MILITARY LEADERSHIP: AFFECTED BY OVERALL CORRUPT SOCIETY IN INDIA
By COL. (DR.) P. K. VASUDEVA (RETD)
“The safety, honour and welfare of your country comes first always and every time.
The honour welfare and comfort of the men you command comes next.
Your own comfort and safety comes last always and every time.”
(Motto of Indian Military Academy)
Field Marshal Sir George Chetwode.
Abstract
India today exists in a seriously embattled security environment, far more than ever in the last 63 years, with external military threats having acquired menacing and dangerously devious contours, by virtue of having intruded into India’s internal security domains. India’s Armed Forces have determinedly and innovatively strategized to meet the expanded military threats to India with effective leadership. The politicians, bureaucrats, academicians, industrialists, police officials, media barons auctioning ‘paid news', judges and now office-bearers of the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) — the cancer has metastasised into every nook and corner of the country. The indiscipline quoted in the forces is not entirely the fault of the military leadership, however, it is the reflection of fast growing corruption in the nation the miniscule percentage of which has affected the forces also.
India today exists in a seriously embattled security environment, far more than ever in the last sixty-three years, with external military threats having acquired menacing and dangerously devious contours, by virtue of having intruded into India’s internal security domains. India’s Armed Forces have determinedly and innovatively strategized to meet the expanded military threats to India with effective leadership.
Leadership and the military are practically inseparable. Military leadership and leadership development are foundational concepts for Army personnel. It permeates military culture beginning with every recruit learning the leadership-oriented doctrine.
Effective military leadership requires skills, which are virtually unknown in the civilian world. These leadership skills are taught through extensive training in leadership theory and focused development of the time-tested military leadership style.
Leadership skills are not something many people are born with, but with proper training and development in leadership theory most students are able to develop a quality leadership style from a fusion of their own natural leadership traits and the military's leadership development training.
There has been a sharp rise in suicides in Indian army in the past five years. The trend in the third largest and one of the best-disciplined armies in the world is a cause of grave concern for the defence ministry, political leaders, psychiatrists and socio-economic circles besides the army. Over 100 soldiers took their lives last year alone. This along with killings by subordinates and colleagues has brought shame to the army. The reasons need to be investigated and remedial measures taken.
Though the army has not fought a full-blown war in the last three decades, the force is bogged down with fighting domestic insurgencies, guarding restive borders, responding to authorities request to quell civil riots, rescue operations during natural calamities like floods and cyclones, etc which is its secondary role.
The Ministry of Defence has given the following figures of suicides: 120 in 2003, 116 in 2004, 119 in 2005 and 132 in 2006. In fact, concerned over the growing numbers, South Block has written to the Army to act more liberally in the grant of leave to its soldiers as a stress relieving measure.
The million-strong force, according to analysts, is under tremendous stress. In fact, the army is losing more soldiers in these incidents than in action against the enemy. Most experts attribute the growing stress to low morale, bad service conditions, lack of adequate home leave, unattractive pay and a communication gap with superiors. In addition family problems could also be a factor.
According to a study conducted by two Indian psychiatrists SK Das and S Chaudhry, the commonest psychotic disorder amongst Indian forces was 38.56 per cent schizophrenia, while alcohol dependence syndrome is 14.17 per cent and neurotic depression 9.8 per cent were among other disorders driving the personnel to suicide and killing their own colleagues.
Of late it has been observed that indiscipline and discontentment in the Armed Forces due to supersession, cases of moral turpitude, scams and corruption are at its highest ebb. This is a matter of grave concern to all the right thinking people in general and the defence forces in particular.
There have been more than 800 court martials since 2001 and more than 10,000 complaints against the supersession in various ranks. The decision-making authorities need to undertake a serious rethink and take remedial measures, lest it is too late.
In 2006 alone, there have been more than 105 court martial cases. Out of these, 11 court martials have been on account of rapes, 8 for murders, 12 for violation of human rights, 5 for sexual abuse, 35 for indulging in scams and corruption, 7 for firing incidents and 27 due to other civil offences including stealing affections of brother officers’ wives.
Alarmingly, on an average there have been 50 to 60 court martials every year for the last one decade. Clearly showing that either the intake of officers has been of poor quality or the promotions have been of undeserving officers that need a serious analysis.
Some of the cases of the important court martials that have come to light due to various conspicuous reasons are as follows:
One, a Major General of the Army Ordnance Corps of the South Western Command in Jaipur was booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last for having assets worth over Rs 50 crore, disproportionate to his income. The investigative agency during its raids carried out in Delhi, Jaipur, Shimla, Gurgaon and Mumbai unearthed a large number of properties in his and his wife’s name.
