Ethics, Ethos and the New Chief

Chairman SvipjaCMRChair had written on 16 Jan 2012 on his Blog www.SvipjaCMRChair.blogspot.com that the COAS of the Indian Army should have tendered his resignation once his age plea was not accepted by the Govt., and definitely after the Court verdit. It did not happen, but followed many 'ungraceful' events.

Lt General S.K. Sinha, formerly Vice-Chief of Army Staff, and ex-Governor of Assam, and Jammu and Kashmir, a very savvy General and an Indian to the core, while writing 'Ethics, Ethos and the New Chief' on 31 May 2012 has observed the following:

1. The last one year has been a dark patch in the history of the Indian Army. Gen. V.K. Singh’s tenure as Chief started with a blaze of a self-created controversy compounded by the shenanigans of a few others.

2. Never before has any Chief in this country or any democracy in the world, filed a statutory complaint or gone to court. This lowered the dignity of that high office. Matters were compounded by the caste factor being brought in.

3. Members of Parliament of his caste sought the Prime Minister’s intervention in his favour and his brother-in-law organised a public rally in his support in Delhi. Instead of distancing himself from all this, he as a serving Chief went to unveil the statue of a former Prime Minister belonging to his caste.

4. Civil stands for the political executive and not for civil servants. Subordination of the military to the civil should not mean subservience or servility. There may be occasions when a Chief may have serious differences with the government on policy matters of national importance. In that event, he must resign and not promote public controversy while still in service.

5. Napoleon’s advice about military operations is relevant: “Every General-in-Chief when given orders that he feels are wrong must represent and get them changed. If this is not done, then he must resign.”

The Article provides 'a very grand view' of how CMR should move in the Indian Context. Provides insight into the complex CMR in democracies.

Read the Full Article: Ethics, Ethos and the New Chief

Antony, You Are Blessed!

The Golden Temple and Sikh Faith

The Golden Temple, Sikh Faith and Excellence that it Breeds

Courtesy: General Harbhajan Singh

The Indian Army Chief Goes to Court in His Age Row

SvipjaCMRChair has been closely following the case. As per media reports, it now emerges that the Chief has taken recourse to the Court Order in the matter. Our candid observations/Comments are:

1. It is not a CMR Issue as made out by some in the media. It affects the succession chain within the Army. It is therefore a matter relevant to the Army hierarchy. The Govt. has to only ensure that orders/instrs on the subject in vogue are 'rightly' enforced.

2. The Chief of any Army is an institution in itself. He upholds the dignity of the 'August Office'. He is duty-bound not to let the Office slip into any controversy for it to become a subject matter of public debate. There is no limit to varied thoughts then.

3. It is important that any such matters involving officers beyond the Commanding Officers' level are handled with due sensitivity and care by the hierarchy, military and civil both, as these level of officers are very senior. Any aberrations in such cases affect the morale and discipline of the Forces.

4. Having reached the impasse, the COAS is left with no option but to 'honourably resign'. As a soldier and an officer he has delivered to the Nation to the best of his ability. He needs an 'honourable exit' in all circumstances. May be he was advised incorrectly w/o any considerations to ethos, customs and traditions of the Armed Forces.

All this impacts the Armed Forces the world over, a lesson for all Govts.

Chairman SvipjaCMR Chair