GLORFICATION

GLORIFICATION

All uniformed services want to glorify themselves. The outside society is much misinformed about these services and harbor very high opinions. Image building is a must. After every war many movies come out. Not much is seen about World War I on films. After World War II, many action movies were released such as Pearl harbor, Battle of Bulge, Bridge on the river quoi and many more. The valor of the soldiers was highly glorified. In India too, many action movies were made glorifying army and the heroes. Pictures like Haqueekat ( Facts ), Ham Dono ( We too) were the movies with army back ground released many years ago. Then came recent action movies where young army officers are glorified by actions and patriotic fervor stuffed with love songs and some commercial and stupid nonsense that has become essential for box office success. Similarly police films are also made with a stubborn and honest police man. Most of them are IPS men or women who single handedly fights all goons and the political leadership in the country.Poor lower levl police officers and men are mostly ignored. The guy or woman with a 9 mm magazine pistol (browning) kills scores without reloading and never misses the mark.Some times they act with plastic toy pistols. The woman police officer kills all goons and single handedly fights scores of musclemen. Foolish Indians seek pleasures out of this mockery called Indian films. Then some of the film heroines displaying make up and lip stick start a political party with the image of a smashing IPS woman officer. In real life things are all different. Most of the police guys are busy in air conditioned offices and never seen outside. Some false image is built up in society although some are efficient. Nothing of that sort what we see in movies happens. In all these police movies political interference is highlighted and finally truth wins and it should be so. Either the police officer gets killed for honor or finally gets awards and promotions too not before getting injured to the point of death. What we do not see in real life is always depicted in movies as wishful thinking and some satisfaction is derived from these illusions and dreams. Army in India received raw deal from the beginning right after gaining independence. Till Chinese army hammered us black and blue, army was considered as a ceremonial army by the Nehru government as Poor Nehru imagined that Chinese and Indians were Bhai Bhai ( Brothers). With Pakistan he had no forward thinking for war. Gandhian non violence and Panch sheel ( Five principles) of peaceful co existence put a veil of curtain in front of Nehru’s eyes and many sycophants in his government must have advised that Army was a big waste for the country. Army was happy with swinging of hands and stamping feet for saluting at republic day parades and while giving guard of honors to the dignitaries. The Generals were happy if they were given audience by the State Governors when they visited state capitals. It was ceremonial army. Chinese attack opened eyes a bit. But it was too late. The prestige of army received a great jolt. Even today Indians are scared of Chinese army. Recent newspaper reports too spoke same thing. We say, “very good sir” for all Chinese dictums. Reducing army to a second grade profession was a systematic affair and was probably done with a plan. With every passing year the level of army chief was brought down. With it, the all officers were too pushed down the ladder. All Tom Dick and Harry were placed above army chief. It is democracy. This is inevitable and in future too will be pursued with vigor. We must tank our stars because every Police Chief in all States is of the rank of Lt Gen (Director General of Police.. They put on sword and baton and Crown) and carry three star plates. One will not be surprised if some government upgrades them to a General Rank. If that happens what can army do? Hope this will not be reality. It is probably only in India that army and civilian equations are being disputed and viciously discussed. No one is bothered in western nations. Army goes busy doing its job and the civilians go about their job. Should we draw not some lessons from the case of Gen Mac Arthur of Korean war fame? It was the civilian supremacy in a democracy ( True democracy). Many posts on the blogs (Pragmatic Euphony) reveal the aspect of risk in army that is not there in civil services. Can we then ask for Risk pay which is similar to service pay? Will army be happy if the risk pay is a fat amount equal to basic pay that should not be taxed? If every thing is taxed, army guys will in no way be benefited. It is like giving from left hand and then looting from right hand. The pay commission is a game of numbers. Army will never be given a very great pay hike by any Government as it will make civilians unhappy too. This is a vicious circle. As Kartik in blog said people should join army with an attitude of sacrifice and spiritual inclination. He points out that second rate stuff has already entered the services like Short services and Direct entry (SS and DE) and they should jolly well know that it is a second rate service and be contended. How about Techies? They are of no consequence as believed by many. They are after all mastries ( Repair men and other serving people in uniform). They are happy with seminars, modifications, courses, Technical pseudo papers, and some AVSMs and PVSMs apart from usual hand swinging and stamping feet. Any case, they will not command operational divisions. They can be easily neglected and set aside. But NDA guys will not keep quite. They are considered cream ( of over boiled milk) of the society at least outwardly. They are the guys rising to the ranks of Generals and command positions. They will be most unhappy.. Thus no one can make army ever happy. Some one said Army has to be kept busy or else they will have time to think. We may have to keep our borders busy and also take part in international commitments. It is better we join NATO (?) that can keep our army fully engaged. This will not be liked by many politicians. Communists will definitely shout at loud pitch against it. They will be against every thing in the world except Marx and Lenin ( Lenin has faded in his own land.. ). Real Communism has rather vanished and some pseudos are still hanging around for opportunistic politics. Outwardly Gandhian spirit lurks still behind although we have killed Gandhi in cold blood. Although we speak of non violence, our country has practiced and continues to practice more violence than any one. We have fought four major wars. We are killing people in internal security and counter insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland and other troublesome areas. Two of our Prime ministers were killed in cold blood in our own country without mercy. Pratap singh Kairon the former Chief Minister of Punjab and close friend of Nehru was gunned down long ago. Khalistanis killed scores of intellectuals including saintly Longowal. Father of nation was assassinated after gaining independence. Many MLA and senior political leaders were killed and continue to be killed. Naxalites (armed Communists) are killing innocent people and poor police men and officers. Many police officers and men have been killed in various states for no reason.. Peace time army can never command respect that too in India that has acquired freedom without major bloodshed. Unless army is engaged in activities none will listen to its voice.

As Kartik (Pragmatic Euphony) said Army must try to practice self sacrifice and be spiritual minded that will reduce its worry over Pay and equivalence all the time. But can Army officers agree for this sermon? So the trouble will continue. In no country all can not be VIPs i.e Very important persons. Many will be commons and very few will be VIP. While in service if some one wants status he must have authority over the civil society. That under any case army will not have in a democracy. They have to be happy like that.

I remember in 1979-80 or some where near by, the army chief was preaching some type of Buddhist sermons of detachment and sacrifice when unhappiness over promotions was high in army. In one of my articles and Cartoons, I defined those days Happiness as:

Happiness = Number of wants satisfied

------------------------------

Total number of wants

< 1

Happiness is always a fraction because wants can never be satisfied.

If the denominator is made lesser and lesser, Happiness will increase. Finally if numbers of wants are zero, Happiness is infinity. This is what Lord Buddha taught centuries ago. I only gave mathematical interpretation to Buddha’s thought. I do not know whether Buddha was happy with my mathematical equation. Probably my Boss who used to always rub papers with pencils and rubbers would have given me surely 5 or 6 in ACR those days as no one was expected to speak and analyze army instructions. All are supposed to nod as water buffaloes do. Any how, I was not under criteria appointment and was not prepared to nod like a buffalo which most of army guys do. I might have escaped the sword. Army is a burning and is a boiling cauldron. It will burst out some day even if some one does not like it. Wish those days are far, far and far away.

Hope all actions will be taken to satisfy an army man to the fullest possible. Army is the last bastion of our country where each and every Institution has fallen down with in- efficiency and mis management. Credibility of all Institutions have been eroded like Shivalik Hills in Himalayn ranges. Army is the last Institution of discipline and some efficiency left out. Hope it will not be brought down soon. This also probably is similar to what Lord Wavell said long ago when he said:

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