Jai Hind.
It is sad for Military Veterans like me in India, who fought the 1971 War in the Eastern Theatre, culminating in the surrender of Lt Gen AAK Niazi, the C-in-C of the Pakistan Armed Forces in then East Pakistan alongwith 93000 Pakistani troops; and liberation of Bangladesh; to see the ouster of Sheik Hasina, the PM and her party, the Awami league; and to watch on the TV Bangabandhu Sheik Mujibur Rahman’s Statue being broken & vandalised.
Is it to see this day, that the Soldiers of the Indian Army, Navy & Air Force had shed their blood & sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Bangladesh?
*There is no doubt, Sheik Hasina, over the years had become autocratic & intolerant; and it is her indulging in enacting anti-people policies, like the present reservation policy, that have led to her downfall & disgrace*.
I believe that in a Democracy, the Armed Forces have a definitive role to play in ensuring ‘good governance’ and the welfare & well-being of the Nation. *That does NOT mean taking over the Country and rule the Country; for no Country in this World has ever prospered under Army Rule*.
*It would be a sad day for any Country when its Army takes over the Country; for, ruling the Country is NOT the Army’s job*. There will always be euphoria when the Army takes over the Country; but believe me, it will be short-lived; for soon, the Army too would become equally corrupt; and thus the Army would soon lose the love, affection & respect of the people; and become a ‘hated Army’.
*It is imperative that the CDS & the three Service Chiefs form part of not only the National Defence & Security Committee headed by the Prime Minister; but also form part of the highest Policy Planning Committee/Body of the Nation; for, the CDS & the three Chiefs have a stake in ‘good governance’ and the welfare & well-being of the Nation*.
For the CDS & the three Chiefs to render balanced & mature advice to the PM and his Council of Ministers on matters of National Defence & Security; it is imperative that the Govt does NOT play politics with the Armed Forces or play favourites by way of appointing Army Commanders (and their equivalents in the Navy & Air Force) as Chiefs by superseding their seniors; for, in doing so, they would have only ‘poodles’ as Chiefs, to detriment of National Defence & Security.
*In India’s context*, one often hears that Democracy in India rests on three pillars, viz. the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. Well, even if one of the three pillars fail, Democracy in India would cave in and the whole edifice of Democracy would come down crashing. The fact that it has not happened, but on the contrary, Democracy in India is vibrant & thriving, despite all its ills, it is because there is yet one more pillar which is holding Indian Democracy aloft. *And that is the central pillar, the strongest pillar of them all, the Armed Forces of this Country*, which stands guard 24x7x365, ie. year after year, decade after decade, safeguarding our far flung borders in most inhospitable terrain. If not for the devotion, dedication & valour of the Officers & Jawans of the Indian Army, India would have lost Kashmir, long ago. This is borne out by the fact by the number of Officers & Jawans getting killed in the line of duty, every now & then in J&K, fighting Pakistan trained terrorists. Would anyone like to dispute that?
*Reverting to the happenings in Bangladesh*, there is an Armed Forces Division (AFD) headed by a senior Lt Gen as part of the PMO, which advises the PM on all matters of National Defence & Security.
I wish the CDS, the three Chiefs of the Armed Forces and the PSO AFD, Bangladesh, in the interest of Bangladesh had advised/warned/cautioned Sheik Hasina, the now deposed PM of Bangladesh, regarding the ruinous path/policies being pursued by her; instead of allowing things to drift, resulting in loss of 300 innocent lives over the period of last one month.
*Going by what one hears, the likely formation of a coalition Govt by the Jamaat-e-Islami, the BNP and the Jatiyo Party does not bode well for India; for, all three of them are not only rabid anti-India, but are Pro-Pakistan & Pro-China, thus queering the pitch for India’s foreign policy and our Security concerns*.
Regards,
Rajan
colonelrajan44@gmail.com
Bangalore, 9449043770