Army chief M.M. Naravane’s insinuation that Kathmandu was protesting over the boundary issue on the behest of another country is insensitive, uncalled for, and deeply damaging for the two armies in which he holds the rank of General, India and Nepal. As honorary General of the Nepal Army, Naravane has undermined his own position, waded into a domain that is clearly non-military, and brought unnecessary stress on a relationship unique to the two armies. Especially because the seven Gorkha regiments in the Indian Army make up almost 40 battalions, and most of the soldiers are recruited from Nepal.
In speaking out of turn, Gen Naravane followed the unfortunate precedent that has been encouraged to flourish in the recent past — voluble military chiefs doubling as spokespersons.
India and Nepal not only have the most cordial and interwoven societal relations among sovereign countries, but also the deepest military relationship possible. No two armies are as closely interlinked as those of India and Nepal, and this incomparable time-tested bond has been placed under a strain by an utterance that is both avoidable and unmilitary.
Speaking at an online seminar organised by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies Analyses on 15 May 2020, Gen Naravane said, “I don’t know what they are actually agitating about. There has never been any problem in this Corps in the past. There is a reason to believe that they might have raised this problem at the behest of someone else and that is very much a possibility.”
Forgetting Cariappa’s guidebook
The reciprocal appointment of Generals in both armies began with late Field Marshal (then Gen) K.M. Cariappa, when he assumed office as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in 1950. The Royal Nepal Army conferred the honorary rank of General on him, and since then it has been followed as a gesture of respect and honour seldom seen between two sovereign armies. As COAS, Field Marshal Cariappa penned the last word on what is expected of an officer with his handbook on etiquette for gentleman cadets. It seems to have been misplaced, since this is possibly the first occasion when an Army chief has raised doubts about the political and diplomatic actions of Nepal.
It brings to mind one of the oft-repeated quotes of the inimitable, and legendary, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. He joined 8 Gorkha Rifles after India was partitioned and his original Frontier Force battalion became part of the Pakistan Army. Sam Bahadur, as he came to be fondly called, left behind a treasure trove of quotes relevant for the nation and its Army. As a Gorkha, he would have been particularly dismayed by the current controversy as is clear from his very prescient observation: “The problem in India is that as soon as one of us is put in a position of power, he feels that he has the monopoly of the entire knowledge.”
Citizens of Nepal train and then take an oath to uphold the national security interests of India. And over the decades they have been living up to that oath, many times making the ultimate sacrifice. Army’s seven Gorkha regiments depict a closeness and confidence unparalleled today. The numbers drawing an Indian Army pension in Nepal is slowly nudging toward 130,000. So much so that Army officers posted in the Indian embassy in Nepal would be the highest number in a diplomatic mission, and include military medical staff, which is an apt testimony to the importance given to Nepali Gorkha soldiers and their families.
Also read: Nepal map row: Has India provoked Kathmandu or is China instigating trouble for New Delhi?
Indignation brought by an Army chief
Gen. Naravane has undermined the credibility of Nepal, which has given so much to India in terms of soldiers, service, and many a times sacrifices, too. Indians with deep-rooted family connections in Nepal see yet another needless controversy between the two countries. Even as the ire over the Madhesi agitation persists in Kathmandu and beyond, India’s meddlesome attitude toward Nepal is once again a point of heated discussion there.
Except this time, a first ever, the indignation is because of an Army officer, and a chief at that. No soldier, in India or in Nepal, believes that General Naravane’s inconsiderate remarks have not been instigated by someone within the Narendra Modi government.
That is indeed a harsh whisper to circulate, which once again brings to mind another gem from late Sam Bahadur when former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi asked him about military coup rumours. Mutual respect was of a different order then, and he quipped, “You mind your own business, I’ll mind mine. You kiss your own sweetheart, I’ll kiss mine. I don’t interfere politically, as long as nobody interferes with me in the Army.” Sam Bahadur would obviously dissect this episode very differently.
