JAWS OF TERROR

Mumbai has been pulled out of the jaws of terror. For this we have to thank only our men in uniform. What an awe-inspiring job they did in the last three days in the face of such extreme danger and odds—each one of them: the NSG, the MARCOS, the Army commandoes and even the Maharashtra police. But, my head hung in shame when after 36 hours of battling at the Nariman House I saw them board dilapidated state transport (BEST) buses. Is this how we treat our heroes? Is this the kind of logistic support we can provide them? Even a three-tonner would have been more respectful. Why was there no one from the civil administration to at least provide them with some very basic refreshments? Is this how super specialized commandoes who put their life on line get treated?

This country does not deserve its soldiers. More so, the politicians and bureaucrats, who first create these horribly, complicated situations because of their callous, incompetent and corrupt behaviour; and then push these brave men to do or die. It is, of course, to the credit of our forces that they never let the nation or its people down; be it the war in Kargil, natural calamities or man-made disasters like pulling a child out of a bore-well.

But, in the last 30-40 years, successive governments have undermined the prestige and position of our men in uniform. It was to the credit of Indira Gandhi who had so substantially increased the defense budget for both men and material, that the salaries and perks of soldiers had risen several fold. Perhaps, that was one of the reasons for our emphatic victory in the 71 war. Not that our soldiers would have let us down without it, but a happy and motivated force is a much more lethal power to reckon with than a demoralized one. In 1962, when the Chinese attacked us our soldiers didn’t even have woolen socks (forget high-altitude gear) in sub zero degree temperatures. More men died of cold and frost bite than perhaps bullets.

It is not enough to salute them, shout slogans and sing platitudes when they pull us out of some terrible disaster. We have to thank them and show our gratitude in tangible terms- both monetary and in kind. I was shocked to hear Arnab Goswami mention on his channel TimesNow that some bureaucrats had actually questioned and resented the 2 dozen eggs the soldiers got as monthly rations.

Even the recent controversy over the three service chiefs hesitating to implement the sixth pay commission in its current form has raised the hackles of our babus in South Block. One should stop as a nation and ask ourselves what has driven the top brass in the three services to take such a stance? I think it is for the first time in post independent India that the chiefs have refused to accept the diktats of their political masters in issues relating to their men without their being involved. It shows their level of frustration, anguish and humiliation at being treated as a second class service. The people of this country would like to see them get equal if not higher pay than their civilian counter parts of the same rank.
Whenever, our men in uniform die in action or get injured the political masters that may be rush to announce rewards, gas agencies, petrol pumps etc, and then the moment the dust settles on their graves make their families, parents wives run from pillar to post, adding insult to injury.

The country wants its political leadership, both in government and opposition, to set aside their partisanship, and for once give their soldiers their due and show more respect to their standing. In today’s, troubled times, when we keep calling upon them not just for external dangers but also internal ones, let us not shed crocodile tears but offer real rewards. And please, please, Mr. Modi and Mr. Advani don’t come when a city is battling terror to score brownie points, when you can very well wait for the operation to finish. Our soldiers our not beggars, don’t announce one crore compensation like alms.