National Herald Wake Up : Armed forces Will Do What They Think FIT And Not Be Afraid Of Barking Dogs
By
Colonel Awadhesh Kumar, Veteran
People who posses fighting spirit will always act and the despicable will be there sitting on their haunches and criticize.
When the 14 Army British Indian Army had retreated from Burma during the World War 2 and somehow reached India, the first thing the Army Commander Ordered that all ranks will Shave at once. …many were shocked by this kind of order. The minds of the naysayers even HERALDed many incredulous thoughts.
However after the Shave, the reconstituted 14th Army in time turned DEFEAT INTO VICTORY.
So even if our Four Chiefs may not be in the category of Field Marshal Slim, they are acting, whatever it may be to boost up the morale of the Nation and the Armed Forces.
Since 1947 the humble common man has been boosting up the morale of the Armed Forces, so tgere is nothing wrong when our Armed Forces today show gratitude to those who are fighting the CORONA WAR on daily basis with whatever “ armour “ they possess.
Mr Herald Editor, no this act of our Armed Forces is not a Circus. Even if some motivated Veterans are against this kind of thing then one should ask them what Action Plan, they have to suggest ?
Soldiers have always been helping in the past in time of natural calamity. Even now Armed Forces in various countries have been mobilized and are engaged in helping health workers.
Presently in India Central Police Forces are engaged in helping the State Governments. armed Forces have also stepped in with air lifting and other logistical and medical help.
The ECHS, the Armed Forces counter part of CGHS scheme for retired civil government employees, manned nearly 80% by veterans of Armed Forces have remained open and functioning right from day one of the lock down to provide medical support, monthly and daily medicines to the retired fraternity and their dependents, numbering over 75 lacs, throughout India. Initially they worked without any protective gear and only much later have started receiving them. However this has not stopped them from helping their brethren’s in need.
The ECHS employees are just contractual workers and they could have just sat at home (yes Govt orders exist that their absence will be treated as being on duty) and could have has a busy time criticizing the Government. However they chose to reach ECHS on daily basis and work, unmindful of their own safety.
So dear correspondent of National Herald, please revisit your handful of veterans whom you have quoted as being angry and scornful at the Chiefs. Even some of these ungrateful must have visited Military Hospitals / ECHS during the lockdown period.
Armed Forces have acted and already set up make-shift isolation wards in every Station for the Serving personnel and their dependents. Prior to that they have put up such Isolation Wards at Bikaner, Manesar and other places—set up tent cities to quarantine people and even put up special, temporary hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients. Now if required they will help the State Governments in setting up such Isolation Centres in each and every district of India. …..yes they will do it if required as part of their duty.
Sunanda K Datta-Ray had rightly written in The Telegraph last month. Pointing out that China had sent 10,000 troops to Hubei province to assist civil authorities fight the coronavirus and the British Army had deployed 20,000 soldiers to assist the National Health Service in UK, he had suggested that it was time for the Indian Army to step in.
“The army can pitch tent and set up camps for stranded labourers. Military trucks and lorries can facilitate their repatriation. Experience of langars would enable kitchens to serve wholesome inexpensive food.
The military can even police slums that house 24 per cent of the population to ensure social-distancing and hygiene in general to avoid a second wave,” is what Datta-Ray wrote before concluding by saying, “Swords are not easily beaten into ploughshares. But reports suggest troops are laying aside their guns to help out peacefully also in Israel, France, Mexico and Switzerland.”
The services chiefs have therefore announced in New Delhi on Friday that Indian Air Force planes would fly past on Sunday from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat to salute the ‘corona warriors’.
Flower petals would be showered on select hospitals and army bands will play in almost every district. Indian Navy will light up its ships and naval helicopters will take off to shower petals on select hospitals on Sunday.
Amidst a tsunami of messages critical of our senior offrs there are some inner voices coming out.
Sending you one such message
Sir I fail to understand what’s wrong with a segment of faujis. Before joining fauj I was a civilian and after retirement I will be a civilian. I am proud to be an Indian first and civilian or fauji next.
Each and every individual paid for by the nation is an Indian and is a national asset. If we say we are fighting China and Pakistan in non kinetic grey zone war, we have to use our national assets together to fight and generate more unity like many countries do.
For the first time I am happy to see Armed Forces in support role instead of being centre stage.
Our nation and democratic strength is growing. Babus are being made to do what they are paid for. Look at the civil society- some are good and some are bad- same in faujis. Those who are playing their current role well are good, those who are criticising are not realists.
Krishna was the best, much better than Arjun but we know who fought and who guided. We can talk well and write well. We need to think well .
I am from a civil medical college. A mil band played in my Alma mater, I was not there yesterday. I got dozens of call and hundreds of messages praising the Armed Forces. This has had more impact than the Republic Day parade. People feel personally connected. Our critics are just masters of angrezi they have not practiced psychology despite talking of psychological warfare. These guys hv been and will remain paper tigers.
A band reaching out to public for a good cause is better than playing in the mess or a marriage.
Sir do pardon me if I hurt anyone but I genuinely feel happy how civilians and military is connecting at grassroots level. Difficult for our PSC, HC, LDMC and NDC to understand. They hv lost touch with people.