The author is a Congress leader and Editor-in-Chief of Defence & Security Alert. Views are personal.
even without Gurkhas Indian army will perfom well. We give jobs to Gurkhas. It is no way benefited by Nepal. In fact if India stops recriteing urkhas and recruits indian hindus , there will be more jobs for indians. Gurkhas are not invincible as projected.Nepal is not part of india. Any man who is 5 feet 8 inch tall and if trained in art of ware fare. India can stop recruiting gurkhas and select its own hindus
reflection of normal policies let personal Locality run over the merit
Naravane knows the Indian Army better than Manvinder Singh.
That said, This is an inevitable out come of the sequence of events beginning since more than a decade ago.
The Nepal Army Chief is bound to obey the Nepali Government. The Nepali Government, like Pakistan’s, is a Chinese Proxy ever since Sonia Gandhi, Maunmohan and Sitaram Yechuri handed over Nepal to Communism (China) while aiding and abetting the destruction of the “Hindu” Monarchy by the Communists during the UPA 1 Parivar that loots together to stay together.
As a Chinese Proxy, the Nepal Government will seek to create as much difficulty for India as possible. Preventing India from setting up its access to Tibet as part of India’s defense from Nepal’s patron China, is one of them.
But that said, the Gurkhas have traditionally served various pay masters but owed their allegiance to the now defunct Nepal Monarchy in the same way that Highlanders from Scotland or Switzerland used to in Medieval Europe. So, how the Nepali Army and the Gurkhas who are mostly “Hindus” will respond when push comes to shove and Nepal declares war on China’s behalf is unpredictable as of now.
THERE WAS NO NEED FOR GEN NAVRANE TO MAKE POLITICAL COMMENTS.PM MUST CONVEY HIM ,NOT TO ISSUE POLITICAL STATEMENTS.CDS GEN RAWAT WAS ALLOWED TO ISSUE POLITICAL STATEMENTS– A NEGATIVE 5 DANGEROUS POLICY.PM MUST STOP THIS.UV SINGH.EX- DIR CAB SECTT.
I don’t know why print want to humiliate the indian army chief.Its a shame on the print.Urban naxals
Comparing Sam Bahadar with Gen. Naravane is like comparing a world class Arabian stallion with a Gujraati Mule !!!! Sam Bahadar was perhaps not very wrong, when asked : How did India achieve spectacular victory in 1971 war………his honest answer: Because Sam Bahadar was on the side of the Indians !!!
Have you forgotten about the role of Jayaprakash Narayan or JP, the father of ‘Total Revolution.’ During the heydays of protests against Indira Gandhi, after she had been unseated by the Allahabad High Court for corrupt practices, JP called out to the Indian Army and the police not to obey any illegal orders. Indira lost her sanity and suddenly clamped the Emergency, fearing the immediate collapse of her empire of evil. She jailed the entire opposition, gagged the press and all of them wilted like patented cowards that they were. Even the judiciary fell by the wayside, giving birth to the darkest chapter in the history of free India. After the lifting of the Emergency, George Fernandez called one of the tallest industrialists ‘A Rat,’ which formed a banner headline in the so called world’s largest selling daily. Compared to Indira’s wanton, diabolical acts, the present political dispensation is like the babe in the wood, fumbling to find its way. Today the Lutyens media, including the Print, the left liberals and the Congress foot soldiers are doing something far, far worse. They are openly provoking the Gorkha soldiers of the Indian Army to revolt, by driving the debate away from real issues and into dangerous emotional channels. If they cannot hold themselves back, then are they prepared to face the consequences which would be catastrophic for the whole nation? Anyone with an iota of sense can see how Nepal is behaving so irrationally. Is it feeling so terrorized by the presence of bullies from the Middle Kingdom that it is denying the Dragon’s brazen involvement in their internal politics. Why is the Gurkha sense of pride so easily smothered by the Chinese Juggernaut. The Army Chief is perfectly within his rights to point to the Beijing muscle flexing in the background? Please don’t act as subversives in the name of the freedom of press, which Indira had brutally mangled and you could do absolutely nothing for 18 months. REMEMBER THOSE WHO PLAY WITH FIRE ARE APT TO GET THEIR OWN HOUSES BURNT.
