AN INTERESTING LETTER WRITTEN BY A 1935 VINTAGE ARMY VETERAN TO GENERAL BIKRAM SINGHNEXT CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF.
Dear General Bikram Singh
Accept my humble greetings on taking over the apex position of the Indian Army in the next two months. I wish you many successes during your tenure to bring laurels to the country, the Defence Forces and personally to yourself.
You are about to take over onerous responsibility at a time when there is utter chaos on the political scene, absolute mistrust between aspirations of the Defence Forces and civil society led by spineless politicians and a coterie of scheming babus. By heading the most prestigious apolitical institution in the country, the people will naturally look at you as a Saviour should the country slide into a Banana Republic.
(An article by Shiv Aroor of HEADLINES TODAY, considering you a lame duck General, relevant to your tasks ahead, is attached as trailing mail).
You are aware that right from the time of General Cariappa to present Chief (except during General Manekshaw's tenure) the babus and politicians have kept on gnawing at our status, emoluments and privileges. According to them we are no longer Class one gazetted officers but merely commissioned officers, commissioned to perform the duties of chowkidars for the nation. And rightly so, they have used us for everything that goes wrong in the country. I will not be surprised if Delhi safaiwalas next go on strike, these babus will want us to clean the streets of Delhi and their toilets too. The Bard said: the fault is not with our stars but that we are underlings.
While in service we live with military ethos like esprit-de-corps, discipline, morale, nation first, no talk of politics, faith in our leaders and so on. The reality dawns on us only when we retire between 35 and 50 and face the civil life, a new chapter, with meagre pension, heavy personal responsibilities staring at us and unable to find any good job except to be dignified security officers or security guards. Such disciplined force is left to the mercies of civil society for whom we are subtle butts of jokes at our discipline and clean approach to whatever we undertake. You will be joining this conglomeration of wasted veterans in another 30 to 36 months. Before you join us please visit some veterans, disabled war veterans and/or their widows in your family (if you know any) to get a first hand experience of veterans and their problems. Or meet the Veteran Generals who are spearheading veterans movements.
When we agreed to submit ourselves to political leadership according to the constitution, we had stalwarts as our national leaders. The constitution has been mauled, stalwarts have been replaced by pygmies of questionable antecedents, nincompoops, with criminal background, many angootha chhaaps. Such leaders naturally depend upon babus, who are actually their backbone. This combination is busy making hay while the sunshines and are the prime reason why no electoral reforms can be made to clean up the deteriorating system. We now salute babus too in addition to politicians. No one is bothered about Defence Forces because their leaders have been hypnotised with a narcotic called 'gajjar'. Babus have usurped the keys to select only those who will bite the 'gajjar'. And you are going to be part of this system.
Every leader is unique. I am sure you too have your ethos and personality different from your predecessors. You have your dreams and ideas to lead one of the largest and finest forces in the world. I do not know how are you going to leave a unique stamp on the history of this mighty force ... as a zombie who followed a gajjar or a person who made the difference because he is a Bikram Singh and not a Bikaoo Singh. I will not blame you if you prefer to follow the gajjar because, after all, you are a product of the existing degenerating system.
Sir, you will be in your seat to ensure the security of this nation both against external and internal threats. Nation will know you as a man against our external threats. So will politicians and babus but they will utilise your command for many things which are results of their bad policies. You are expected to keep an eye on the enemy but a blind eye and shut mouth against internal systemic failures, whose effect largely falls on your shoulders. Should you be a dumb spectator to people damaging national integrity? Have you no role to play in national politics when you are the chosen one of the babus and politicians? Must you remain subjugated to their mehrbani and let the nation go to hell? This is the thought you need to contemplate upon. Should you remain a silent spectator or actively advice erring politicians and babus. Why should you not periodically give your opinion on the state of the nation so that it goes out both as a piece of advice and warning. If you need to regain our izzat, then remember Iqbal who said: Khudi ko kar buland itna .... The word 'courage' takes different denomination when you are at an elevated position.
Veterans have their own mind and grievances against the establishment led by babus. You be the judge and discover yourself the cause of all the hullabaloo raised by veterans and decide whether you have the powers to mitigate their miseries. Remember veterans in our beloved country are the children of lesser gods, without mai-baap. Some Generals feel talking to veterans is sharam-ki-baat and at the risk of losing in their rat race. Even the so called Supreme Commander has abandoned them. Apex court is only a spectator after giving judgements. In such circumstances what must veterans do to find a place under the sun after all the sacrifices they made for the nation? The cries of veterans for justice may be mere bleats now but God forbid if the nation has to bear the brunt of their roar !!! And then, like all other national problems of political and babugiri origin, this one too may fall in your lap. And you will be like Arjun in Mahabharata struggling with his own conscience and there will be no Krishna to advice.
These few random and disjointed thoughts from an old veteran are for your consideration before you occupy the exalted chair. You have time now to study your role on the national scene with regard to redesigning Defence Forces for internal security, bringing parity between Defence Forces and Civil Services, focusing on neglected tribe of veterans and appointing yourself as Colonel Commandant for them if you wish.
Veteran Ram Gulrajani
(1935 vintage).
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