India became a REPUBLIC 69 years ago, on 26 January 1950 and the Constitution of India were adopted by the parliament of India. Hence each year 26 January is being celebrated as REPUBLIC DAY marked by the impressive PARADE mainly led by the Armed Forces show casing the MIGHT of the country which serves the twin purposes of installing CONFIDENCE among Indians and INSTILLING fear amongst the ENEMIES of the country. As every patriotic Indian fondly remembers the day as Republic day parade the day also has an array of cultures on show from the diverse Indian states of all hues and colors.
However the heart of the parade is to show case the military might and so it has been over the last 68 years and will be so, on the 69republic day parade also. It is well known that a country is as safe as its strength of the Defence Forces. Mightier the defending armies peaceful and progressive the country will be. It is therefore imperative that the Indian Defence Forces are kept in high moral and combat ready status at all time to defend the constitution and sovereignty of India from its inherent enemies both known and unknown. They have done the country proud in 1948, 1962, 1965, 1971 and 1999. Every Indian must be thinking that our great Armed Forces have been held at High Esteem.
Even when the civilian administrations, headed by IAS, fail miserably, which is more often than not, to handle natural disasters like Floods, Earth Quakes, Tsunami, Cyclones etc, it is the Armed Forces men, though not trained in disaster management, come to the rescue and succor of fellow Indians. Because, two things are very close to the heart of a Soldier, one the PRIDE of donning the uniform, two the HONOUR to serve the nation. I am sure in most of the countries, including USA, the soldiers are looked up to, respected and given the pride of place
In India, instead, it is not out of place to mention that the Indian Armed Forces have been on steady decline both in terms of its order of precedence and pay and perquisites by the machinations of the inept and greedy bureaucracy who are ever closer to the political powers of the day. Even the necessary upgrade of arms and ammunition for the Armed Forces are not taken due care of in time. Arms procurements have always been mired with controversies. There appears to be malice towards the defence forces personnel as proved from the many recent happenings.
While both the political leaders of all hue and the bureaucracy shed crocodile tears during any event of MARTYRDOM no actions worthy of mention to safe guard the interests of living soldier and his family after he retires are taken. Even the promised actions need to be persistently followed up lest be forgotten like in many cases. There is so much inept handling even in building a national war memorial, like in Karnataka. .
Our Pradhan Sevak Shri ND Modi in a forward camp in J&K, publicly announces that soldiers are his family while his own home minister in New Delhi throws out the peacefully protesting ex service men who are the extended family of serving soldiers many of whom were septuagenarians and handicapped, who were protesting non implementation of OROP in its entirety, which has even been admitted by Shri ND Modi on 19 Oct 2017. Another minister Shri Gadkari in Mumbai, openly says that he will not give an inch of land to the Navy personnel in the presence of an admiral (who by protocol could not make any statements even though he was highly riled), It is very surprising that there is no ex serviceman in the so called directorate of ex-servicemen welfare under the defence minister. There are many more such bizarre events which have not found a mention here presently.
This republic day, I do fervently hope rather than playing with the emotions of soldiers by making banal statements and shedding crocodile tears, this govt will ensure, without buckling to the bureaucratic interference, practical steps are taken to up hold both the PRIDE and HONOR of the soldiers and ex soldiers by constituting a powerful welfare body consisting of ex servicemen, listen patiently to all their grievances and resolve them without making the ex servicemen go on strikes and implement all available pending recommendations with the government, without any reservations to bring back the glory of tri services. It is only prudent to keep the counsel of ex servicemen while dealing with matters concerning ex servicemen and heed to the advices of three chieves of Army, Air Force and Navy, in matters of defence forces and national security. I do hope my fellow Indians will also do well to remember the soldiers in their daily life and hold the ex servicemen in respect due to them rather than momentary obeisance being paid when a soldier is martyred.
I love my India
Jai Hind