U donkey writer…..why print media publishing your filthy article…..INDIA help Nepal like it’s brother but what Nepal is doing. …..Nepal is back stabbing India …..Indian army is more mature & responsible than any armies of the world…. General Narvane is 100% correct……from decades Nepal keep silent & said nothing & NOW as china promises investment in Nepal they back stab India…….India never have intention of territory expansion…..
Useless comments as the general said nothing against hurting anyone’s sentiments. This author is motivated to make a mole into a mountain. Cheaply spreading provocative rumour. Shame if he is an indian
A mole into a mountain is totally correct in this context but, I think it is not like a mole too, rather an atom(chemistry).
He is an Indian, I’m not sure of this.
But, it is clearly written he is a Congress leader i.e., of that party which asks the military of proofs.
Good work the Print. You angered a lot of Bhakts here in the comment section. Means you must’ve spoken the truth and done something right.
A ton of Pappu’s chamchas as well as the tukde-tukde gang clamor here for some airtime.
We should err on the side of caution when it comes to senseless words or comments from such pseudo-intellectuals.
Besides, the Print is mouthpiece of Congress party akin to Saamana of ShivSena.
Any Tom-Dick-Harry speaking against BJP can get any trashy Jibber-Jabber published in them.
Seriously this is your logic andh hater
This article should find a place at a below average level. Did not think that an age old party (congress) people and leaders will go to such a low level of criticism. Are these people gone mad without power.
This is a bullshit article as the writer, congress leader or not you should have some basic decency and not criticize your own army chief for a remark that is true the antics being played by Nepal are supported by China and he’s very right in saying so.
Firstly, the `neighbour’ created an issue because some ‘inconsiderate neighbour’ decided to build an infrastructure in a land that was given to them for temporary use (while they were retreating from China after the defeat) to set up a camp to keep an eye on china’s impending attack. Note the key word ‘temporary’. The inconsiderate neighbour being greedy decided to pay the goodwill gesture of the kind neighbour by publishing a map and showing the ‘land’ as theirs (shamelessly of course). This resulted in a backlash and why would not it? You can’t just put a claim on land that is never yours to begin with.
Our Honourable Prime Minister was right in stating the fact that corona coming from india was more dangerous to Nepal than that coming from China and Italy. One because we have an open border and despite the lockdown, people from indian side are still sneaking in thus bringing the disease with them and contaminating the others in the process. China had/have more or less tamed theirs, Nepal’s aviation is completely halted meaning there is no chance of virus entering the country from West, leaving india the one and only cause for concern for bring the virus in Nepal. This is nothing but the truth. There is no benefit for you to be triggered. We were talking corona not tuberculosis or kala azar.
200 year old issue? Your history is what made you, my friend. Do not forget that. Treaty is made based on understanding- oonce signed you can just choose to undermine it at your will. And note If not for the British unifying what you know as india today, you would still be some princely state. So do you want your country to go back bring a princely state? If your country do not want to honour the Treaty of Sugauli, we can always claim our Greater Nepal.
Lastly our honourable PM asked modi if he changed the motto of india from satyamev jayate to singhmev jayate? No response so far? Has it really changed? Our honourable PM believes is satyamev jayate & so do we and truth, my friend, is in Nepal’s favour.
I do not understand why India cannot shut the border claim once and for all by providing our evidence. It’s become more like a sas-bahu drama now. We need to counter their claim by providing evidence. I believe Nepal is only asking for a bilateral talk to solve this dispute – just do it!
Because all the evidence is in nepals favour. And india has infact illegally occupied its territory. So india is deliberately withholding from bialateral talks. And now indian media is spreading misinformation. China is one thing but india and our relation is so entangled and deep that it is very necessary to maintain good relationship. Why do you think nepal would risk such a move of it doesnt beleive that it is being treated unfairly by india?
