An interesting and incisive comparison between two land forces. But who cares? We (Defence Forces) are victims of our own doing. Ever since this down-grading started, we have mutely accepted our position without anyone from the top leadership ever raising an objection. For all the sterling qualities attributed to our senior officers, they are all weak kneed when it comes to exercising our right and confronting the politicians and babus. For all their smart uniform, expanded chest, broad shoulders and twirling moustache the military leadership inside is hollow and chicken hearted. Psychologically too, we are taught right from the time we enter academy till we retire to be subservient to anyone who is ‘senior’ or is authorised to give ‘orders’. We learn to be sheep, always following a shepherd or being hounded by a herding dog. We need not discuss a different point of view because it will be termed as ‘argument’ and reflected in the ACR. To prevent your chicken from being cooked, we keep saying ‘yes Sir’ even to the most silly orders and doing silly things. This psychological impact lasts us the whole tenure in uniform. At no time an officer is himself while in uniform … he is artificial, hollow, subservient, incapable of defying decisions (those who do, get bravery awards) and all the time used to taking orders. And because we surrender our freedom of speech and come under Army Act, we become totally incapable of standing up to rubbish even when we reach the highest rank. That’s the folly responsible for our relegation to the status of nincompoops. If we do not correct ourselves, time will not be far when soldiers in India will be asked to sweep the streets of Delhi, clean the houses of politicians, babus, IGs and DIGs of police, when sweepers go on strike.

I keep wondering why our serving Generals can’t give their opinion on burning political and social issues? Should Defence Forces not be instrumental in making course corrections when the country is being steered to damnation? Are we exhibiting our bravery seeing the tamasha being enacted before us? All such questions that arise in my mind get one answer: Fault is not with our stars, but that we are underlings (the Bard said something like that).

My loyalty to the forces prevents me from sharing such thoughts with anyone other than a fellow soldier.

Thank you, General, for stirring my blood.

Ram Gulrajani.

A nice read..thank you Sir

I am fully with you but does anyone care?