Making a career in armed forces attractive
U.C. JHA
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A government that ignores the rights of its soldiers may find it difficult to recruit and retain them
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THE REJECTION of the defence forces nominee in the Sixth Pay Commission may not be a surprise to many (The Hindu, May 23). In India, the status of the defence forces personnel, whether serving or retired, has eroded over the years. Today, the armed forces are remembered only during natural calamities or when someone like Prince has to be taken out of a bore-well pit.
The pay commissions have succeeded in making a career in the armed forces so unattractive that we now have a shortage of 14,000 officers. The Fifth Pay Commission ignored the hardship of a career in the armed forces and did not compensate armed forces personnel adequately for a truncated career. It lavished all the benefits on the IAS and caused a near-mutiny in the Air Force and great discontent in the Army.
There are a few other important issues which have been disregarded by successive governments.
Chief of Defence Staff: Much like the earlier NDA regime, the UPA government seems to be in no mood to create the post of the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) — India's General No. 1. The creation of this post is seen as most crucial for reforming the national security system. Modern forces need to synergize and work jointly. The need for a CDS is compounded by the fact that we are a nuclear power.
The CDS would provide a single-point source of military advice, and resolve inter-service planning, policy and operational issues. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence (2004-05), in its second report, recommended that keeping in view the security scenario of the country, there was an imperative need to create the post of CDS to enhance the effectiveness of the planning process.
A decision on this recommendation continues to hang fire due to inter-service and bureaucratic wrangling. Also, perhaps some do not want a uniformed person to rival the position of Cabinet Secretary.
Armed forces tribunal: The review of military laws and establishment of an armed forces tribunal are other important issues being neglected. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, perhaps for the first time, made a critical analysis of military legislation and came up with certain recommendations with regard to the Armed Forces Tribunal Bill, 2005.
It stated that the law should be strict enough to enforce discipline, but at the same time should not be so oppressive as to have a demoralising effect on the soldier. The committee wanted the service Acts to be reviewed on an urgent basis so that a revised common Act could be in place before the establishment of the armed forces tribunal. These recommendations, contained in the Tenth Report of the Committee, were submitted to Parliament on May 23, 2006. Even after a lapse of one year, nothing has been heard about the matter.
War memorial: The government's attitude to the construction of a national war memorial and a national war museum in Delhi has been lackadaisical.
The Standing Committee on Defence (14th Lok Sabha), in its first report, had noted that no progress had been made in this regard despite repeated recommendations. It was surprised that though the matter had been vigorously pursued at the ministerial level, no site had been indicated/allocated by the Ministry of Urban Development for the purpose.
The Committee expressed its displeasure and recommended that a high-level inter-ministerial committee identify a suitable site for the construction of these projects. The government is yet to identify such a site.
Pension: There has been a persistent demand for `one-rank-one-pension' from organisations of ex-servicemen at different fora. The demand was considered but not recommended by the Fourth and the Fifth Central Pay Commissions.
The armed forces are an integral part of a democratic state. Their role is not merely to defend the state and its citizens against internal and external threats, but also to protect and uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms on which democratic societies are based.
The morale and discipline of the armed forces are enhanced when the troops understand that they are being treated with dignity, fairness and equality under the law. A government which ignores the rights of its soldiers may find it difficult to recruit and retain them.
ucjha1@rediffmail.com
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