I do not understand why India cannot shut the border claim once and for all by providing the evidence. It’s become more like a sas-bahu drama now. We need to counter their claim by providing evidence. I believe Nepal is only asking for a bilateral talk to solve this dispute – just do it!
Kindly send all these so called experts/specialists to the border with a rifle and defend the nation.
There are so many newspaper specialists on foreign policy and defence its mind boggling.
How can we listen to these cleaver people who sit on their armchairs and rattle away with so much of advice. Maybe these guys have military backgrounds or fought several armed conflicts in their career.
They will kill the nation from within before the enemy attacks this is what will come from disgruntled elements within the country. Their sympathies are subject to fear and doubts of their own defence forces.
Please speak with a unified voice to protect the country.
Your sentence is not complete. Allow me to correct a little bit.
Please speak with a unified voice accepting truth and evidence with justification to protect the country. Unified voice (shouting loud to neglecting truth) just to protect the country without truth and justification for evidence does not make sense.
You must be a Communist or Leftist bas****. Leftists and Communists are a poison to this world.
Who is the dog child writer of this article ….
I think print and Tv media should keep silence in national security and defence matters.Lot of issues available .Gurkhas recruting in army since long history. Not only india but in some other country.political comments should not be given priority. We should keep good relation with nepal if any small misunderstandings should be settled amicable.
Having access to the Internet doesn’t spare one from stupidity. This article is utter rubbish, probably cooked up by Sujewala. It is not Nepal. It is the Nepalease communists that are fomenting trouble at the border at the behest of the Chinese communists. The idiot writer Congress party writer tried with long winding essay of nothing to create trouble among two people’s who are one through hundreds of years societal and family relationships. Like in Russia, communists will be gone from China soon enough. So will Congress be from India and all will be well.
Some more politically motivated trash by a rep of a political party weak in the knees, soft in the head and mainly responsible for the miserable state of our economy and poor inter community relations last 70 yrs.
If things are/were so hunky dory with Nepal, there would be no festering Indo-Nepal border issue – debited to the acct of Congress govts of yester year.
In no manner can the Chief’s comments be interpreted as slighting the soldiers in our Gurkha units. Very likely as COAS he as access to information this self styled expert does not.
Suggested The Print get itself a more objective commentator with analytical ability, devoid of petty political motives… or lose some of its readership..
I do not agree. Army chief M.M. Naravane is right. You call a CAT, cat. China is manipulating Nepal.
Print is anti-india as always and worst journalism. This is publication bias where you publish only when the article is having some anti-india sentiment. We should strongly reject Print and The Guardian type publishers
This author must immediately undergo the surgical procedure for piles and fistula…if left untreated, he will keep on writing such idiotic stories
Chinaa has influenced them by offering. Money.. And it is crystel clear everybody is after money. India has done a lot for Nepalies.. But it has gone in vein…. Can’t help it… Kalyug me baat baat pe betaab maa baap ko aankh dikhaayegaa… Nepaal is not exception.
I guess it is other way around too. China has influenced India by offering trade to supply Chinese products in India. You must see the India-China trade which is more than 80 billion US $ with trade deficit. I am not sure where you got this one way concept (‘India has done a lot for Nepali’), I bet it is other way around. Very strange way of logic. Because most of the Indians (not all) are brain washed by politics and media. Check few things as listed you will know the truth. Check the actual data and fact:
1. With a big population, the supply of drinking water and for irrigation doesn’t seems to match at all so, India wants to have control on all the water resource
2. Nepal’s Himalaya is giving free security for India’s security. If India need to deploy its army on Chinese border, India’s financial growth may not be able to deal with it which will make India poor from what you are now.
3. Nepal probably in the top 5 in Indian economy to receive money from Nepal from Indian workers to send home remittance. Your economy is much more dependent on Nepal. You may not believe but check your data and google it.
