It's a shame BSF's star commando is facing court martial while major Gogoi got commendation
About a couple of months ago Shekhar Gupta, while interviewing Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev for “Of The Cuff”, asked him about the propriety of Indian Army major Leetul Gogoi tying up a Kashmiri youth in front of his Jeep and using him as a human shield for "protection" against stone-pelters and taking him around several villages for over seven to eight hours.
The founder of Isha Foundation replied to the effect that the decisions made in the battlefield should be left to commanders on spot because they are the best judge of the situation. No one else has any business to advise him.
The video soon went viral on social media with the caption "Sadguru Vasudev Ji ka Shekhar Gupta ko karara jawab".
Well, Sadguru is right. Local commander sure does not have the luxury of seeking advice because he may be facing life-threatening situation and delay of even a split second may put his and the life of his command in jeopardy. But analysis of incidents after they have happened is essential to draw lessons. Failing to do so will be ruinous as we will then be condemned to commit same mistakes again and again.
Major Gogoi has been awarded with commendation by the Army chief even though the action of the officer is seen as blatant violation of principles of human rights by many, and even though an inquiry is pending in the matter.
The young assistant commandant, Anubhav Atrey, of the BSF, however, is not so fortunate even though all his actions in an operation against Bangladeshi criminals were in good faith in accordance with law.
The case in brief: a patrol lead by an officer on Indo–Bangladesh border last year came under mortal threat, he followed the letter and spirit of law by exercising maximum restraint and did not open lethal fire on a group of Bangladeshi criminals, who armed with sharp edged weapons, had entered the Indian territory with criminal intention of smuggling gold and other contraband, about which the officer had prior information.
The officer resorted to the use of the less lethal pump action gun in right to private defence while trying to protect the life of a fellow patrol member. In fact, inquiries reveal that he even fired a warning round in air before firing at the criminals. Pump action gun, which normally is not lethal, resulted in injury to one criminal (well inside the Indian territory) who later succumbed to the injuries after fleeing back to Bangladesh.
It has been over a year since this bright youngster, who in his short career of about five years excelled professionally and has the distinction of representing the BSF in several professional competitions including commando competition, is facing the torturous process of inquiry and perhaps a court martial. The officer also was the "poster boy" of the National Geographic Channel documentary on BSF.
To make matters worse, the incident occurred during the biennial talks between DG BSF and DG Bangladesh Border Guards in Dhaka. The officer was placed under suspension immediately. The suspension was revoked only after about two months. Inquiry ordered in accordance with normal procedure for all cases of unnatural death has said that the officer planned the operation improperly.
It has been over one year since the incident occurred, yet the entire procedure is not complete. Each passing day brings additional pressure on the officer and thus demoralisation.
The rank and file of the BSF specially, the junior leaders are naturally making comparisons with the case of major Gogoi. Difference in the manner in which two organisations have dealt with these cases is stark.
Gogoi has complete backing of his organisation, even though he is prima facie guilty of blatant violation of human rights. On the other hand, Atrey, who apparently played by the book has been left to fend for himself and is facing prolonged agony.
It is a fact that very capable officers may sometimes commit mistakes, but how and under what circumstances has that mistake been made has to be weighed properly before subjecting someone to the type of action being faced by Atrey.
A perfectly fine officer who was professionally shaping extremely well is now a mental wreck and has probably been left with a scar for a life time.
More important than the agony of an individual is the larger message that has gone to the junior cutting-edge leaders and constabulary. There is a palpable sense of fear among them that they may be hauled up even for genuine acts of omission in the process of conduct of an operation as there is no one to protect them. They are more likely to simply stop taking initiative and let the matters drift.
Such state of affair does not reflect positively on the human resource management practices in a sensitive and important armed force of the Union like the Border Security Force as it adversely effects the morale and initiative of the force personnel.
This can be rectified only when the leadership of the organisation is familiar with the ground realities like the hierarchy in the Indian Army is.
This, however, remains the unfortunate story of the soldiers of a lesser Gods.