Two, a former Director General of Army Service Corps Lieutenant General, indicted on 12 charges, is presently facing disciplinary action in Jalandhar for alleged financial irregularities. One of the charges against the senior officer pertains to the construction and furnishings of a house for his son at a cost of more than Rs one crore. Other charges include the misuse of funds for his personal use to the tune of crores of rupees.
Three, the General Court Martial (GCM) of a Major for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman officer of the same unit at Tibri. The Major faced charges of improper physical contact with the woman officer, who was posted to the same unit. She had also levelled charges of sexual misconduct against her Commanding Officer also, who was tried by a GCM earlier. The charges against the Colonel could not be proved and the GCM had, in its special findings, reprimanded him for using improper language in the officers’ mess.
Four, according to the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) report, in 2002 huge funds earmarked for combating militancy were found to have been diverted by the Eastern Army Command (EAC) authorities to purchase vehicles, television sets, VCRs, computers and generators. Making a scrutiny of the allocations for the first time, the CAG said the EAC purchased consumer goods worth Rs 6.79 crores over a period of three years from 1998 to 2001 from the Rs.10 crore annual funds given to Army Commanders by way of special financial powers.
"These funds are allocated to meet urgent and immediate requirements of counter-insurgency operations and internal security duties," the CAG observed as it indicted the Army for diverting the funds to purchase consumer goods saying that these should have been purchased under normal overheads.
Five, the infamous Sekhon case, wherein the spate of comments on his “honourable removal” from service for seeking political patronage for career enhancement brought to the fore attempts at the politicisation of the Armed Forces and related issues. It highlighted as never before the question of military ethics vs. politicisation.
Six, in a case relating to the supersession of two Air Marshals in December 2004, the Government on behalf of the Indian Air Force approached the Supreme Court against the order of the Delhi High Court that had given the decision of the restoration of promotion to the Air Marshal.
The Apex Court upheld the judgment of the Delhi High Court, passed strictures and also criticised the Air Force. It stated that the promotion policy of the Indian Air Force was biased and arbitrary. Importantly, this caused great embarrassment to the IAF and the Government.
Seven, It is for the first times that Lt. Gens. are being court martialled. Lt Gen Avdesh Prakash, along with Lt Gen P K Rath, Lt Gen Ramesh Halgali and Maj Gen P C Sen, are facing a general court martial in Sukna land scam in Eastern Command.
Eighth, a retired Indian Army General, SK Sahni, from Army Service Corps (ASC) has been court-martialled for his involvement in the scam regarding the provision of unhygienic food to Indian troops in Siachen.
Besides these, there are a large number of cases pending in the civil courts against the Courts Martial orders and supersession in ranks and other offences (now transferred to Army Tribunals).
A General Court Martial sentenced a Sepoy to death for killing his officer in October 2006. The verdict, pronounced lately, is at least the fourth case in recent times of a soldier being given capital punishment by a Court Martial.
The judgment is seen as an indication of the fate that awaits some two-dozen soldiers currently facing Courts Martial for killing colleagues. More. The Army has handed death sentences to soldiers in 1990, 2000, and 2005. The cause more often than not is killing a colleague.
In 1993, responding to increasing criticism of human rights violations committed by its security forces, the Indian Government established the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) through the Human Rights Protection Act (HRPA). The National Human Rights Commission has repeatedly said that certain provisions of the HRPA need to be re-examined, “as they were, in fact, tending to militate against the purposes of the Act itself.”
Take Section 19 of the HRPA. When the Commission receives a complaint of a human rights violation by the Armed Forces, it cannot independently investigate the case but can only seek a report from the Central Government and make recommendations.
The Indian law permits members of the Armed Forces, accused of crimes, to be prosecuted by either the military or civilian justice systems. However, various Statutes make trial by the civilian courts unlikely in practice.
Moreover, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and other provisions noted above, require prior approval of the Central Government for civilian prosecutions of military personnel. And under the Army Act, the military may transfer a soldier from civilian to military custody for offenses that can be tried by a Court Martial.
Available information shows scant evidence that the military is fully and effectively prosecuting soldiers and officers for abuses committed in Jammu and Kashmir. In May 2004, the then Chief of Army Staff, Gen. N.C. Vij, informed the National Human Rights Commission that 131 Army personnel, including officers, had been punished for rights violations in Kashmir since 1990 (fewer than ten per year). These included sentences of two life imprisonments, 59 “rigorous” imprisonments, and 11 instances of one year’s imprisonment and dismissal.
