The Prime Minister should have stepped in during the entirely avoidable high-level bickering between the military and the government.
Some days ago I asked a friend to give me his assessment of Manmohan Singh's government. He summed it up in less than 20 words. “The UPA-II is in the ICU. The pharmacy is locked and the doctor has run away.”
The spat between the Defence Minister and the Army Chief was being played out in the media while the Heads of State of Brazil, China, Russia and South Africa were in Delhi. The BRICS summit was all but drowned in the ocean of words on TV and in the print media. They must all have returned with misgivings about the lack of governance and an absence of cohesion at the highest levels in India. The 100 foreign missions in Delhi would be working overtime to report to their governments the unseemly washing of dirty linen in public. The washermen are distinguished and powerful individuals. The Army Chief carries his China shop with him. The Defence Minister uses one word where two are necessary. The Prime Minister, it seems, believes that no action is also action. He has been the captain of the UPA for eight years. It is his duty to enforce discipline.
Away from public gaze
Ever since he became Army Chief, the General has shown no verbal restraint. This is unprecedented. On the very first occasion the Prime Minister should have sent for him and cautioned him not to cross the Lakshman Rekha. I have little doubt that the straight talking general would have fallen in line. Institutions are run by human beings. It is equally true that these can also be destroyed by these very individuals. This is the first time since Independence that such an unfortunate situation has been created.
Our Armed Forces are second to none in valour. They serve, they obey, they give their lives to protect the security and territorial integrity of Bharat Mata. It gives one no pleasure to say that they are being ill-served by their masters. Grave matters are being debated and discussed on TV screens. This should never have been allowed to happen.
Our system has instrumentalities where such issues can be discussed in camera, away from public gaze. The Cabinet Committee on Security is presided over by the head of government. The other members are the Ministers of Defence, Finance, Home and External Affairs. From personal experience I know that the security committee meets frequently. When necessary, the Army, the Air Force and the Navy Chiefs are asked to attend. They have their say. They receive their instructions and carry them out. These discussions deal with the most sensitive security concerns. The committee has more pressing topics to deliberate on than the age of a particular individual.
The General's age problem should have been sorted out at the departmental level and promptly. Twice born the Army Chief may be but he should not resort to sustained logorrhoea. What a terrible example to set. Over a million officers and soldiers look up to their chief. At this time they must be asking themselves: “Is this really happening. Do we deserve this?” His age is not a national issue. The security of India is. The age farce was taken to the Supreme Court. Another example of gross disregard for the well established norms and tradition. He was emboldened because he was not restrained. At this stage the Prime Minister should have put his foot down. The chain of command is clear. The Defence Minister decides, the chief obeys. It's that clear cut. There are no grey areas. The chief should have gone to a military court of inquiry instead of the CBI.
Much has been said and written about vehicles — the Tatra from the Czech Republic. These are exiguous details. What is not trivial is the conduct of the chief after he was allegedly offered a bribe. The figure is of no consequence. It could be one crore or 14. A bribe is a bribe. The Defence Minister should not have fumbled but acted and taken drastic action against the culprit.
The Chief of Army cannot be faulted for bringing to the notice of the Prime Minister the state of our army and air force. These are ill-equipped and probably not battle worthy. His top secret letter became public property. Who leaked it and why? This is not a snakes and ladders game. We are talking about the security of India. Not a children's game. Another worrying aspect of this episode is that of serving officers giving chits of good conduct to the chief. It reminds me of junior ministers saying in public that the Prime Minister is doing a good job. If the “Air Defence” is 97 per cent non-functional, when did the chief come to know of it? Did he bring this shortfall to the notice of the Defence Minister? If so, what was his response? If not, then why not? The country is entitled to know.
On leading and inspiring
Our Defence Minister, Saint Antony, is a good and honest man. He is, alas, in the wrong job. The Defence Minister should lead, guide, encourage and inspire. Being the benign and decent man he is, he will agree that he does not do so. His performance as Defence Minister is causing serious concern.
