Despite the military reforms approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday, Army sources say there is no immediate end to the sahayak system that is actually holding up thousands of combat soldiers from active duty.
“There is no consensus on ending or replacing the sahayak system within the Army. In addition, emulating the Navy and Air Force is not feasible since the system is linked to combat situations as well,” a senior officer told The Hindu .
On Wednesday, the Cabinet approved a series of reforms meant to enhancing the combat capability and rebalancing defence expenditure of the Army to increase the teeth-to-tail ratio by which 57,000 soldiers would be redeployed to operational duties. The recommendations were made by a committee headed by Lt. Gen. (retd.) DB Shekatkar. Surprisingly, the committee which had a wide-ranging mandate and made about 99 recommendations did not include any on the system.
Renewed debate
There are over 30,000 soldiers employed as sahayaks or orderlies both in peacetime and forward locations. There have been recommendations, time and again, to end the practice and replace the sahayaks in peacetime locations with civilians freeing up the soldiers for combat roles. The debate was renewed early this year, when several videos had surfaced on social media in which soldiers vented out views against the discrimination under the system. Following this, Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat strongly defended it and warned personnel against taking to social media to air views as it “affects the morale of the jawans and thereby the Army”.
He also announced the setting up of a grievance box at all formations for soldiers to put in their concerns which would directly reach the Army headquarters.
The government too had strongly defended the system while promising a full review. In March, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said the rapport between officers and their buddies resulted in the enhancement of the “ esprit de corps in a unit, which is vital during war and peace”.
Dr. Bhamre said in a written reply in Parliament “exhaustive instructions have been issued from time to time stressing upon the need to ensure that under no circumstances sahayaks , being combatant soldiers, are employed on menial tasks, which are not in conformity with the dignity and self-respect of a soldier”.
He added that the system had clearly defined military duties and formed an integral part of the organisation structure of a unit and had specific functions during war and peace.
In 2010, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence had asked the Army to emulate the Navy and Air Force and abolish the “demeaning and humiliating” practice , a colonial legacy.
