Army chief Bipin Rawat should not meddle in politics
We have been told that the Indian Army is apolitical and that dragging the Army into politics or political debates is against the tenets of nationalism. But what are we supposed to do if the serving chief of the Army staff himself takes to politics? Precious little.
Speaking at a seminar on India's Northeast, Bridging Gaps and Securing Borders, Army chief general Bipin Rawat said: "There is a party called AIUDF… they have grown in a faster time-frame than the BJP has grown over the years. When we talk of Jan Sangh with two members of Parliament and where they have reached, AIUDF is moving at a faster pace in the state of Assam. Finally, what will be the state of Assam, we will have to take a call."
Unfortunately, in doing so, general Rawat has undermined the institution which has so far remained highly respectable and above criticism. An institution whose sacrifices have not just been appreciated, but revered across the length and breadth of India. While it is deeply saddening to note how the Army chief is trying to please the party in power, it is also a scary scenario when the head of the Army appears to be endorsing the "us" versus "them" narrative.
Armed forces, not just in India but globally, unite democratic nations. They enjoy the unflinching and unquestioned support of those they guard.
The context
For the uninitiated, it is important to understand what exactly the context in which general Rawat spoke was.
General Rawat was talking about the security threat faced by India from both Pakistan and China. He said the influx of people from Bangladesh into the Northeast was "planned" and part of proxy warfare by Pakistan with support from China. So far so good. But general Rawat went on to attribute the rise of Muslims in Assam to the growth of AIUDF. Not only that, he compared it with the growth of BJP in India.
Just what the need for general Rawat to do the unwarranted was remains unexplained.
Rise of AIUDF
The AIUDF, formed in October 2005, has grown to have three members in Parliament and 13 legislators in the Assam Assembly. The party, also known as Sarva Bharatiya Sanyukt Ganatantrik Morcha, is primarily active in the state of Assam and claims to champion the "cause of Muslims" in the state.
The party rose to prominence on the back of its anti-Congress campaign, while the BJP appeared an ideological opponent.
General Rawat has attributed this rise of the AIUDF to the influx of Muslims from Bangladesh, which has for long been an issue that parties across ideological and political divides have capitalised on. But this is perhaps the first instance of a serving Army chief getting into it.
Political parties, general Rawat must know, have a right to grow in the country. This right is guaranteed under the Constitution. The AIUDF has it and so does the BJP. To comment on this is not the Army chief's domain. The growth and decimation of political parties in this country, proud of its diversity, is a reflection of the strength of its democratic spirit.
No Indian citizen, civilian or otherwise, has the right to question it.
Political parties have condemned the Army chief's comments.
AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal called the statement "shocking".
It ill behoves general Rawat to take this line because his appointment to the post in December 2016 has been a subject of criticism. At the time, it was alleged that he was cherrypicked over two senior officers, lieutenant general Praveen Bakshi and lieutenant general PM Hariz. His statements only betray incompetence, and do little to silence his detractors. And while such criticism is routine for politicians, it is dangerous for the Army.
The government had clarified he was found to be best suited to deal with counter-terrorism operations and proxy wars. It was only fair to trust the government that this was indeed the case. But the Army chief's statement, clearly toeing the BJP's line on Muslim appeasement by political parties for votes, raises questions over the apolitical nature of Army chiefs and their appointment.
The Army has issued a statement saying the utterance wasn't political in nature and shouldn't be seen thus. We wish it wasn't.
Successive governments have compromised India's independent and autonomous institutions either by means of lures or veiled threats, the Election Commission being their latest victim.
The entire country has a stake in seeing to it that the Army remains both autonomous and apolitical in nature. General Bipin Rawat's statement should thus never be repeated, neither by him nor his successors.
Institutions build respect through years and years of hard work. The Army has earned it with both sweat and blood.
The Army chief shouldn't compromise its credibility with such statements. We hope there will be due course correction by general Rawat, we are still looking up to him with hope and respect because he leads an institution we are proud of and want to continue doing so.
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