This refers to the Supreme Court’s decision to examine whether army recruitment to its various regiments can take place on the basis of caste or region (Dec. 11). While the government claims that the Army is truly secular, it has regiments based on castes and groups — Rajput, Kumaun, Sikh, Naga, Gorkha, Maratha and Jat — even today.
It is not as if all sections have special regiments; only the so-called fighter classes have special regiments in their name. As a consequence, there are divisions among the army personnel.
It is time such names were abolished. The system was adopted by the British, who felt that such regimentation would lead to better results as people belonging to the same caste or creed would be inspired to show valour in order to bring honour to their community. This was sheer exploitation of the divisions which prevailed in India in those days.
Arvind Sen,
New Delhi
