The Ministry of Defence has launched a novel scheme to promote its achievements in various fields. As per its directions issued on 6 October to all its departments and organisations including the armed forces, 822 geo-tagged ‘selfie points’ will be created in public places across the country to “showcase good works done in defence” and in a manner that “enables the people to get the feeling of being a part of the initiative.”
There has been no formal statement by the MoD with respect to this project. The Ministry of Defence, D(Coord) letter vide their ID No. 8(34) /2023/ D(Coord), dated 06/10/2023, which appeared on social media, has not been denied or confirmed by the MoD. As per the directions, the execution was to begin “immediately”. In fact, the ‘selfie points’ have already come up in some places.
A photograph of one such ‘selfie point’ outside Command Hospital Southern Command, Pune has appeared on veterans’ WhatsApp groups and X (formerly Twitter).
Selfie point Command Hospital Pune what a shame. Hospital confirms, spine missing. pic.twitter.com/ld7B5e5ei5
— Col Dinesh Kumar(R) (@kkhushal9) October 22, 2023
All over the world, armed forces and defence organisations showcase their history and achievements in the form of war memorials, museums, parades, equipment displays, firepower demonstrations, air shows, naval fleet reviews, and photo billboards/posters, in order to inspire confidence in the public. However, the timing and content of the ‘selfie point’ scheme have made it controversial. There have been allegations of it being used as a tool to further the political agenda of the government in an election year.
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‘Selfie point’ directive
Additional Director General (Media & Communications), MoD, made a presentation on ‘selfie points’ to the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 14 September 2023. Apparently, after his approval, the directions were issued on 6 October as mentioned above. Top priority has been given to the scheme and all ‘selfie points were to be “installed immediately”. An action taken report was to be forwarded by 11 October 2023 and a progress report was required to be given to the Defence Minister on 13 October.
Overall 822 ‘selfie points’ have been planned with specific targets for each department and organisation. Three hundred for the armed forces—Army (100), Airforce (75), Navy (75) and Military Engineering Services (50)—100 for Department of Defence Production, 50 for Defence Research and Development Organisation, 50 for Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare and 352 for Department of Defence including Border Roads Organisation, NCC, Directorate General Defence Estates, Armed Forces Medical Services, Indian Coast Guard and Sainik Schools.
The Additional Director General (Media and communications) has issued a Standard Operating Procedure for the development of ‘selfie points’ which has been issued to all concerned. The SOP has laid down the themes based on the government’s catchphrases including Atmanirbhar Bharat, Sashaktikaran, research and development and innovation, border infrastructure development, welfare of ex-servicemen, Nari Shakti, expansion of NCC and Sainik Schools, and digitisation.
Selfie points are required to be set up at prominent locations, which have maximum footfall and the potential of attracting public attention. Suggested locations include war memorials, defence museums, railway/bus stations, airports, malls/markets, schools & colleges, tourist destinations, and festival gatherings. The design has been left to the respective organisations. However, suggested samples include three-dimensional models and digitised billboards. The SOP also suggests the creation of dedicated social media handles (X/Facebook/Instagram) with a catchy ID printed on the ‘selfie point’ to encourage people to tag the concerned department in their selfies. Similarly, the departments have been asked to create dedicated email IDs and WhatsApp accounts so that people can send their pictures to these avenues for further publicity.
Finally, the SOP recommends that “the ‘selfie points’ may contain a picture of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi”. Three ‘selfie point’ samples have been given as suggested “ideas” covering indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant, indigenous fighter Tejas and Nari Shakti showing women fighter pilots. All three samples include an oversized photo/model of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is more than half the size of other elements.
Hidden intent
On the face of it, the ‘selfie point’ scheme seems to be the traditional and routine exercise of showcasing the achievements of the MoD, particularly with respect to Atmanirbharta in defence and the prowess of the armed forces. However, the timing of the scheme and the recommended inclusion of the photo of the PM, even if is with the rider of ‘may include’, smacks of a political agenda. More so, when it comes on the heels of the directions issued by the Army Headquarters in May that soldiers proceeding on leave must ‘volunteer’ for social work with a focus on the propagation of the government’s welfare scheme.
Elections for five states are due in November and the Parliamentary elections are likely to begin in April 2024.
Note the tearing hurry of the MoD to execute the scheme. Directions were given on 6 October, execution to commence “immediately” and action taken report to be submitted by 11 October. Is it the execution of a routine scheme or ‘all hands on deck” to identify national defence, particularly the armed forces, with the political party in power?
There is no doubt that PM Modi has given great impetus to defence reforms particularly indigenising defence production. However, this is an ongoing process and a work in constant progress. To identify every facet of the military with him as a political individual only gives rise to allegations of “political exploitation”.
A case in point is his photograph as part of the ‘selfie point’ of Command Hospital Southern Command which is an image of the hospital with the caption “I love CHSC”. In any other military, the hospital administration would be hauled up for misusing the image of the PM.
The use of the word ‘may’ is an age-old method of passing accountability to the recipients for controversial directions. In military parlance, directions given using the words ‘may, ‘recommend’ and ‘consider’ are considered mandatory. And sadly our armed forces, instead of taking shelter in the ambiguous direction, are literally interpreting it as a military order meant for unquestioned obedience without understanding the political ramifications.
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Onus on military hierarchy
All governments tend to exploit the military by identifying with it and blurring the distinction between executive orders under the Constitution and its politics. All ranks of the armed forces on enrolment/commissioning undertake an oath of allegiance to the Constitution and are duty-bound to remain apolitical. The rank and file of the military follow orders without questioning them in the spirit of the famous lines from Lord Tennyson’s poem, The Charge of the Light Brigade —“Theirs Not to Reason Why, Theirs But to Do and Die”.
Officers of the rank of Colonel and above have the seniority and the maturity to understand the meaning of the term ‘lawful command’ under the Constitution. While dealing with the government it is for the Chief of Defence Staff, three Service Chiefs and Army Commanders (and equivalent) to differentiate between lawful executive orders of the government as per the Constitution and directions intended for political exploitation.
A veteran handle on X summed it up in his comments on Command Hospital Southern Command ‘selfie point’—“When military leaders cannot (or refuse to) distinguish between executive control and political gimmickry”.
Former Chief of Army Staff, General Ved Malik, when asked for comments on the scheme said that he believes that the armed forces “should stay away from politics,” and that there must also “be no attempt to politicise them”.
A former Chief of Naval Staff was more emphatic and said that this is a programme that “should never” have been contemplated and would have a negative long-term impact on the forces. “I am not quite clear about the concept underpinning the “selfie points” programme, but with the general election looming, any endeavour which even remotely involves the armed forces with political influencing, can only ring alarm bells. The MoD should never have contemplated this, and one hopes the military leadership will explain the deleterious long-term impact of politics on the morale & cohesion of our professional forces,” he said.
The onus is on the military hierarchy. Political governments come and go, but an apolitical military’s constitutional conduct remains a constant. All it needs to maintain this balance in a democracy is a straight spine and polite but firm advice to the government.
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. Views are personal.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)