When an army chief gets cross
there is nothing much you can do, as the Indians are learning the
hard way. In neighbouring Pakistan
If in the chaotic and non
decisive India
no one seems to know what to do, it’s because the saga of the Army General B K
Singh, who is about to retire is a complex one.
First there was this issue
regarding his real age arising out of two different dates entered in the
military records. Unbelievable it is, no one really knew or could decide how
old the commander of the vast army protecting 1.3 billion Indians was until the
Supreme Court turned down a case he filed against the government.
The row which did go on for the
better part of last year between the General and the government which ended up
in court and in a serious loss of face for both parties, gave the general
impression that India
Then there was this ‘bomb’
of a bribe of $3.5 Million the general was offered by another retired general
for favouring purchase of substandard trucks for the military. Totally out of
expected conduct of an army chief, Mr Singh revealed the offer for the bribe to
a national daily which promptly chose to publish it without blinking an eye.
This caused great shock inside
and outside the country and an uproar and commotion in the parliament which
demanded explanation as to why no action was taken by the general or the
defence minister to whom the matter was promptly reported.
But what has happened today, by
the leak of an official letter the general had written to the Prime Minister
listing the pathetic state of lack of modern equipment and vulnerability of
Indian defences has created unprecedented political upheaval and expression of
anguish and strong demand for sacking of the general.
However, the Indian government,
which is playing hosts to a meeting of the BRICS
will be greatly embarrassed to take any action against the general right away.
Even though all three events look
to be related and involving General Singh, the reality is stemming from the
fall out from the 2G scam the Indians political parties chose to politicize out
of proportion for partisan gains, resulting in total inaction by the government
machinery, especially in the ministry of defence, which is wary of accusation
of corruption.
After all General B K Singh may
be doing the country a great service in bringing home the realities of dealing
with defence budgets, expenditure, need for secrecy and integrity of human
beings, all mutually opposing factors in real life.
Indians, who generally think they
have nothing to learn from anyone else, have to learn the virtue of moderation
if they need to feel secure under the protection of a great army!
Article first published as What
Can a Billion People Do With a Frustrated Army Chief? on Technorati.