ADM & MORAL : PART I - 'Na Cheen ne na Pakistan ne, Apni fauj ko barbad kiya Hindustan ne'

                'Na Cheen ne na Pakistan ne, Apni Fauj ko barbad kiya Hindustan ne'

Generals write to top media personalities "Cause for Serious Concern For the Nation"

(Probably not visualized by the Indian Babucracy and Political Class)

From: Harbhajan Singh

Dear Media Personalities,

One could never imagine that a time would come when our illustrious Armed Forces officers would be writing emails like the one below and giving it a Heading " 'Na Cheen ne na Pakistan ne, Apni fauj ko barbad kiya Hindustan ne'.

Let there be no doubt that such writings as also the agitation for OROP started by the veterans has its genesis in these very officers being extremely frustrated while in service, due to-

inordinately delay and deny all cases put up by the Armed Forces whether they are for weapons, equipment, infrastructure like roads, railway lines and so on; 70% of the time of all the Armed Forces officers working in Delhi is spent on answering infructuous, uninformed, irrelevant queries of the Babus. They are the biggest hurdle in the readiness of the Armed Forces in meeting security challenges. In fact our Armed Forces have never been satisfactorily equipped for any war!!

•  indignities inflicted on the Armed Forces by the bureaucrats; just one example, invariably issuing Govt letter for foreign tour at the last moment. When finally they issue it, the remark is AAP KA KAAM HO GYA!!! As if a favour is being done.
• deliberate policy by those who draft, process and get rules and regulations signed by the politicians to do down the status of the Armed Forces;

• deny equitable pays and pensions and at the same time IAS/IPS etc surreptitiously garnering higher status, pays and allowances such as Non Functional Financial Upgradation Pay(NFFU). And when the Armed Forces ask for the same, flatly denying it to them;

• Resorting to unabashed litigation against veterans particularly the war wounded. This has angered the veterans and serving the most, perhaps;
• not having a representative of the Armed Forces in the Pay Commission since its inception;

The frustration leading to anger is full to the brim and that is why yesterdays soldiers and today's veterans resorted to the agitation. An action like "Agitation" has never been in the mind of any soldier, airman or sailor and we loath the very idea!!

The Political Leadership should be wise and without any loss take cognizance of the frustrations amongst the Armed Forces and veterans. Admiral Joshi showed the moral courage to resign. However, such a historic happening is already forgotten what to talk of MOD learning any lessons.

Unless remedial measures are taken, this kind of stand off could lead to dangerous happenings. The pity is that no bureaucrat will be held accountable.

The Govt should immediately set up a high power commission to go in to the causes for the most loyal segment of our society ie the Armed Forces resorting to agitation.

Most serious effect could be the serving personnel being infected, taking the cue and resort to agitation for alleviation of their needs.

Let us realize the gravity of the situation, put our heads

together to identify the causes for this unrest and take remedial measures.

Let not the bureaucracy take the nation to the brink to meet their own agenda and narrow parochial agenda. The Political Leadership on both sides of the isle has been responsible for the present situation and hence should cooperate and carry out required reforms in the functioning of the Ministry of Defence post haste.

Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd)

Former  Signal Officer-in-Chief -1988-91,

Indian Army.