Shimla: It is a battle between a former Armyman and a former Air Force personnel at the reserved constituency of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. It is also a microcosm of the debate over national security issues swirling in the Lok Sabha elections across the country.
The BJP candidate, two-time MLA Suresh Kashyap, 48, also called Fauji (Armyman) in these parts, is a former Indian Air Force personnel. He has peppered his campaign speeches with liberal mentions of the Balakot air strikes and Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.
His rival from the Congress, the Faujibhai, is former army colonel Dhani Ram Shandil, 78, who is a two-time MP from Shimla and a sitting MLA. He has been questioning the BJP’s politicisation of the military and would rather talk about the jobs and highways promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Himachal in 2014.
“It’s a coincidence. I am a fauji, Col Sahib, my Congress rival, is also an ex-serviceman. But he represents a party that is asking for proof of the air-strike against Pakistani terrorists in Balakot,” Kashyap says at poll meetings.
“His party is also not ready to acknowledge Modiji’s achievement to get JeM founder Masood Azhar declared a global terrorist.”
The two men are a natural fit for the Shimla Parliamentary constituency, which votes on 19 May, as it alone has over 10,000 ex-servicemen. Both are also from the influential Dalit clan of Kolis.
Himachal has deep ties with the military. It is among the states with the highest number of serving and former Indian Army and para-military forces personnel. For a small state with a population of 68.6 lakh, state government data shows that there are 1.53 lakh ex-servicemen in Himachal — 1.17 lakh from the Army, 2,376 from the Indian Air Force and 4,000 from the Navy, with the rest from paramilitary forces.
The state provides pension to 950 women who were married to military personnel killed in various wars and to over 35,000 women who were married to military servicemen. As many as 62,000 defence personnel from the state will cast their votes through the postal ballot system.
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The BJP’s nationalism
In this highly-charged election campaign, following the Pulwama suicide attack on a CRPF convoy and the reprisal air strikes on Balakot by the Indian Air Force, Kashyap has been relying on the nationalist discourse.
He took only a few minutes to upload a Facebook post about Azhar’s listing as a global terrorist by the UN Security Council on 1 May. He immediately credited it as Modi’s biggest success in the fight against global terrorism.
Kashyap also raises the issue of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) being included in the Congress manifesto.
“Do you want a prime minister who gives a free hand to the forces to choose their time and place to teach Pakistan a lesson for training militants or one who will file murder charges against the soldiers fighting militants and Pakistani agents in Kashmir?” Kashyap asks a cheering crowds.
The Congress is not surprised by the BJP’s nationalist card at all.
“This is to divert attention from the failed promises of Modi — who had campaigned here in 2014 promising liberal funding for development, creating better marketing infrastructure for farmers growing cash crops, and fruits, mainly apples,” said state Congress president Kuldeep Rathore.
‘Cheap politics for votes’
The Congress candidate Col Shandil (retd) says he is aghast at the way Modi and the BJP are trying to politicise the Indian Army and calls it “cheap politics for votes”.
“I am a proud soldier. I myself have been a part of the 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars,” Shandil says. “Never before has any prime minister ever tried to take credit for the Army’s action. By doing so repeatedly, Modi has hurt the sentiments of jawans and their families.”
Shandil says he would rather speak about how Modi has pushed the country toward deep communal strife, demonetisation and the faulty GST implementation.
“Where are the national highways Modi promised for Himachal Pradesh in 2014? And the promise to raise apple import duty?” Shandil asks. “There is farm distress and loss of jobs but Modi is dreaming of a second term as PM after scams like Rafale.”
On AFSPA, an issue which Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has been using in the campaign against Congress, Col Shandil says, “Only fools can say the AFSPA will be scrapped. What Congress meant is only limited to a review of certain provisions. This law will stay as it’s necessary to deal with exceptional situations to empower the army”.
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Army & ex-servicemen votes
Major Vijai Singh Mankotia (retd), who heads Indian Ex-servicemen League, admits that “there is a feeling among families of Armymen that Modi has been better for the country and the Army”.
He said Modi government’s one rank one pension (OROP) decision has gone a long way to boost his image, but Shandil says the benefits of OROP hasn’t reached ‘the hands of ex-servicemen’.
There is one thing, however, that both the fauji Kashyap and the faujibhai Shandil agree on. Both back the demand for a separate Himachal Regiment on the lines of Bihar Regiment, Dogra Regiment or Punjab Regiment.
“Our soldiers have made the biggest sacrifices during wars and also operations against militants. During the Kargil war, Himachal Pradesh received two Param Vir Chakras,” says Kashyap. “The sacrifice of Capt Vikram Batra, the Kargil war hero known for his last words dil mange more, and the supreme sacrifices of Capt Amol Kalia and Capt Saurabh Kalia are notable examples.”
He says the BJP representatives from Himachal will take it up in Parliament.
The BJP won all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh in 2014. Shimla Lok Sabha constituency includes the districts of Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur, and comprises 17 assembly constituencies. Of these, the BJP and Congress have eight seats each, and one is with CPM.
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The chief divider has not only divided the society but army also shameless feku
Nationalism is needed to keep the country bound together emotionally. Only the nationalism will ensure the feeling of one country. But the ground reality is the economic welfare. People should have jobs, affordable food and clothing, houses and all other daily necessities. In the 2014 election BJP promised to the people to provide for their economic – achche din for every one. Sabka saath, sabka vikas. But Modi has failed on this promise. None of his promises have come true. Now he promises national security with few so called token achievements here and there. Is he not running away from reality? Is he not making a show off to gain a second term?