by Biranchi Narayan Acharya

A letter written by around 150 armed forces veterans to the President of India on politicisation of Indian Army (and other forces) by UP CM Yogi Adityanath has created a lot of controversy. Questions arose whether the Army or the defence forces should be politicised or not. Before discussing this controversial letter, let us briefly discuss on Army/defence forces and politics.

A letter written by around 150 armed forces veterans to the President of India on politicisation of Indian Army (and other forces) by UP CM Yogi Adityanath has created a lot of controversy. Questions arose whether the Army or the defence forces should be politicised or not. Before discussing this controversial letter, let us briefly discuss on Army/defence forces and politics.

In a functioning democracy defence forces however capable, work under the civilian government. To display valour, the Army's efficiency and capability alone doesn't matter. Political decisiveness also plays an important and decisive role. For example, the Indian Army won the 1971 Indo-Pak war decisively. No one can deny the Army's heroics. But then, without political decisiveness displayed by the then PM Indira Gandhi, India neither could have gone to war nor could have defeated Pakistan.

In the 1999 Kargil war, the Indian Army could have won against Pakistan by crossing the LoC. But political decision by the erstwhile Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was that the Army shouldn't cross the LoC. Thus, the Indian Army won the Kargil war but suffered immense causalities. While I don't blame Vajpayee for that decision I also don't endorse it considering the prevailing international diplomacy. In fact, we ordinary people are really not qualified to debate such political decisions.

Similarly, in 2008, post 26/11 a proposal was presented to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for conducting airstrikes inside Pakistan, which he didn't agree on. I don't blame Manmohan Singh also because his decision might have been influenced by international diplomacy.

Thus, there are two parts in a war, proxy war or even surgical strikes. One is capability of the defence forces and another is political decisiveness of the leader of the country that is the Prime minister of India. Thus, the credit is equally shared. Defence forces for valour and the Prime Minister for the political decision. That's why if the BJP claims credit for the surgical strike due to political decisiveness of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then there's nothing wrong in it.

However, one shouldn't cross the limits. Yogi Adityanath's remark of 'Modi's Sena' was very ugly, disgraceful and anti-democratic. The Indian defence force can't be a private army of any Individual. This is utter disrespect to the Indian defence forces. In any case the supreme Commander of India is President and the President in fact orders the defence forces taking suggestion from Prime minister led council of ministers.

Thus EC rightly took action against Yogi Adityanath for such distasteful reference and warned him. But the alleged letter from the so-called 150 defence veterans is also inappropriate. Many so-called signatories have denied having knowledge about any such letter and said that they didn't sign it. Thus, their signatures have been forged and the letter, fake. However, some of the signatories said that they know about the letter and had voluntarily signed it. On the other hand, the office of President has said that they haven't received any such letter.

Now question to the perpetrator of that letter is what its purpose is! If they are hurt with politicisation of the defence forces, why they are publicising the letter through social media? If they were hurt, they could have sent such a letter silently to the President of India and ECI. Doesn't it sound that a group of veterans is intentionally politicising Yogi's undue term?

Other evidences also prove that this particular letter is being spread with vested political interest. Let me give examples. When Congress MP said that the 'Army Chief' is a street-goon, where these groups were? When opposition political parties questioned the success of Indian Army over surgical strike or the IAF over Balakot air strike, why none of this groups write such letters. Has the letter been written because the elections are going on?

Indian defence forces shouldn't be politicised by anybody including a section of defence veterans too. Indian public is not a fool. Thus, neither the politicians nor some politically inclined defence veterans can fool the public. Better is to refrain from such misadventures for the sanctity of the Indian forces. ECI should have barred Yogi Adityanath from campaigning at the same time should have warned such veterans against playing political games involving Indian defence forces.