Army's Deepening Crisis of Amorality

When I see the present state of our Army, I cannot but agree with Gen Baljit Singh who has highlighted the growing amorality within the Army [in the article reproduced below].  I have my own recollection of the days when the Army scrupulously stuck to its straight path ;  it was applauded by the public for it. But sadly those days appear to become part of our regimental histories. Perhaps the Army's record of  punishing the guilty is better than the civil services; but that is no consolation for any army.  Indian Army had always proudly set its own high standards and lived up to it. Is  it not time for the Army bosses look at themselves and set an example and clean up the scene before the stink hits the ceiling?

Army's Deepening Crisis of Amorality

By Lt Gen (Retd) Baljit Singh


Of late, the Indian Army’s proud image has been severely dented. The discerning Indians as well as the aam-admi is beginning to question whether those who lead the Indian Army are men of straw? A few years ago, a Maj General commanding an infantry Division pleaded guilty of misappropriating CSD liquor and was cashiered with seven years RI in a civil jail. About a year later, another Maj General was served a show-cause notice for acts of omission and commission while ironically he headed the Army’s Judicial Department. In 2009, the CBI filed a charge-sheet against yet another Maj General (since retired) and his spouse for possessing assets to the tune of 3.37 crores while in service, grossly disproportionate to their known incomes and family inheritances. In 2010 a General Court Martial cashiered a Lt Colonel and sentenced him to three years rigorous imprisonment for irregularities upward of ten crore. And now 30 officers are facing trial; surely a dubious record for any army. 

First takeaways from Delhi blast

By Col. R Hariharan

Terrorists have struck once again in Delhi taking the historical count of such attacks to more than a dozen. Apart from the tragic loss of lives of innocent public, the repeated terror attacks in Delhi have exposed the soft underbelly of India's fight against terrorism.

Unfortunately in our country one can almost predict the immediate response to terrorist attacks because it is so pedestrian - Prime Minister assures the nation terrorists would be brought to book, opposition leaders blame the government for its soft attitude to terrorism, media blames the police, and everyone calls it intelligence failure.

Lashkar terrorists struck Mumbai and went on a rampage on a fateful day - November 26, 2008 - many probably expected India to react like the U.S. did after 9/11 Al Qaeda attacks. But India is not the U.S.

Sri Lanka Perspectives - August 2011

By Col R Hariharan

Overview

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s announcement that the state of emergency in force in the island nation since 2005 would be allowed to lapse in September 2011 was the key development during the month of August. Sri Lanka government showed its mounting concern over erosion of its international image due to unrelenting international focus on its lack of accountability over human rights violations and alleged war crimes in the last stages of war.

In particular, the increasingly vocal expression of concerns by India and the U.S. showed that Sri Lanka would have to come up with concrete measures to convince the international community of its sincerity on tackling the subject. A strategy for doing this appears to be eluding Sri Lanka still. At the same time, Indian government is under tremendous pressure for proactive action on Tamil issues including the alleged Sri Lankan war crimes which were discussed in Indian parliament. This could further increase the international momentum building against Sri Lanka as the issue might figure in the meeting of the High Commission for Human Rights at Geneva in September 2011.