The Supreme Court showed the mirror to the General. That is when he should have put in his papers. That would have been honourable. He keeps repeating that his honour and integrity are at stake. As far as one can gather, not one person has questioned his integrity or his honour. His valour is praiseworthy. What is in question is his judgment. Why did he get “too startled” when the bribe was offered? Brave men and brave generals are expected not to lose their cool at any time.
This entirely avoidable high-level bickering must inevitably be discussed in every regimental mess. This is not a happy situation.
How is this unholy mess to be cleaned up? Not via slow motion. Neither side has come out with glory. This directionless drift must stop. Enough damage has been inflicted on the morale of the defence forces.
Our Pakistani friends must be running to their cantonments in glee. Even our friends around the world must be worrying at this sorry state of affairs.
During the Korean war, 1950-1953, President Harry S. Truman dismissed the five-star General Douglas MacArthur for disregarding his instructions to not cross the Yalu river. MacArthur was perhaps the greatest American general of the 20th century. Truman did not let him flout his authority and get away with his high-handedness
The Prime Minister has three options. Immediate damage control. Ask the Chief of the Army Staff not to go to the media. And request the Defence Minister to be more alert and assertive.
(The author was External Affairs Minister from 2004 to 2005.)
Keywords: Army Chief bribery charge, defence purchases, Ministry of Defence, date of birth issue, UPA
What an embarrassment for India. How come the General in all his
long and illustrious career wait till retirement time to bring
forth the issue of his birth-date. Surely, he had plenty of time
to have confirmed his birth-date with the army record department.
I am certain that birth certificates were issued universally in
India circa 1950.
To have brought forth this issue into the public area is
treasonous. The man should face a court-martial, found guilty and
be cashiered of the army. No ranker would be audacious enough to
behave like this officer is doing.
India is a democracy. The armed forces are subordinate to their
civilian masters the duly elected representatives of the
citizenry. The Indian armed forces are peopled by volunteers not
conscripts. There is no compulsion. It is their choice to do and
die and not to reason why.
Fine analysis and equally fantastic expressive cartoon. It is by now common knowledge that MMS does not have in him to do 'Immediate damage control'. Unfortunately he is an honest man among the den of thieves and hence his procrastinating on areas requiring immediate thrust should surprise none. Academics like MMS will never be smooth talking devious political artist. "Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car".
come to our mind!!
It is nice to see Mr.Natwar Singh thought it fit to write this article.To be brave to face issues one must have the Moral Courage
and the Courage of Conviction.Both these are absent in the present
dispensation.What can you talk about a Prime Minister who does not
see it necessary to have a regular meetings with the Chiefs of the
different branches of the service.Mr.Singh must know the precedents.
Panditji started-belatedly-after the Chinese incursion.Late Shri.Shastri did meet the Chiefs.Smt.Gandhi had close contacts with
them.Shri.Vajpayee had regular meetings.Why one should doubt the
urrent C.o.A.S when he started his innings objecting to the blanket ordering of trucks.The Chief IS within his Rights and
Responsibility to have appraised the P.M of the state of the Affairs in the Army.All forget that he did this with first writing to the Defence Minister.D.M did the correct thing by refusing to
"SACK"the General.
As we see in all the cases how our honorable prime minister stays
dumb and like a tape recorder utters the words of someone else(all
knows). Now it's time of taking some action and negotiating the
issues before the situation will get worse. Its all about the
reputation of our country ,our armed forces and our security.Its not
appreciable that these kind of things are raised during the BRICS
summit.But issues raised by army chief is very sensible and it can
not be tolerate.It's the duty of the government to available the
all resources to army so that it will stand in front of worlds' best
forces.But take care of leaking valuable information as this time
happen it should not be done in future.This type of incidents affects the morale of the soldier and faith of civilian.
