A prominent news item in the Indian press on October 12, 2010, was
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“CWG: Army told it can’t attend closing ceremony. For more than a month, 1500 people from the Army have worked overtime for the Commonwealth Games. Their to-do list has included managing venues used for the games, handling protocol requirements with the international contingents in town, and stepping in to rebuild a crucial bridge in record time after it collapsed days before the Games began. For all this, the Army is not being compensated…But now, they've been told the closing ceremony is off-limits. The Organising Committee, has said it has run out of tickets. ”
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The tone of this report would have been apt on innumerable occasions in the last six decades and more.
Since independence in the name of civilian control in a democracy, the political class and the bureaucracy kept the defence forces out of focus, which may have been by default initially but slowly it became by design. May be preoccupation with guarding our new borders and fighting successive wars did not give our forces time to reflect on their changing equation within the establishment. By the time the soldiers realised the truth they were already way down in the official hierarchy. It was evident that the Government was exploiting the sincerity of the soldier.
At the time of Independence, we can emphatically say, that the Indian Armed Forces was an organized lot motivated for love of country and as inherited from the British. The hierarchy and responsibilities were defined, training standards were excellent and above all commitment to cause was definite. The Indian Armed Forces even then was a disciplined and dependable organization. You could not say the same of any other institution at that point of time, including civil services.
Democratically elected Governments always have an eye on its vote bank. They tend to be reactive rather than be proactive. Action can be expected of them only if there is an outcry for a cause amongst the public and/or the media. It is a pity the Indian media on its part, pursuing sensationalism for eyeballs, have never really understood the role of Armed forces in nation building.
Another disheartening fact is that there is the tendency in some quarters to always project the Indian soldier through the prism of Indo-Pak relationship. Neither fighting terrorism and extremism in J&K and elsewhere in the country nor rescuing children from disused bore wells has helped to change this perspective.
Very few soldiers exercise their franchise for various reasons. Inadequate facilities provided to a soldier for voting is one major factor. Here again whether this is by design or by default is a moot point. The soldier, in India, thus is not pivotal to political power!
Traditionally pay and perks are not motivating factors for a soldier to perform optimally. It has always been pride and a sense of duty to the Nation. The compensation paid is to provide the soldier with adequate means to maintain his status (family, children, education et al) and pride in society while he is in service and as a veteran. The Government does not understand that adequate pay and perks in that regard allows a soldier to fully commit himself to his duties.
Any great democracy sustains only with a dedicated and committed military backing. Except for decision making at National and International levels, the defence forces have to be given a pride of place in society. It is that PRIDE which commits a soldier to put his life on the line. The aspiration of India to become a super power can be realised only with a strong and PROUD defence forces.
