Lt Gen H S Panag PVSM, AVSM (R) served in the Indian Army for 40 years. He was GOC in C Northern Command and Central Command. Post retirement, he was Member of Armed Forces Tribunal.
Before social media, depiction of violence on news was the exception—graphic visuals were either not shown on TV or in newspapers or the images were blurred. This is no longer the case.
Neither state govts nor companies earn large profits from lotteries. However, a look at the system shows there’s ample evidence of murky dealings and financial irregularities.
The ‘idea’ Kejriwal's politics grew around was a no-holds-barred fight against corruption. That is the reason Modi govt has now tarred him and his entire party with the same paint.
To those objecting sarcastically (Pankaj , Krishnan Bala), I’ll just repeat what the general wrote: “Any army that adopts a laissez faire approach towards human rights violation in counter insurgencies does so at its own peril and invariably comes to grief. The defeat of US and Pakistan militaries in Vietnam and East Pakistan are classic examples.” Remember we didn’t win in 1971 – we *deserved* to win because of the Bangladeshi blood the West Pakistans spilt.
To that I’d add this: God views all human life identically. If blood is spilt without justice, then God himself will reject us. Your views will not count that day.
I am glad the army has taken such a step, and I wish Major General Gautam Chauhan the best in his role. May he and his superiors heed the words of Gen. Panag.
‘…denial, obfuscation, delay, opacity of investigations and shelter of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Internal corrective mechanisms have been diluted to the point of becoming dysfunctional.’ Oh, for a moment I thought that you were writing on our judiciary! Now that I have realised that it is not so, here is what applies to our judiciary:…denial, obfuscation, delay, opacity of procedures and shelter of the Contempt of Court Act. And no corrective mechanisms have made it totally dysfunctional, excpet for exonerating criminals with power and pelf. And that is where the whole problem of human rights violations start.
Hmm! Learned General wants autonomy to HR department in the armed forces where chain of command and discipline are important. Anyway, when hundreds or thousands of Kashmiri Muslims actively support terrorists by accommodating them or by pelting stones to facilitate their escape, how does the soldier on the ground distinguish between terrorists and the local population? Learned General should have explained that.
Army which have fought and won so many wars, have been handling proxies internal and external, terrorist and terrorist supporters and still has never interfered in political discussion. Short of supply infrastructure and hundreds other problems. THIS IS THE ONLY TOPIC YOU CAN THINK OF SHAME ON YOU
Sit down calmly, discuss in peace, the pros and cons aided by some local over ground operatives and then try to woo the terrorists as they mercilessly pull the trigger of AK-47 or just lob a grenade on the troops the moment they sight them within range.
Why go for an army action but just apprehend them and they would oblige as a lamb and later you can rehabilate them tendering subsidy in some hilly resort.
Panag must get an award for his intellect. He had received enough awards already for his military strategy while in service.
The position should be filled with a retired supreme court justice of impeccable integrity. Not by IAS or IPS BABUS who always seek and think of their careers.
Why should it stop at GOC Victor Force!! Why not up to supreme commander be implicated!! The knee-jerk reaction due to few odd incidents needs to be curbed. Deliberate culpable offences needs to be dealt strictly while ensuring no witch hunting/ scapegoats for decisions taken in National interest
The tendency of adding layers upon layers of Checks n Balances on functioning of Army needs to be shed.
Only shows mistrust of own fraternity! Don’t you think enough legal provisions do not already exist to tackle these aspects? Why add more shackles to burden our men on ground?
Only to create one additional Dte/Vacancies to affect few more promotions? Were the “NEEDS” established First before deciding upon creating new Dte? OR the “NEEDS” are planned to be established after Dte is created?
Happy to note that such improvements are taking place in the armed forces. Way back in 1960s 70s, there were no such developments, while we served.
But they are required. The present CODS is not inspiring such confidence for protecting the the underlings in the Army.
Let us have everything autonomous, and elections for everything, why worry about the LS ? Instead of encouraging people to trust the elected governments we are heading for doubting everything, the EC, SC, FORCES even the Vaccine. Autonomy creates power centers which will keep fighting the turf wars.
The entire distortion over the past 70 years has the lust for money amongst Politicians, Babus both in and out of uniform.
Why have you left out the judiciary? The most failed organ of our Constitution. Look at the millions of cases pending in our courts and the delays in getting a final verdict, justice be damned. There are more undertrials who would have gone even scot free long ago had there been prompt judicial decisions in their cases. And all our judges and their stooges, advocates, can harp is on a lie- the judge to population ratio. I do not know what population has to do with the number of judges. It is only the number of cases that matter. And here are some statistics to ponder:
CASES FILED IN ONE YEAR (1999):INDIA : 13.6 Million (1,36,68,073); USA: 93.81 Million
DOCKET’S PER JUDGE: INDIA : 987 per Judge; USA: 3235 per Judge
Very well written article.
