Shreya Kedia
Had seniority been the only criterion, what was the need for a list of Generals to be prepared?
With General Bipin Rawat taking over as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), one hopes that the criticism over his appointment will come to an end. It does not merit anyone to continue questioning the appointment of a senior personnel in the Armed Forces.
The decision of the Government to break away from the seniority chain, to make the appointment of COAS on the basis of present-day requirements, besides merit, sparked a controversy, with the Opposition, especially the Congress, and also some Army purists, making a hue and cry not only about the supersession of the two Generals whom then Lieutenant General Rawat went over, but also making a fuss about the implications this appointment would have on the strategic management of the Armed Forces. Some even attributed the appointment to the General’s ‘proximity’ to the Centre for his current posting or the continuation of the Infantry’s grip over top positions in the Army.
On fails to understand what the problem really was. Critics said that the Modi Government appointed Gen Rawat through supersession. Yes, that’s true and the Government has already accepted it. They added that Gen Rawat superseded two senior officers — Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi and Lt Gen PM Hariz. This too is true. The Government accepted it. Critics said that the two senior officers who were superseded had merit and impeccable credentials. The Government has acknowledged this too. What is the fuss about, then?
On its part, the Government made it clear that it had the prerogative of choosing from the list of names it received. Can the Opposition deny this? The Government said that Gen Rawat was an excellent officer. Can the critics challenge it? The Centre has only exercised its prerogative.
Why is the Congress opposed to it? The entire controversy was raked up by the because it wanted an issue. While fishing for matters it picked up, unfortunately, on a subject concerning the Armed Forces. The Congress has been clutching at straws ever since it was voted out of power. The anguish and condemnation on the part of Opposition came along expected lines.
Moreover, in any hierarchical set-up, be it the judiciary or the bureaucracy or Government offices and even the Armed Forces, succession is based on twin planks — seniority and merit. Yes, of course, seniority is the essence of civil-military relationship, and is also an age-old convention that has generally been followed in our country and is also practised in other countries across the globe; but it is not the only determinant. Had seniority been the only criterion, what was the need to prepare a list of Generals under consideration to be appointed?
With the selection, the Modi Government has made it clear that when it comes to the contemporary requirements of the nation, there can be no compromise. In this respect, the country needs requisite skills apart from seniority, with appropriate experience. This is not to suggest that the other two Generals were not competent enough. Each of the Generals is meritorious in his own way and there is little to differentiate between them.
There’s just a thin line of differentiation. It’s that Lt Gen Rawat scored the best among other Generals to deal with the situation at hand. He has enormous experience in high altitude warfare and counter-insurgency operations. He commanded an Infantry Battalion along the Line of Actual Control in the eastern sector, a five sector Rashtriya Rifles, and 19 Infantry Division in the Kashmir Valley. As a Brigadier, he commanded a multinational brigade in the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He served at both the Line of Control and the Line of Actual Control.
His experience gains importance in light of the many challenges of terrorism and insurgency from across the border — from Pakistan largely, for now. India needs an Army chief who can deal with these situations effectively. The Armed Forces are protectors of the nation and play a commendable role when natural calamities strike. Political parties would do well to stop milking personal benefits out of this appointment to wax their sagging image, and back Gen Rawat.
No comments:
Post a Comment