The ex-servicemen community in India is at political cross roads with a senior General Officer sharing the platform with the Congress. In fact come to think of it both the Congress and BJP have used political opportunism and en-cashed on the sentiments of the veterans. At Rewari an aspiring PM started the political campaign at an ex-servicemen rally.

The veterans are a closely linked community and a large number have sons and daughters or reinforced umbilical bonds with soldiering. The Indian Army is an apolitical body thus as a natural fallout, the ex-servicemen community is bound to follow the parent organization. On the other hand for individuals not to have political affiliations as, “man is a political animal”, is not possible. Thus while individuals can pursue politics at their own, the community and its representatives must work for the larger goals and welfare of its own kith and kin, more so, for the widows. So what does the community do and where does it go from here?

Ethical conduct, High Morals, and a Value based system of functioning coupled with Izzat are the core belief of the soldiering community, in or out of uniform. Thus, each time the core belief of such a community is challenged, it must go back to basics, which is the theoretical explanation.  In this case one of the the core believes is being apolitical; the average civilian respects us for our core belief. To be seen hobnobbing with those who have different core believes dilutes, the soldier serving or veteran as an organization. Politics or simply said “Rajneeti, vote, note, and power, ka by product hain, ham izzat, shaanaur sacrifice ke by product hain,”; the twain just doesn’t meet.

So why did the ex-servicemen go to the political class. They went because they thought that their demands will be met by the political class, which has not happened, in fact the parent organization the armed forces have got a raw deal in the 7th pay commission. The Army veterans have been evicted, and the Army is in the news for either laying yoga mats, or constructing bridges.  On the other hand the citizens’ respect for the Army has not vanished, they still respect it, and the recent survey states that emphatically.

The respect for the armed forces comes because of the core beliefs of the forces.  The people know that the Army still has core values and abides by the same. The intangibles draw and inspire not only the serving soldier or the veteran, but also, the common man who look up to this organization. On the other hand to employ this manpower in construction of bridges for image building which is a tangible effort draws flak.

But this does not solve bread and butter issues, like lowering the status of the forces, on the other hand going fully political canvassing in elections will make us loose the moral high. The father of the nation created non violence which got India independence. The veteran thus needs to stand on the moral high and be apolitical.

It is being apolitical and standing up for our belief that will stand us in good stead in the long run. The Chetwode credo first line states, “The safety honour and welfare of your country comes first always and every time”; we need to uphold that. For the political class its party first and if in government yes the constitution as per law but interpretation is as per party ideology.  On the other hand we stand tall on nation first. With a free press and a vibrant democracy our issues will be highlighted, but politics will get us nowhere. 

(The writer is an Indian Army veteran who has authored books Gorkha: In Search Of Identity and Gorkha: Society and Politics)