Pyrrhic victory no win at all

Lt Gen Raj Kadyan (retd)

Col IBRAHIM SINGH, commanding an infantry battalion, is holding an operational conference of his officers. He apprises them of the task that has been assigned to them by the higher-ups. He lays emphasis on the importance of the task and exhorts them to put in their best. When he comes to the inevitable ‘any questions?’ Major Lobo asks: ‘Sir, this task is assigned to us by the ruling Jateeya Suraksha Party. Men in my company do not support this party and I may not get their whole-hearted involvement.’  

Col IS: ‘Let us remember that our battalion is specially selected for this task and it is a matter of pride for us. You must convince them of our traditions.’

Major Lobo: ‘I personally agree with you, Sir. But if you recall just prior to the elections last year, our brigade commander had asked us to vote for the rival Pavitra Peoples’ Party. Unfortunately, they did not win and are now in the Opposition.’

Before Col IS could answer, Major Narjit Singh interjected: ‘Sir, why don’t they assign the task to our neighbouring battalion since their soldiers belong to the same state as the PM?’ 

Capt Mader chipped in: ‘Sir, my Subedar Sahib was saying that despite a promise made by his area MP, who is now a minister, no one from his district has been given the highest gallantry award.’

The above scenario is luckily imaginary, and hopefully also unthinkable. If the same is not a reality, it is not because some thoughtless remarks by our politician friends are not pushing us towards it.   

Elections are a testing time for politicians. Their sole mission and purpose becomes simply to win votes. Narrow parochial, divisive issues overtake national interest. Caste and religion become the reeds to lean on in the no-holds-barred campaign. Earlier, defence forces were kept out of the political fights. Now votes are openly sought in the name of soldiers and martyrs. Winning elections is the only guiding light; means do not matter.  

The Army is one institution that has remained unaffected by the many divisive trends that afflict our heterogeneous country. It is our last port of call for keeping the country safe and united, which it has done successfully. Its expertise and resources also get utilised during national needs, including calamities and disasters. These nation-building tasks the Army takes on willingly and these further endear the Army among the populace. 

Wisdom demands that we do not tinker with the Army’s culture and its ethos in any manner. Its loyalty should stay with the Constitution. The tendency on the part of some to use the Army to score brownie points in the political slugfest of elections needs to be strongly decried. Even if those politicians trying to ride on the shoulders of the Army are able to win, in the long run, that victory would prove pyrrhic. We would have paid a very heavy price.