Increasing incidents of indiscipline have made it clear that the Indian Army is in need of introspection. It is essential that the Army investigates these incidents and comes out with solutions. An analysis of why things go wrong would be in order, whether it is fake killings, human rights violations or the increasing tendency to go to civil courts to seek redress.
We need to accept that there is a decline in discipline, culture and ethics of the Army. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the poor standards of intake of Armed Forces personnel because of the poor pay and allowances commensurate to their hazardous service conditions. Secondly, there is no uniform system of promotions resulting in poor leadership.
It clearly shows that either the intake of officers has been sub-standard or the selection has been poor and not adhered to standards because of 1400 officers’ shortage in the Army alone.
It is shocking that the armed forces are remembered only when there is an internal disturbance or external threat to the country. Once tackled, the defence forces are forgotten. Unless the service conditions are improved and the honour and dignity of the armed forces restored, the suicides and indiscipline will continue unabated resulting in poor demoralizing trend in the services.
What the services need is high quality of leadership, which can motivate their men in challenges. This poor leadership is because of –
Firstly, the intake in the armed forces is the last priority of the youth simply in terms of social status and financial lacunae.
Secondly, the soldiers’ pay and allowances are less than that of a skilled worker in the industry. Though the defence forces are responsible for maintaining the national sovereignty and integrity of the country, it is the lowest paid service and in a state of neglect. The soldiers retire at the age of 34 in the prime of their youth and burdened with loads of responsibilities ahead. The officers retire at an average age of 54 when they have another 16 productive years.
Thirdly, there is no coordination between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Defence otherwise all the armed forces men and officers could have served unto the age of 60 years through lateral entry.
Fourthly, the downward trend in the warrant of precedence has brought down the image of the defence services to the lowest ebb.
Fifthly, The Supreme Court and High Court Judges, Vice-Chancellors, Central and State Ministers, MPs, MLAs, bureaucracy, police, media barons auctioning ‘paid news', and now office-bearers of the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) — the cancer has metastasised into every nook and corner of the country including the armed forces. The indiscipline quoted in the forces is not entirely the fault of the military leadership, however, it is the reflection of fast growing corruption in the nation the miniscule percentage of which has reflected the forces also.
The author is defence analyst and a commentator.
“The safety, honour and welfare of your country comes first always and every time.
The honour welfare and comfort of the men you command comes next.
Your own comfort and safety comes last always and every time.”
(Motto of Indian Military Academy)
Field Marshal Sir George Chetwode.
Abstract
India today exists in a seriously embattled security environment, far more than ever in the last 63 years, with external military threats having acquired menacing and dangerously devious contours, by virtue of having intruded into India’s internal security domains. India’s Armed Forces have determinedly and innovatively strategized to meet the expanded military threats to India with effective leadership. The politicians, bureaucrats, academicians, industrialists, police officials, media barons auctioning ‘paid news', judges and now office-bearers of the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) — the cancer has metastasised into every nook and corner of the country. The indiscipline quoted in the forces is not entirely the fault of the military leadership, however, it is the reflection of fast growing corruption in the nation the miniscule percentage of which has affected the forces also.
India today exists in a seriously embattled security environment, far more than ever in the last sixty-three years, with external military threats having acquired menacing and dangerously devious contours, by virtue of having intruded into India’s internal security domains. India’s Armed Forces have determinedly and innovatively strategized to meet the expanded military threats to India with effective leadership.
Leadership and the military are practically inseparable. Military leadership and leadership development are foundational concepts for Army personnel. It permeates military culture beginning with every recruit learning the leadership-oriented doctrine.
Effective military leadership requires skills, which are virtually unknown in the civilian world. These leadership skills are taught through extensive training in leadership theory and focused development of the time-tested military leadership style.
Leadership skills are not something many people are born with, but with proper training and development in leadership theory most students are able to develop a quality leadership style from a fusion of their own natural leadership traits and the military's leadership development training.
There has been a sharp rise in suicides in Indian army in the past five years. The trend in the third largest and one of the best-disciplined armies in the world is a cause of grave concern for the defence ministry, political leaders, psychiatrists and socio-economic circles besides the army. Over 100 soldiers took their lives last year alone. This along with killings by subordinates and colleagues has brought shame to the army. The reasons need to be investigated and remedial measures taken.
