Over the last 60-odd days, one had watched in horror as retired soldiers were forced to launch an agitation to press for the implementation of OROP, a legitimate demand upheld by the highest courts of the land. Ever since the 1950s, the political and bureaucratic classes have put their heads together and have destroyed the Indian Armed Forces systematically. The first culprit in this sordid game was none other than Prime Minister Nehru himself. Under the garb of establishing civil supremacy over the military, not only did he do everything he could to clip the wings of people like Generals Thimayya and Thorat, he deliberately tampered with the system and placed his own man as the CGS who then functioned as the de facto Army Chief. And we all know what was the result of that in ’62.
However, despite all the injustices dished out to him, the Indian soldier has time and again come to the nations rescue, quite willing to fight on despite all the nonsense that goes on behind his back by way of scams. Just how the babus in conjunction with their political bosses work to milk the Ministry of Defence, year after year returning truck loads of money, has been spelled out time and again. Yet, no one seems to care beyond a point, being quite content to offer just lip service to the subject.
Until 14 August and the fateful morning at Jantar Mantar, the gallant General Satbir and his protesting fellow soldiers, some of them in their 80s, had even been ignored by the mainstream media. But then, some ignorant half-wit in the police hierarchy, completely unmindful of whom he was dealing with, ham-handedly decided to ‘piss into the wind’ and sent men in khaki to ‘evict’ the veterans! Just what were they thinking? General Satbir’s timely call to General VK Singh may have defused a potentially explosive situation, but the damage had been done. Just imagine – had any veteran got hurt, its unlikely that this government would have lasted its remaining three-and-a-half years!
I have three suggestions. First, for General Satbir and the other veterans. Don’t worry about OROP beyond a point, that is your right and you will get it, the Finance Minister and his cabal of babus notwithstanding. Instead, please expand the scope of the agitation. Ever since 1973 when pensions were reduced from 70% to a lower level, not only did successive governments fail to cater for equalization of pensions, they also failed to ensure the LATERAL INDUCTION of soldiers in other fields like the paramilitary. From the country and the Army’s point of view, this is CRITICAL and yet it is nowhere on anybody’s radar. Please add this to your demand, it has long term implications, and today you have EVERY INDIAN behind you.
The second suggestion is for our PM; the OROP agitation is not going to go away, so regardless of what web the babus and the FM spins around you, give the soldier what is his due, AND DO IT FAST. The damage being done to your reputation with every passing hour will not get undone when you do waive the magic wand, for waive it you eventually must. Also, please understand the damage being done to our fighting forces by the system you have inherited. Just last week, a serving Major General has won his case in the AFT and the Supreme Court who have both upheld his petition that he was victimized by the Corps and Army Commander for having acted against those guilty in the Jorhat Case. In any other country, this would have seen heads roll. Its an open secret that the absolute top levels in the Army are occupied by people who are in positions way above their competence levels. Put your ear to the ground and listen to what the rank and file are saying – the good guys are being weeded out. You must reverse this trend and help insulate the Army from constant interference especially in promotions.
My third suggestion is for our esteemed President – Sir, the hell with protocol, you as the Supreme Commander need to walk down Raisna Hill and sit with the men you command. Just for once in Independent India, let us see someone who is willing to honour the IMA credo which goes something like ‘your country comes first, each and every time; your men next, each and every time; your own comfort and ease comes last, each and every time.’
And finally, having burnt my bridges with the PM and the President with my unsolicited advice, if I may, a word for the youthful Congress scion: Next time your advisors find you a ’cause’, be it OROP or FTII, just pause for a second before you take the plunge. If you must go and try to get some publicity, then buy yourself one of those fake glasses, noses and mustachios so when you are seen by the rest of the country on TV screens, the people are not reminded of how your government foisted on the country a President whose only claim to fame was loyalty to your family!
I think the time has come when the country needs to stand up and be counted with the veterans who are braving this endless humiliation, regardless of which party they support. This is a national issue, a just cause and needs to be treated as such. These men may be old, some may not live long enough to even benefit from OROP, but it is the principle that counts.
(The author is a son of a soldier and the views expressed are personal.)