NAMO : THE HARRIED POTTER REMOULDING INDIA

CLARION CALL:

STAND UP FOR THE 'LAST BASTION'

DO NOT TINKER

Written by: Wg Cdr Abhishek Matiman (Retd)

        Worst fears coming true, never did fathom it would all happen so fast though. The Indian Armed Forces always took pride in having been an apolitical organisation. Having delivered every single time when called upon, for obvious reasons, did make them an object of envy to all others. So much so, that armchair warriors blessed with the proximity of our policy making leadership worked overtime to somehow pull the soldier down from the high pedestal that the citizens place him at. Seeking parity, infact going for one upmanship against the Armed Forces with actually nothing to boast of, as regards their own work / achievements.

        Of late, the trend has risen to alarming levels. Whilst the policy for appointments at the top echelons of military leadership does cater for limited political discretion, blatant use of the same, however, in a jiffy, unmindful of the very ethos of the Armed Forces is already proving disastrous. Falling prey to sycophancy is but human, to hold ones own and not to expect it from those incharge of the 'last bastion' is quite another. And that's for a reason well established. Soldiers are taught to mean what they say, trained to be straight talking and factual - in line with the demands of a profession where lives are at stake. Whilst social conduct as gentlemen forms an integral part of their grooming, being upright and candid in matters professional, is of utmost importance and well ingrained. The leadership therefore, needs to have an eye to rightly decide what exactly to look for, when assessing / judging soldiers for positions that matter the most. An impeccable uniform and a crisp salute is the soldierly way of displaying respect / regard to authority. Sweet talking his / her way through, to earn favours, not his cup of tea usually.

        Why still treat the Armed Forces any differently at all ?.... is the obvious question that would come to many a mind. The answer lies in the very basic tenets that every soldier who donned the OGs, Whites or the Blues is indoctrinated with. They are 'different' because they are trained differently than any others. Training in the Armed Forces ensures concurrent 'indoctrination' before eventually being 'wedded' to the uniform. A relationship of undying love for one's nation and a solemn promise to always be ready to risk it all to safeguard it. That's how a soldier differs from the rest. They are different because despite the mayhem that prevails outside their campuses, the very same rules inside cantonments are implemented and ensured to be followed in letter and spirit.

         Any thoughts / efforts to amalgamate the Armed Forces into the ways of the civvy street therefore, would only be detrimental to good military discipline and ethos. On the contrary, as widely believed, the effort, if any, has rightly to be, to inculcate military values of honesty, discipline and loyalty to the Nation among the masses. That would definitely  do a world of good by introducing some method to the madness that currently prevails. To a soldier, the pride in his uniform borne out of the trust, faith, love and regard his fellow citizens shower on him is his primary driving force. His real moment of pride comes when he / she goes home on leave and is exalted by relatives, friends, neighbours and peers for the good work he and his organisation does for the people. No rocket science then, to understand that any deriding of his organisation in public eye is bound to have a direct impact on his morale. His Commanders, that he is indoctrinated to obey, if made a spectacle of, in the public eye, would certainly shake up his entire belief system.

        Military system of appraisal is beautifully designed to ensure only the most worthy reach the higher echelons, most importantly - none without having proven their mettle in the field. Unwanted tinkering, goaded by the sheer privilege of discretion, hence, is best avoided. Even for the top job - the final choice from amongst those militarily eligible handful, should be based on fair selection keeping the needs of the organisation and the Nation paramount. A leadership falling prey to the temptation of having 'Yes Men' in a bid to ensure only a smooth flow of orders / directives top downwards is a sure recipe for disaster. 

      Recent turn of events wherein soldiers have been made to feel cheated by their very Commanders for perceptibly not having fought hard enough for their cause has begun to show it's effects. Be it the long pending anamolies in the 7th pay commission, grant of NFU, the issue of rank parity, the ill conceived idea of stopping issue of rations in peace stations, opening of cantonment roads, limiting of car purchase price through CSD, fund crunch for ECHS, taxation of disability pensions....the list goes on. Most glaring about this long list is the fact that implementation of not even one of these is likely to accrue any substantial financial gains to the exchequer. The one thing that these steps, however, have very vividly succeeded to achieve is - make the soldier now wonder if the Union of India that he pledges his life to, really bothered about his and his kin's honour and well being at all. That, to me, is the most dangerous.

         A soldier indeed is 'different' (even at the cost of repetition). Having had the good fortune of monitoring Army recruitment rallies and awareness campaigns from close quarters, I can state with conviction that the only driving force for the lakhs of young aspirants who strain every nerve in a bid to get selected, is the yearning to earn the 'izzat' this profession promises to endow them with, and a craving to serve the Nation the most credible way. The same young people when trying their luck subsequently at recruitment / employment fairs / drives elsewhere, do so in an entirely different state of mind. 

        The present age of information hasn't left too many unaware of things that quietly used to be brushed under the carpet in the yesteryears. Whilst civilian control over Military is essential for lasting peace, tinkering based on biased inputs from some self serving fraternity - itself in a crying need of a major overhaul, is foolhardy. An organisation with a proven track record cannot be left at the mercy of those who have failed the people in all possible ways and continue to do so. Our leadership, well within it's right to exercise discretion, would do well to take informed decisions based on inputs from the horse's mouth than be solely dependent on inputs from those far distanced from reality. Soldiering being a profession way different, can best be understood in the company of real soldiers. 

         The conundrum that the Armed Forces find themselves in today, needs to be addressed on priority. 'Selection and maintenance of aim', as is well known to military fraternity, is the most important ingredient for victory in combat. A 'soldier assured' is a force multiplier since he can then singlemindedly focus on the mission at hand and fight his heart out . Selection of military leaders and their handling by the leadership therefore has to be such that the soldier's faith is upheld. 

      The great Chanakya when advising Emperor Chandragupta on the importance of taking care of his soldiers once wrote and to put things in perspective, I quote : "If ever things come to a sordid pass when, on a given day, the Mauryan soldier has to look back over his shoulder prompted by even a single worry about his and his family's material, physical  and social well being, it should cause you and your council the greatest concern and distress. I beseech you to take instant note and act with uncommon dispatch to address the soldier's anxiety. It is my bounden duty to assure you, My Lord, that the day when the Mauryan soldier has to demand his dues or, worse, plead for them ,will neither have arrived overnight nor in vain. It will also bode ill for Magadha. For then, on that day, you, My Lord, will have lost all moral sanction to be King! It will also be the beginning of the end of the Mauryan Empire."

        Advisors hardly matter and seldom held accountable, the leadership does. If the present leadership armed with a mandate that's the envy of the world today, takes note and decides to turn things around to reinstill faith in the soldier they would already have won half the battles that lie ahead in our Nation's march to greatness. Here's where the much hyped 'discretion' really counts - stand up for your soldier OR watch him enervate into the frail 'destiny's child' as incompetent as the rest.

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  *The writer has regularly been writing for mainstream newspapers, he also appears on TV news channels in debates pertaining to Defence, Aerospace and Geopolitical affairs.