Breaking his silence over retired Major General S.P. Sinha’s deplorable endorsement of rape and murder as revenge tactics for the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits during a debate on TV9 Bharatvarsh, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said Thursday that “retiring officers carry forward the image of Indian Army and become brand ambassadors of the forces”.
There is no doubt that the veterans, many of whom have called out the retired officer for his “obnoxious” remarks, are indeed the brand ambassadors of the armed forces. And so, it is incumbent upon them to board out the rotten apples who bring shame to not just the community but also the uniform that they once wore.
But are veterans alone to be blamed? The answer is no. The armed forces and the Indian media are equally responsible for the behaviour of retired officers like S.P. Sinha.
Also read: SP Sinha Kashmir rape comment: Is it time for strict code of conduct for military veterans?
Studio Rambos
With the advent of social media and noisy TV debates, a very troubling trend has come to the fore.
Some of the veterans, including senior officers, are literally jostling to get ahead of each other and become known for making the most controversial statements.
TV channels love it because retired officers, some of whom even wear their regimental caps, yell down those opposing them in the crudest form possible. These studio debates are often a ‘tamasha’.
At times, these veterans look like they have launched a nuclear war against Pakistan from TV studios. Earlier, their outbursts used to be limited to Pakistan and defence issues, but a questionable set of veterans today speak on every issue, including those that are politically sensitive.
I understand their eagerness to spurt out banalities. TV channels love them and therefore try to invite as many veterans to as many shows as possible. For the retired officers, this translates into a welcome earning opportunity and a spike in their income.
I know of some veterans who maintain a register of shows that they have attended, and when. They don’t appear on new shows until they have been paid for the previous one.
One retired Major General is known to appear on two TV channels at the same time. He puts on two sets of earpieces and turns into an absolute Rambo.
Seeing their conduct during these high-pitched debates, one wonders how these officers ever managed to climb up the steep and narrow ladder in the armed forces and get promoted.
Also read: Ex-Army officer apologises for his ‘rape for rape’ remark on TV, says he was disturbed
A part of the blame also lies with the armed forces. Those appearing on TV debates, including the most vicious ones, are regularly briefed by their relevant force headquarters on important issues and current matters because in most cases, officers have retired several years ago and have no knowledge of the existing scenario.
The forces argue that it is better to at least keep these retired officers up to date rather than hear them yelling whatever comes to their mind on critical issues.
However, a set of retired officers with a habit of making news thrive on these interactions with the headquarters and the regular updates they receive. The force headquarters should develop a practice of actually telling the veterans appearing on news channels for debates that their actions shame not just the forces but India as a whole.
Consider the latest episode involving retired Major General S.P. Sinha for instance. The veteran’s conduct gave a perfect opportunity to Pakistan to push its propaganda against the Indian Army and support its fake narrative about what happens in Kashmir.
Pakistan President Arif Alvi chanced upon the “Balatkar ke badle balatkar” remark, saying in a tweet: “Imagine the fate of women in Indian Occupied Kashmir where such men wield power with total impunity.”
Disgraceful. Maj Gen(R) SP Sinha a leader of BJP advocates rape of Kashmiri women on TV. Imagine the fate of women in Indian Occupied Kashmir where such men wield power with total impunity. Indian forces have used rape as a tool according to HRW report https://t.co/tfKDIjWLib https://t.co/7NBCJ9WvB1
— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) November 17, 2019
Unwittingly, the retired officer gave Pakistan a weapon of propaganda even though speakers like him claim they are only countering Pakistani propaganda.
But such crass remarks and unsolicited outbursts are not limited to TV studios. Many officers are active on social media like Twitter and routinely turn into trolls to counter those who oppose them. They end up posting uncouth, bigoted and communal statements, causing embarrassment to the Indian armed forces. Equally concerning is the manner in which some of the serving officers communicate on various WhatsApp groups.
Also read: Indian Army’s new cadre review will create more problems than resolve
Media an equal culprit
Besides the veterans who forgo all forms of civility when indulging in arguments on studio debates or on social media and the armed forces for not keeping a check on them, India’s news media, especially TV channels, are to be equally blamed for the sad state of affairs today. They not only host such officers but the anchors actively engage in silencing the sane voices among the veterans.
The situation today is such that many veterans I know refuse to appear on certain news channels because they abhor their style of debate and news presentation.
It is important for India’s TV news channels to look within and understand the harm that they are causing – all the while projecting themselves as “nationalistic channels”.
Many have praised the TV9 Bharatvarsh anchor who was moderating the infamous debate for opposing the remarks of the retired Major General. If the channel was really concerned, then it should have censored the remark while telecasting the debate, clarifying that the comments were bleeped out because of their objectionable nature. But the channel didn’t. After all, at the end of the day, it is all a ‘tamasha’. A sad ‘tamasha’.