THE ROT IN THE INDIAN ARMY -PART TWO
In Part One, I had brought out the extent, ramifications and fangs of the cancerous rot in the army and its dangers to Indian nation. In this part, I would highlight its dimensions and manifestations with emphasis on how and when the rot started.
"----------Indian army functions in 'NO WAR-NO PEACE' environs-----No war for the Generals and No Peace for the Soldiers-----Generals have enough time to indulge in merry -making and Soldiers have No time to attend to their basic needs. Soldiers are getting frustrated and Generals are getting compensated for their inaction. Army is today commanded by Contractors, Arms dealers and manipulative bureaucrats---Generals have abdicated Generalship to them-----We sure have a rising storm of corruption--------"---------- My answer to a collegue during our discussion on "What ails the Indian Army", some 15 years back.
Let me, at the outset only, clarify that corruption in the army, as anywhere else, is incurable and cancerous because of a wrong treatment to eradicate it. Corruption is sustained because of its 'Top-Down' growth but 'Bottom-Top' approach to treat it. Unless one batters the head of a snake, it won't be killed; so is corruption. For too long, army had been sweeping under the carpet the misdeeds of her GENERALS. It is this serpentine head which General VK Singh had set upon to severe and hammer down, little realising that its head had a protective shield of its snake-charmer's box and its poisonous fangs were too strong for his guarded strike.
Many years back, almost 30 years, I had read CRISIS IN COMMAND by Richard Gabriel and Paul Savage, profiling the US army after Vietnam fiasco. The duo had identified the ills that had afflicted US army,then. I am constrained to point out that Indian army today is in the same boat, though the scenario might be different. All the votaries of HOLY COW image of ARMY or 'OUR GLORIOUS ARMY' must get out of their enchanted slumber and stem the rot.
It is truism that no subordinate can resort to corruption unless the boss was himself corrupt. We hear of cases in the civil walk of life where regular shares of 'hush- money' are distributed from top to bottom. Similarly, corruption has been institutionalized in the army and it runs exactly on the same pattern as in the civil walk of life. All the threads of this institutionalized corruption lead to Generalship of Indian Army. It varies from sale of liquor and CSD stores to foreign postings, courses and promotions. It is sad but true that Generals of the Indian army now-a-days face court martial and disciplinary action as never before.
Let it be absolutely clear to us that GENERALSHIP of the Indian army was no more an edifice of sanctity. Therefore, as ‘Generalship’ has gone astray, corruption has become a revered phenomenon in our so called ‘Glorious Army.’ There is no point ordering court martial of NCOs, JCOs, Majors and Colonels for acts of omission and commission. Army suffers from the ‘Top-down’ effect of this phenomenon. It is due to this that our army’s name has been muddied and we have lost credibility in the civil street. Yes, the ‘Generalship’ of the Indian army has lost its moorings of moral ascendency over their subordinates, thus loosening its own grip over the rank and file of the army. The ‘Generalship’ is disoriented and self centered. How else do you expect them to get involved in selling truck loads of canteen stores and liquor? How else do you see them hobnobbing with contractors and businessmen?
'Tehlka- expose' provided a glimpse of the rut that had set in the army. But no corrective actions were taken. The trouble with army’s remedial therapy is its lopsided focus. Instead of eradication of the disease, it lays emphasis on the treatment of a patient. How could it be possible when those who have to take action are themselves not worthy of holding such high ranks? The corruption in the higher ranks is deep and all pervasive. And every time a case is highlighted, there is an attempt to sweep the case under the carpet by allowing GENERALS to retire.It is this tendency to dither and sweep cases of corruption by very senior officers under the carpet that honesty has become a rare virtue in the army.
Read the complete article @ http://creative.sulekha.com/the-rot-in-the-indian-army-part-two_556521_blog
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