literally chased by a
mob of youths and beaten up in the streets of Srinagar. He has been
forced to be submissive and local orders have deprived him the right
to fire, though the right of private defence gives him the right to
use force to protect himself. It is your duty to ensure the pride of
position of the armed forces is maintained so that the country can
rest in peace even during war.
Again on 11 Sep 2015, the Honourable PM says in Chandigarh that the
OROP has been given at the cost of poor people of this country; as if,
he is giving the money to the rich in the country? The PM should know
that a soldier who retires from service at 35 years of age gets less
than one third the pension of a peon in the government service who
retires at the age of 60 years. Now, where is the question of poor
people giving their money to the rich army personnel? Obviously the PM
may has been incorrectly advised?
The chest thumping post Myanmar raid against NSCN camp is a good
example of unprofessionalism. The NSA goes for damage control and on
return does not keep the Home Minister and Defence Minister informed
of his talks. Obviously information sharing mechanism on defence
matters has not yet been institutionalised in the government.
The government has still three more years to go. There is a need to
frame a ‘National Security Doctrine’ for the country, which should be
approved by the CCS and signed by the PM. The country needs to
accelerate and build military capacities to fight a two front
conventional war against both China and Pakistan simultaneously.
Building capacities should be phased over a 10 year period and
budgetary allocations be made to achieve those capacities. As
envisaged in the manifesto, a thorium route to build nuclear capacity
should be intensely pursued. ‘ Make in India’ program should be
pursued vigorously as it alone would give us the strategic autonomy to
take decisions in ‘National Interest’.
Chanakya says “ The serpent, the king, the stinging wasp, the small
child, the dog owned by other people and the fool: these seven ought
not to be awakened from sleep.” However as the time is running out I
have to make one exception; as said by Rabindranath Tagore’s words “My
father, let my Country Awake.”
( The writer is a veteran of Indian Army)
pgkamath11@yahoo.com
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