Though the army has not fought a full-blown war in the last three decades, the force is bogged down with fighting domestic insurgencies, guarding restive borders, responding to authorities request to quell civil riots, rescue operations during natural calamities like floods and cyclones, etc which is its secondary role.
The Ministry of Defence has given the following figures of suicides: 120 in 2003, 116 in 2004, 119 in 2005 and 132 in 2006. In fact, concerned over the growing numbers, South Block has written to the Army to act more liberally in the grant of leave to its soldiers as a stress relieving measure.
The million-strong force, according to analysts, is under tremendous stress. In fact, the army is losing more soldiers in these incidents than in action against the enemy. Most experts attribute the growing stress to low morale, bad service conditions, lack of adequate home leave, unattractive pay and a communication gap with superiors. In addition family problems could also be a factor.
According to a study conducted by two Indian psychiatrists SK Das and S Chaudhry, the commonest psychotic disorder amongst Indian forces was 38.56 per cent schizophrenia, while alcohol dependence syndrome is 14.17 per cent and neurotic depression 9.8 per cent were among other disorders driving the personnel to suicide and killing their own colleagues.
Of late it has been observed that indiscipline and discontentment in the Armed Forces due to supersession, cases of moral turpitude, scams and corruption are at its highest ebb. This is a matter of grave concern to all the right thinking people in general and the defence forces in particular.
There have been more than 800 court martials since 2001 and more than 10,000 complaints against the supersession in various ranks. The decision-making authorities need to undertake a serious rethink and take remedial measures, lest it is too late.
In 2006 alone, there have been more than 105 court martial cases. Out of these, 11 court martials have been on account of rapes, 8 for murders, 12 for violation of human rights, 5 for sexual abuse, 35 for indulging in scams and corruption, 7 for firing incidents and 27 due to other civil offences including stealing affections of brother officers’ wives.
Alarmingly, on an average there have been 50 to 60 court martials every year for the last one decade. Clearly showing that either the intake of officers has been of poor quality or the promotions have been of undeserving officers that need a serious analysis.
Some of the cases of the important court martials that have come to light due to various conspicuous reasons are as follows:
One, a Major General of the Army Ordnance Corps of the South Western Command in Jaipur was booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last for having assets worth over Rs 50 crore, disproportionate to his income. The investigative agency during its raids carried out in Delhi, Jaipur, Shimla, Gurgaon and Mumbai unearthed a large number of properties in his and his wife’s name.
Two, a former Director General of Army Service Corps Lieutenant General, indicted on 12 charges, is presently facing disciplinary action in Jalandhar for alleged financial irregularities. One of the charges against the senior officer pertains to the construction and furnishings of a house for his son at a cost of more than Rs one crore. Other charges include the misuse of funds for his personal use to the tune of crores of rupees.
Three, the General Court Martial (GCM) of a Major for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman officer of the same unit at Tibri. The Major faced charges of improper physical contact with the woman officer, who was posted to the same unit. She had also levelled charges of sexual misconduct against her Commanding Officer also, who was tried by a GCM earlier. The charges against the Colonel could not be proved and the GCM had, in its special findings, reprimanded him for using improper language in the officers’ mess.
Four, according to the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) report, in 2002 huge funds earmarked for combating militancy were found to have been diverted by the Eastern Army Command (EAC) authorities to purchase vehicles, television sets, VCRs, computers and generators. Making a scrutiny of the allocations for the first time, the CAG said the EAC purchased consumer goods worth Rs 6.79 crores over a period of three years from 1998 to 2001 from the Rs.10 crore annual funds given to Army Commanders by way of special financial powers.
"These funds are allocated to meet urgent and immediate requirements of counter-insurgency operations and internal security duties," the CAG observed as it indicted the Army for diverting the funds to purchase consumer goods saying that these should have been purchased under normal overheads.
Five, the infamous Sekhon case, wherein the spate of comments on his “honourable removal” from service for seeking political patronage for career enhancement brought to the fore attempts at the politicisation of the Armed Forces and related issues. It highlighted as never before the question of military ethics vs. politicisation.
Six, in a case relating to the supersession of two Air Marshals in December 2004, the Government on behalf of the Indian Air Force approached the Supreme Court against the order of the Delhi High Court that had given the decision of the restoration of promotion to the Air Marshal.
The Apex Court upheld the judgment of the Delhi High Court, passed strictures and also criticised the Air Force. It stated that the promotion policy of the Indian Air Force was biased and arbitrary. Importantly, this caused great embarrassment to the IAF and the Government.
