The fact that Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat has to say that military stays far from politics indicates the perception problem that has hit the services. It’s important Service Chiefs and CDS realise that it isn’t enough to just be apolitical but also be seen as being one.
Support Our Journalism
India needs fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. ThePrint – with exceptional reporters, columnists and editors – is doing just that.
Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.
Whether you live in India or overseas, you can take a paid subscription by clicking here.
“It’s important Service Chiefs and CDS realise that it isn’t enough to just be apolitical but also be seen as being one.”
Seen by whom? By consumers of content creators that use algorithms to guide the information bubble they consume or by the content creators themselves?
“Protesters should not indulge in violence..” if this is the benchmark of what constitutes a ‘political’ stance then we’re probably demanding too much from our public figure heads.
There is perhaps a more nuanced point ie should currently serving military leaders comment on domestic law and order issues not involving armed services?
A great responsibility lies on our new CDS. He must begin to create the fine traditions that adorn the offices of the three service Chiefs, which have a long lineage. As the officer who will be interacting most intensely with the government / political executive / civilian bureaucracy, he must be widely perceived as being the custodian of the political neutrality and professional ethos of the three services. Able, on occasion, to resist, push back on ideas that do not sub serve the long term security interests of the country. 2. By way of illustration, consider the spectacle of the Chairman of the Railway Board interacting with officers of his organisation, unable to convince them on as basic an issue as, How will recruitment be made to a single service when the professional requirements are so completely dissimilar. The process of decision making should be institutional, collegiate, far sighted. On national security above all else.