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The battle for pay by the armed forces is turning out to be a comedy with both sides huffing and puffing and at the same time trying to play down the situation. First we are told that the defence minister did some “plain talking” with the chiefs for not issuing the draft letter. Now will other ministers do some plain talking with the IAS and the IPS for their shortcomings?
It is only the Army/Navy/Air Force Acts that enable the government to be tough with the armed forces. Recall the mutiny by the Mumbai police in 1980 when the government had to call out the army to help. The statement by the Army chief that there is no dispute with the government is nothing but a vain attempt at playing down matters. If there is no dispute then why did the Navy chief issue the letter? Why has a panel of three ministers been constituted to once again review the pay for the armed forces? How is it that the civil services have managed to get what they want? That’s because the armed forces don’t vote and have no role to play in the elections. Every MP/MLA wants a friendly Collector and DSP in his constituency at the time of elections. They are hardly bothered about who the Army chief is.
However, the larger question appears to have been missed. The battle for pay is not just about money. It is also a statement that if the soldiers are not happy, then there will be no army in five years. Maybe our babus and police will have to stand on the peaks then?
The armed forces should also thank the media for having played as active a role as they can without displeasing the netas and the babus to whom they have to go for licences. That’s why for the first time, the general public has also become aware and is voicing its views. One way we can all help the armed forces is by not sending our children to join them so that an even larger shortage will force the government to wake up. And if the government talks about conscription, great — start with Rahul Gandhi. How about making the Short Service Commission compulsory for all elected offices and UPSC exams, like it is in Singapore? How about making it compulsory for all government servants, who are fit, to join the Territorial Army with additional seniority to those who do this service?
T R Ramaswami, on email
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This refers to your editorial “Extreme step” (Sep 30). If matters reached a stage where the three defence chiefs were compelled to collectively decide not to implement the government pay order, the defence minister, instead of talking tough with the defence chiefs and forcing them to comply with the disputed pay order, should have been patient and gone for an introspection.
The situation could have been avoided had the dissatisfaction among the armed forces been taken seriously by the government and timely action taken. Your editorial points out that the three chiefs had made their views on the Sixth Pay Commission known to the government months ago; some adjustments were made to what the Commission had recommended, but key issues were not addressed (or addressed through rejection). What is wrong if they are demanding uniform grades of pay at par with civilian officers, suitable grades for certain category of officers and restoring pensionary benefits of personnel below officer rank? For what they are paid, the armed forces return to the nation far more than the good-for-nothing politicians and bureaucrats.
In a democracy the military is strictly answerable to civilian power. If an act of the civilian power brews discontent in the military and it finds no other way but to take an extreme step like in the present case, blame the civilian power, not the military. Recently a 300 per cent pay hike for the President, Vice-President and Governors was sanctioned by a Cabinet Committee. Parliamentarians decide for themselves the hike in their pay and perks. There is no set formula or criterion for them. The bureaucracy takes advantage of being the part of the decision-making machinery and serves its own interests. It is a matter of shame for the government that its forces are feeling let-down in the matter of their salary. The root cause of the problem is the notion of supremacy and the highhandedness of the political establishment and the bureaucracy, taking all others for granted.
M C Joshi, Lucknow