Seven, It is for the first times that Lt. Gens. are being court martialled. Lt Gen Avdesh Prakash, along with Lt Gen P K Rath, Lt Gen Ramesh Halgali and Maj Gen P C Sen, are facing a general court martial in Sukna land scam in Eastern Command.
Eighth, a retired Indian Army General, SK Sahni, from Army Service Corps (ASC) has been court-martialled for his involvement in the scam regarding the provision of unhygienic food to Indian troops in Siachen.
Besides these, there are a large number of cases pending in the civil courts against the Courts Martial orders and supersession in ranks and other offences (now transferred to Army Tribunals).
A General Court Martial sentenced a Sepoy to death for killing his officer in October 2006. The verdict, pronounced lately, is at least the fourth case in recent times of a soldier being given capital punishment by a Court Martial.
The judgment is seen as an indication of the fate that awaits some two-dozen soldiers currently facing Courts Martial for killing colleagues. More. The Army has handed death sentences to soldiers in 1990, 2000, and 2005. The cause more often than not is killing a colleague.
In 1993, responding to increasing criticism of human rights violations committed by its security forces, the Indian Government established the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) through the Human Rights Protection Act (HRPA). The National Human Rights Commission has repeatedly said that certain provisions of the HRPA need to be re-examined, “as they were, in fact, tending to militate against the purposes of the Act itself.”
Take Section 19 of the HRPA. When the Commission receives a complaint of a human rights violation by the Armed Forces, it cannot independently investigate the case but can only seek a report from the Central Government and make recommendations.
The Indian law permits members of the Armed Forces, accused of crimes, to be prosecuted by either the military or civilian justice systems. However, various Statutes make trial by the civilian courts unlikely in practice.
Moreover, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and other provisions noted above, require prior approval of the Central Government for civilian prosecutions of military personnel. And under the Army Act, the military may transfer a soldier from civilian to military custody for offenses that can be tried by a Court Martial.
Available information shows scant evidence that the military is fully and effectively prosecuting soldiers and officers for abuses committed in Jammu and Kashmir. In May 2004, the then Chief of Army Staff, Gen. N.C. Vij, informed the National Human Rights Commission that 131 Army personnel, including officers, had been punished for rights violations in Kashmir since 1990 (fewer than ten per year). These included sentences of two life imprisonments, 59 “rigorous” imprisonments, and 11 instances of one year’s imprisonment and dismissal.
Increasing incidents of indiscipline have made it clear that the Indian Army is in need of introspection. It is essential that the Army investigates these incidents and comes out with solutions. An analysis of why things go wrong would be in order, whether it is fake killings, human rights violations or the increasing tendency to go to civil courts to seek redress.
We need to accept that there is a decline in discipline, culture and ethics of the Army. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the poor standards of intake of Armed Forces personnel because of the poor pay and allowances commensurate to their hazardous service conditions. Secondly, there is no uniform system of promotions resulting in poor leadership.
It clearly shows that either the intake of officers has been sub-standard or the selection has been poor and not adhered to standards because of 1400 officers’ shortage in the Army alone.
It is shocking that the armed forces are remembered only when there is an internal disturbance or external threat to the country. Once tackled, the defence forces are forgotten. Unless the service conditions are improved and the honour and dignity of the armed forces restored, the suicides and indiscipline will continue unabated resulting in poor demoralizing trend in the services.
What the services need is high quality of leadership, which can motivate their men in challenges. This poor leadership is because of –
Firstly, the intake in the armed forces is the last priority of the youth simply in terms of social status and financial lacunae.
Secondly, the soldiers’ pay and allowances are less than that of a skilled worker in the industry. Though the defence forces are responsible for maintaining the national sovereignty and integrity of the country, it is the lowest paid service and in a state of neglect. The soldiers retire at the age of 34 in the prime of their youth and burdened with loads of responsibilities ahead. The officers retire at an average age of 54 when they have another 16 productive years.
Thirdly, there is no coordination between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Defence otherwise all the armed forces men and officers could have served unto the age of 60 years through lateral entry.
Fourthly, the downward trend in the warrant of precedence has brought down the image of the defence services to the lowest ebb.
Fifthly, The Supreme Court and High Court Judges, Vice-Chancellors, Central and State Ministers, MPs, MLAs, bureaucracy, police, media barons auctioning ‘paid news', and now office-bearers of the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) — the cancer has metastasised into every nook and corner of the country including the armed forces. The indiscipline quoted in the forces is not entirely the fault of the military leadership, however, it is the reflection of fast growing corruption in the nation the miniscule percentage of which has reflected the forces also.
The author is defence analyst and a commentator.
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