The Veterans' Remembrance Day 2015 was commemorated at Panchkula on
Saturday, December 5, 2015, on the occasion of the Vijay Divas, the 44th
Anniversary of the heroic victory of Indian Arms over Pakistan in 1971 under
the aegis of the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM), Panchkula Branch. A
lecture was organized for the veterans, and intellectuals of the Tricity
(Mohali-Chandigarh-Panchkula) on the theme "Politics and The British Army"
by Prof. Sir Hew Strachan, FRSE, Hon. D. Univ. of Paisley, currently Prof.
of International Relations at The St Andrews Univ. Scotland, United Kingdom
(U.K.), and author of an acclaimed book "The Politics of the British Army
(1997)". Sir Strachan was awarded the 1998 Westminster Medal for military
literature by the Royal United Service Institute (RUSI).
Prof. Strachan contended that while British Army believes it is apolitical
"if professional interests are at stake, the Army is collectively disposed
to behave politically in defence of those interests and in the furtherance
of the Army's needs." That is not to say that soldiers are identifiable in
terms of political party loyalties. He further stated that if the Army
persists in stating it is apolitical, and acts in accordance with that
belief, then it is in danger of castrating itself. The army must be fully
integrated into the State and must be able to actively and openly debate the
important issues facing it. Sir Hew Strachan's thinking makes conventional
Indian thinking stand on its head where even utterance of the word
"Politics" is an abomination to the defence fraternity. It is remarkable
that Hew Strachan was honoured by the RUSI, an institute supported by the
British Govt. and the military.
The world has moved on. The British military have found a politic way of
navigating the political minefield of its democratic polity. The continuing
OROP agitation by Indian veterans, now over 170 days is a fire bell in the
dead of the night. It is a serious breakdown of political communication
between important organs of the polity. Possibly, the Indian politicians,
more so, the defence brotherhood have to relearn a few tricks from the
British to work the polity without excessive dissonance like the present
gridlock. Change had better be on its way!
About 250 veterans and ladies attended the distinguished lecture and later
shared in the community meal. Local media were present in good numbers.
Selected press cuttings would be mailed separately.
No comments:
Post a Comment