4. India can take control of natural resources which are there and India thinks they have sole rights. China and other third party should not come in between
5. Make Nepal weak internationally and domestically so that India can play around in every aspect. Check S.D Muni, General Baksi and other others interview available in youtube
6. Check Sugauli tready of 1816 that defines the border between Nepal-India and check map during that time. Not the one which is distorted at present. It is not logical to debate that accepting treaty of 1816 but cannot say we won’t accept the map of that time and only current map is valid.
(You might say what what Nepal is doing in 70 and more years with the distorted map, the world has to accept that Nepal got freedom lately and there was too much Indian influence to bring down govt every 9 -24 months. Check interview of your own Indian expert how India used to play around. This also dose not sound good that British ruled India for more than 200 years and all of sudden how can Indian ask to leave India. What Indian were doing for such a long time. It was only Gandhi, who got better education and worked for British. Let’s not talk on Gandhi. He is respected person.
7. The development projects were never completed on time and the completion status is very poor. Majority of projects have probably 5 to 10% completion status that were suppose to complete some 15 years ago. You need to know like I said before. India wants to control resource and water and security not the development in Nepal
8. long list to go… So, be optimistic and positive. Look into both sides and debate. Do not be like wild bull.
Your existence n culture will remain protected only if u become a partner of India else Chinese will run u over if u don’t stop licking their toes.
Vivek, It is other way around and you can see clearly how dependent India is on China. Look at the trade deal of more than 80 billion US $ with trade deficit. BTW, If China is over Nepal then India is not far away to become one of new province of China. See your own news and media where India stands in front of China. And, do not forget 1962. Only cheap people like you shout like brainless people without looking into fact and accepting truth. If you do not have courage to accept the truth, do not use hate words. This message is just a reply to show the mirror of your face.
If you really hate and afraid of China, go and check the trade deficit with China and ask Indian Govt. to stop trade if you are true Indian who cares of India. Otherwise, do not just bark with stupid words against any including your own Indian friends.
Ur 3rd comment is absolute foolish. There are 5 lakh Indian citizens working in Nepal. But there are more than 2 million nepali’s citizens in India. See economy india’s economy 2.94 trillion & Nepal’s economy is 29 billion India’s economy is 100 times larger than Nepal.
Ok. You have written so much. But actually india is your lifeline. Nepal can’t survive without indian goods, vegetables etc. You are using our ports, air space for trade. So india has given it to nepal from yrs without any objections.
And talking about immigration you are lying here to make some points in favour of you. There are nepali in every corner of india. They are work here form months. Even they live here permanently. As india is big country it’s not be possible that nepal have more indians than nepali in india. There are 2 million nepali living in india. And in winter season so much nepali come here to sell winter clothings.
And there is infulence of china you can’t deny. China has protected your govt. Your govt is total pro chinese. Nepal has suppressed the free tibet rally violently. You claim buddha was born in your country. But you don’t support the follower of buddha. You even supported china in hong kong which opposed by whole world except china and nepal. So shows china’s influence.
You are claiming a territory that that is strategic to india. For that reason india is against your country. If it would have in some other areas, there would be no conflict now.
China is friend of none. Their interest is only expansion. They have dispute with 18 countries including russia also which is considered to be an ally. India is a balancing power in the region against. If there would not be an india you would have under chinese occupation. So china is playing this card so that it can blame india.
If you want to cut all the diplomatic ties with india for a small land, then you should not use land of india for trade. If you will do backstabbing always then how can india allow you to use its land. Do us a favour just use air space over china, use their ports for trade. Why will india think about nepal’s interest always.
And claiming over certain land will not ensure that you will get it. You have to show historical facts with people’s choice in that area. those people call themselves as indian.
You have many options like UN, ICJ. You can go there with historical facts. So don’t blame india in every matter like your govt said corona is coming from India. Those people returning are your citizen. So if you can’t handle them don’t blame india.
