Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was a legend and the government will not forget his leadership and contribution to protect the sovereignty and prestige of the country, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said at the 98th birth anniversary of the Field Marshal here on Tuesday.
Army Chief General V.K. Singh joined the Defence Minister in paying floral tributes to the Field Marshal at the Parsi Zoroastrian Cemetery where he was laid to rest on June 28, 2008, but both of them steered clear of making any statement to presspersons on the controversy over the Tatra trucks.
Mum is the word
When The Hindu asked the Minister whether a joint statement could be expected, Mr. Antony only smiled and declined to respond.
On whether Manekshaw would be conferred Bharat Ratna, Mr. Antony said he was not the authority to take a decision on that. In the visitors' book, Mr. Antony wrote: “I salute the respectful memory of Field Marshal Manekshaw”.
General Singh wrote: “A homage to a great soldier of the country. A great man who led the nation and its Army to a great victory. We salute the Field Marshal.”
Apart from the Defence Minister and the Army Chief, those who placed wreaths at the cemetery were Manekshaw's daughters Sherry Batliwala and Maja Daruwala, Lieutenant General Bikram Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Command and Army Chief Designate, Lieutenant General S.K. Singh, Vice Chief of Army Staff and Colonel of the 8th Gorkha Rifles, which the Field Marshal was part of, Lieutenant General A.K. Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command and the Nilgiris Collector Archana Patnaik.
‘An honour for family'
Ms. Daruwala said that it was an honour for the family to be remembered in such a manner. The people who should be here were here. Many of those present recalled their association with the Field Marshal. Some of them adverted to the different ways in which he had made his presence felt in Coonoor where he had settled after retirement. They also remembered his funeral ceremony at Coonoor at which the government was represented only by the Union Minister of State for Defence, Pallam Raju.
FM Maneckshaw has endeared himself in the hearts of everyone as one of the
greatest Military Generals of recent times. The remarkable victory in the Indo-Pak
war, under his able leadership leading to the liberation of Bangla-Desh will go down
as an epoch-making event in the annals of history. The entire nation pays its
humble homage to the FM - a person known for steadfast loyalty and dedicated
service to the country
Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw would not hesitate to call a spade a spade.
That is what upset the politicians and when he moved over to Coonoor in 1973 no one was present to see him off but he was not bothered. It was an insult that no top ranking politician nor Service person was present at his funeral. He richly deserves the Bharat Ratna and Street named after him in all the state capital as a reminder to the future generation what a magnificent Army we have.
Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw represented the rare breed of soldiers who maintained the highest traditions of loyalty to country and service to society. Now we have a Chief of Army Staff who believes in neither. It is a pity that the Government of India appoints pliable men and such men are not above playing dangerous games. I salute the memory of that great soldier. Old soldiers do not die they just fade away.
Jay, you hit the nail on the head. FM Manekshaw couldn't have cared less if these crooks hadn't attended his funeral. The fact that all three defence chiefs had more pressing engagements to attend, was most infuriating and quite frankly unpardonable.
Mr. Arun, You have your historical details of this Mr. Krishna Menon wrong. He proved to be a clown in defense matters and his only clout was with the foolish Nehru. He knew nothing about warfare. He displayed his arrogance and lack of leadership with such great heroes like Field Marshal Cariappa and Gen. Thimmiah. This war was waged much against the advice of the Army, at that point of time. He might have had oratory skills. That's not what counts in war.
JL Nehru and by that extension Krishna Menon were the architects-in-chief responsible for the humiliation suffered at the hands of the Chinese. While the Indian Army may have lost on the sonwy hights, ultimately it was INDIA as a NATION that lost! Therefore, the responsibility for such tragedies rests with the political masters who failed to see what the entire world saw...! We are now seeing the same party, with a country cousin of Menon at the helm of Defense affairs....doing precisely the same thing what happened 40 years ago. The Army did not become weak overnight in 1962....it was slow bleeding process that started way back in 1947....by increments the Army's strenght and morale were degenerated by the Politico-Babu nexus ..... as is happening today. Who will we blame when a repeat of '62 happens in the next few years?
As India was heading for general elections, all the above so called secualr leaders were absent as part of vote bank politics. Even today our Prime Minister has no courage to appreciate the policy decisions of the great P V Narasimha Rao. It is all politics in the name of secularism.
Jay, It was not Krishna Menon who was responsible for India's defeat. India lost to a powerful china who had planned an ambush attack which no one had anticipated. China was thought to be our friend who betrayed it. Today we frame strategy against Pakistan and china, imagine how stunt India will be if a third friendly and powerful country attacks. In fact Krishna Menon was a great leader. His speech on Kashmir in UN is legendary. Just because we lost to a tough enemy, lets not make a villain out of one of our great leader.
Antony is diverting attention of public from defence PSU frauds in particular tetra deal. Gen VK Singh has done greatest service to the nation. Fighting Inner enemies is the biggest challenge and most risky. Normally enemies are too strong to beat, and on top one doesn't get appreciated. He deserves highest appreciation from India. He deserves to be Field Marshal, and awards PVC and Bharat Ratna all together.
Yes, a true gentleman, hero & role model for every one. We need more people like him.
It appears that GOI wakes up only after a public outrage -- when the Late FM Maneckshaw passed away, only the minister of army supplies (Pallamraju) attended the function. The President, VP, the PM, Sonia,Rahul, leader of the opposition were conspicuous by their absence. While this insult was meted out to the late FM, there is an avenue (Marg)named after Krishna Menon, the architect (alongwith Nehru and Kaul)of the only defeat suffered by the glorious Indian army, in the 1962 war with China. Obscene priorities!!!!!!!
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