“The Last Straw….”

The shameful and shocking brutal action of the police against aged veterans and Veer Naris at Jantar Mantar is virtually “the last straw” in the series of humiliating and grossly unjust actions of the Govt against the entire veterans’ fraternity, which has left it anguished and incensed. Serving Armed Forces personnel too are bristling at the treatment meted out to their revered elders, and dismayed at the prospect of facing similar humiliation upon their own retirement. Armed Forces personnel, serving as well as retired, had overwhelmingly voted for the Ruling party, enthused by the promises made by the PM at Rewari. Sadly, the disillusionment is complete due to not just the charade of a truncated OROP, but also due to the long list of injustices, such as diminution in status vis a vis other services, cadre review, Pay Commission anomalies, NFU, and disparities in allowances etc. Tasks thrust upon soldiers, such as laying yoga mats on Rajpath, constructing pontoon bridge and stage for a quasi-religious organization, cleaning up high altitude tourism spots, and constructing railway footbridges, too have been causing heartburn and murmurs why the military leadership does not insulate them from such demeaning orders. The entire gamut of issues seems to be a concerted assault on our ‘izzat’ and ‘iqbal’, orchestrated by an ill-willed bureaucracy, and egged on by an uncaring political class.

The ‘last straw’ perhaps represents our ‘last chance’ to proactively defend our honour. If we do not do so now and allow our struggle to be squashed by the Govt’s coercive, strong-arm tactics, then it will be impossible to mobilize again. We can then bid good-bye to all our aspirations. Moreover, the Neta-Babu combine would then be emboldened to further escalate our denigration. I had anticipated precisely the same scenario in my book, “Operation Jantar Mantar” that peaceful, disciplined protests would eventually be disrupted with insensitive and brutish force. With our collective wisdom we have to find new innovative means of fighting for our cause, over and above the ongoing legal avenues and negotiations.

We need to meet this challenge by setting aside personal egos and respective political persuasions and close ranks. It is true that our ethos is to remain apolitical; but it does not mean passive neutrality. If the current dispensation has belied the promises made, in letter and spirit, then it must be opposed. Its votaries might cite 50 years of inaction by the opposing party, but it has been punished in the last election. This plea cannot be allowed as an alibi for the Ruling combine’s breach of faith. I also do not subscribe to the TINA (there is no alternative) argument. The Congress Govts thrived for over 50 years using the same ploy, but now our enlightened polity must not allow the Ruling dispensation to exploit it. I have full faith that this country of 130 billion people will throw up new leaders who can be better trusted to deliver. By training and ethos we have always kept the Nation’s interest ahead of our own. But now the question is of our own ‘izzat’ and ‘iqbal’. If we cannot defend our own honour, how can we be expected to defend that of the Nation?