Gorkha regiment when they join in Indian army their first responsibility is protecting indian interest. As india is giving bread and butter. Salute to those brave gorkhas who lost their lives serving india but it doesn’t mean that india will loose its strategic interest to please nepal.
You have killed indian citizens twice as of now. But india still didnt retaliate. So india has respected you more. But I have seen many nepalis are most arrogant people against indian.
Let’s do one thing cut off all the ties. Stop using each other’s land by any means for trade or travel. As both trade and backstabbing cant undergo simultaneously.
So now understand how much india is helping nepal. India can survive with nepal or with out nepal. If you will favour chinese then your trade should be from there side, your flight should land from their side, you should use their port. India can’t provide all these things if you will be a threat to indian security.
The army chief need not have made this remark; its a political point, not a military one. By asking him to speak India has given this issue a needless military color. India and Nepal share special relations, cemented by their military ties, a common religion and other aspects. The political relations go through highs and lows, but the military relations should never be strained. Military chiefs need to think carefully about this sort of thing.
I agree 100% and it has to be like this. Politicians and diplomats should be enough to handle in case of Nepal-India relation.
The fact that the author belongs to Congress, makes him ineligible to write on any matter of National Security. Except for an odd individual like Capt Amarinder Singh of Punjab, your loyalties lie on other side of the border, not this side. This is not only my perception, but of majority of the people in Security Forces I interact with. If you really want to serve Mother India, my humble request. Just keep quiet.
Oh wow! The writer of this garbage article is a Congressi???. This says it all. Guys! We all should stop wasting our time as we have better things to do. When his leader is devoid of logical thinking how can we expect this virtue from this guy!!! Haha.
This is an absolute piece of CRAP written by Manvendra Singh, who has never been to the area of dispute in Ladakh nor he has ever served in the Army. He is just a substandard journalist who went into journalism as he could not clear any better career option Avenues. Either he is hard of hearing or his comprehension abilities has gone for a toss. Perfect example of mindless journalism where the journalist failed to understand whom the Army Chief is referring to. Gurkha rifles is an elite regiment with a glorious past. This statement by the Chief of Army has been made in context to China . Me commenting on his garbage is below my ethics,but still. This is a clear cut example of paid journalism and the author of this article and The Print is actually a bogus medium to garner everything that’s mindless. The nation is completely with our Army Chief and our Elite Gurkha regiment. We are proud of them both. Its time ppl should stop flipping through this bogus news bites where the author is a chronic attention seeker. Bogus news!
Stupid writer. What a trash piece of artucle. The Print is always a nihilistic and depressive journalism. Government should ban such puppets of foreign countries. I strongly believe the print is being fubded by fireign parties.
It’s seems the same tactics as China plays in name of their people’s emotions, but in actually citizens might even care of those stupid politics…., just another propaganda.
Those who closely observes communist tactics could understand it. Else people would get drifted with such soft power emotional influencing bullshit. Bare in mind communists don’t give a shit of the emotions of their people, they are interested to save their face and play blame game and plays victim card to remain in power. It is unfortunate that some of my countrymen believe it it.
Who from Nepal army has told you that they were hurt? Or is it your drama?
This cong leader Manvendra is trying to say #India should never disagree with #Nepal . Nepal can do things detrimental to our interest but our @adgpi chief should not respond because of his honory post in Nepal army. I commend Gen #Naravane . Jai Hind ??
Without going into the merits of the argument, it is unbecoming of you to publish an article by a congress functionary that criticises the nation’s army chief.
The army chief has the job of protecting the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while it is clear that congress is trying to undermine and weaken India’s forces for the sake of narrow political considerations.
Tujhe writer kisne bnaya.
Worthless
Anti anti india elements
Boycott and ban the print in india
With this dirty and Anti India Article the author and the site have proved that they are Truly Dirty Doormats of all Anti Infia Agencies, China, Indian Khangress, Communists and “भारत के टुकड़े टुकड़े गैंग”
Only traitors of India can write like this. Shame on you for the campaign against our armed forces. May be youalso support the stupidity of the Nepalese PM