This type of cynical & close minded editorial can be written by a
politician only
We require leaders not mere spectators. Mr Anthony said he asked army chief to act. When Army chief did not act, he just left it like that as if this is small. Similar is the case with our proffesor Mr Manmohan Singh. He just wrote to Raja on 2G and when Raja replied all is well, He just kept quiet. Both these individuals are clean. Fine. They qualify for being proffessors in a college and not for leading the country. A leader will not allow wrong things to happen when he knows it. We have to bear these people for another 2 years
... Yes ,Truman dismissed His Famous general !! Yes ,it was lauded by well informed Americans !! MMS is no Truman ! Had he been ,I am sorry to say that he would not have allowed flood gates mega scams to flow causing huge loss to exchequer , mute where he shouldn't have been ,tolerate corruption for coalition compulsions ,controlled by self-seeking CMs and finally inactive in matters concerning the country's Honor & Territorial Integrity ! Antony may be Saint !! We don't want saints . They should be confined to religious mutts or churches and not allowed to oversee the fast decaying military fire power !!
Civilian authority should always over power the military chief. We do not want a military rule for our great democracy. Antony is a good and honest human being and he is suitable for the current position. Some of the political parties tried to gain mileage out of the age-row frustration of the army chief. That's what actually happened in this case.
Really it was an unfortunate situation and unprecedented. The spat between Defence Minister and Army Chief can be avoided as it expresses wrong messages to common people.
Excellent article.there is nothing worse than inaction.may be the prime minister has to put his foot down in this issue.
Let's not discuss on what are the qualifications required to become a defence minister or an army general. The current incumbents are by far qualified and that is why they are in that position. I agree that the series of events that have unfolded surrounding the army general are alarming, India's defence preparedness in general and the age controversy in particular. But i would want to know why - as have many media and news papers argued - it was allowed to go as a free for all news, where every Tom, Dick and Harry was allowed to comment on India's defence position which is solely the prerogative of the government and armed forces. The media instead of sensationalizing this issue could have proactively debated on how best the future course be taken. Yes, there is definitely a difference between sensible debate and sensational debate. Having said that the army general and the defence minsiter are not bigger than the security of the Indian state. The article's conclusion are sensible.
Without any intention to demean Dr. Manmohan Singh, he had proved to be
good as one of the Ministers under a dynamic Prime Minister. The
political party and its MPs have put him in an awkward situation by
making him to play a role for which he is not at all fit. It is similar
to entrusting a Maruti 800 driver to drive a heavy truck with load in a
most congested and indisciplined traffic. We do not entrust the right
person with right job but keep on ridiculing him. It is high time Indian
voters become matured.
It is often said that Mr Antony is a very simple man and not corrupt in his entire political carier . This just does not make him a good minister .Defence ministers and - for that matter any minister in the central government - at least should command the respect of all colleagues , parliamentarians, babus , military people from the chief of army , air force , and navi and other allied forces to last grade Jawans , public and foreign counterparts etc . He should be a strong personality and very
assertive in communicating and taking actions . Whatever Mr .Antony speaks in parliament or press conferances is not audible even to himself nor many understand what he says . His communication skill is zero to say the least . He may be a good minister at state level but 100 % unfit to be a union minister leave aside Defence minister . The same is the current Prime minister who delivers speeches as if he is a doll or statue uttering speeches . The current PM has lost the grip long ago on the administration , and over every one on whom he is supposed to have a sort of control . In many instances , he does not even seems to know what his other ministers are doing and sits in parliament dumb . For any Indian, He neither acts nor reacts . A PM should not only be a strong and assertive physically and mentally but seems to be so . It is high time both PM and defence minister resign their posts along with the Chief of army staff .
Yes the army reports to civilian leadership. But it is they who give their lives for our country in
need. Politicians merely sit in delhi and serve rhetoric comments. So when the army chief
goes public, don't insult his intelligence. He knows the chain of command and wht it means
better than us,(including the author here). And as for our PM, I will not waste words on the
respected man. So mr Singh, face it , we civilians have played around with enough lives in
the army... Listen to wht they have to say. We all know the efficiencies of the committees.
Boforce, left hand driven n tatra.... Etc etc need I say more?
It is no good claiming the the "largest democracy" crown while
fearing the media discussion.People are entitled to know.
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