To those objecting sarcastically (Pankaj , Krishnan Bala), I’ll just repeat what the general wrote: “Any army that adopts a laissez faire approach towards human rights violation in counter insurgencies does so at its own peril and invariably comes to grief. The defeat of US and Pakistan militaries in Vietnam and East Pakistan are classic examples.” Remember we didn’t win in 1971 – we *deserved* to win because of the Bangladeshi blood the West Pakistans spilt.
To that I’d add this: God views all human life identically. If blood is spilt without justice, then God himself will reject us. Your views will not count that day.
I am glad the army has taken such a step, and I wish Major General Gautam Chauhan the best in his role. May he and his superiors heed the words of Gen. Panag.
‘…denial, obfuscation, delay, opacity of investigations and shelter of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Internal corrective mechanisms have been diluted to the point of becoming dysfunctional.’ Oh, for a moment I thought that you were writing on our judiciary! Now that I have realised that it is not so, here is what applies to our judiciary:…denial, obfuscation, delay, opacity of procedures and shelter of the Contempt of Court Act. And no corrective mechanisms have made it totally dysfunctional, excpet for exonerating criminals with power and pelf. And that is where the whole problem of human rights violations start.
Hmm! Learned General wants autonomy to HR department in the armed forces where chain of command and discipline are important. Anyway, when hundreds or thousands of Kashmiri Muslims actively support terrorists by accommodating them or by pelting stones to facilitate their escape, how does the soldier on the ground distinguish between terrorists and the local population? Learned General should have explained that.
Army which have fought and won so many wars, have been handling proxies internal and external, terrorist and terrorist supporters and still has never interfered in political discussion. Short of supply infrastructure and hundreds other problems. THIS IS THE ONLY TOPIC YOU CAN THINK OF SHAME ON YOU
What is the role of an IPS officer . This role can be easily done by any army officer. Is he another Doval BiRa mole
Sit down calmly, discuss in peace, the pros and cons aided by some local over ground operatives and then try to woo the terrorists as they mercilessly pull the trigger of AK-47 or just lob a grenade on the troops the moment they sight them within range.
Why go for an army action but just apprehend them and they would oblige as a lamb and later you can rehabilate them tendering subsidy in some hilly resort.
Panag must get an award for his intellect. He had received enough awards already for his military strategy while in service.
The position should be filled with a retired supreme court justice of impeccable integrity. Not by IAS or IPS BABUS who always seek and think of their careers.
Why should it stop at GOC Victor Force!! Why not up to supreme commander be implicated!! The knee-jerk reaction due to few odd incidents needs to be curbed. Deliberate culpable offences needs to be dealt strictly while ensuring no witch hunting/ scapegoats for decisions taken in National interest
The tendency of adding layers upon layers of Checks n Balances on functioning of Army needs to be shed.
Only shows mistrust of own fraternity! Don’t you think enough legal provisions do not already exist to tackle these aspects? Why add more shackles to burden our men on ground?
Only to create one additional Dte/Vacancies to affect few more promotions? Were the “NEEDS” established First before deciding upon creating new Dte? OR the “NEEDS” are planned to be established after Dte is created?
Points to ponder.
Happy to note that such improvements are taking place in the armed forces. Way back in 1960s 70s, there were no such developments, while we served.
But they are required. The present CODS is not inspiring such confidence for protecting the the underlings in the Army.
Let us have everything autonomous, and elections for everything, why worry about the LS ? Instead of encouraging people to trust the elected governments we are heading for doubting everything, the EC, SC, FORCES even the Vaccine. Autonomy creates power centers which will keep fighting the turf wars.
The entire distortion over the past 70 years has the lust for money amongst Politicians, Babus both in and out of uniform.
Why have you left out the judiciary? The most failed organ of our Constitution. Look at the millions of cases pending in our courts and the delays in getting a final verdict, justice be damned. There are more undertrials who would have gone even scot free long ago had there been prompt judicial decisions in their cases. And all our judges and their stooges, advocates, can harp is on a lie- the judge to population ratio. I do not know what population has to do with the number of judges. It is only the number of cases that matter. And here are some statistics to ponder:
CASES FILED IN ONE YEAR (1999):INDIA : 13.6 Million (1,36,68,073); USA: 93.81 Million
DOCKET’S PER JUDGE: INDIA : 987 per Judge; USA: 3235 per Judge