ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Ex-Servicemen Slam CDS Rawat’s 3 May IAF Flypast Announcement

CDS Gen Rawat and three service chiefs’ announcement was met with incredulity and surprise by ex-servicemen.

Published
India
2 min read
story-hero-img
i
Aa
Aa
Small
Aa
Medium
Aa
Large
Hindi Female

Chief of Defense Staff Bipin Rawat and three service chiefs’ announcement of IAF flypast on Friday, 1 May, was met with incredulity and surprise by ex-servicemen.

Amid the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs addressed a press conference to express gratitude to the “COVID-19 warriors.”

Rawat announced that the Indian Air Force will conduct a flypast from Srinagar to Thiruvananthapuram and another one starting from Dibrugarh in Assam to Kutch in Gujarat. It'll include both transport and fighter aircraft, he said.

While some ex-servicemen felt that this was an unnecessary display by the armed forces and a waste of precious resources, others suggested deploying resources to evacuate migrant workers who are stranded.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

General Birender Dhanoa (retd), remarked that he was “saddened and disappointed” by the move and asked why are the “Armed forces being used as the official cheer leaders to express gratitude (sic).”

Maj General Thapar (retd) felt an “inane announcement” like this could have been handled by the Ministry of Defence's publicity division.

As an alternative, Lt Col Rohit Agarwal (Retd) suggested that a more constructive contribution of the armed forces could be achieved through “mobilising resources to assist in the movement of migrants back to their states.”

0

Capt KP Sanjeev Kumar, a former navy test pilot, writing for The Quint, stated that “to folks from a different military generation, the spectacle must have amused as much as it disappointed.”

“The statements made were largely political in nature,” Capt Kumar writes in his opinion piece.

He goes on to write:

“A solitary reference that “the armed forces are fighting COVID-19 according to two principles: Force Preservation and Assistance to Civil Authorities” stood out as the only redeeming line conforming to service charter. Everything else was rich in homily and low on substance; a far cry from the stoic stance military leaders at rarified echelons are expected to maintain.

To my recall, even at the height of Kargil War, such a joint presser was neither held nor deemed necessary. Nobody disputes the lifesaving work done by corona warriors, who are reeling under PPE shortages and even facing violence and ostracism. The nation has, on repeated occasion, expressed collective gratitude to these saviours who deserve our greatest respect.”

(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)

Read Latest News and Breaking News at The Quint, browse for more from news and india

Topics:  Indian Air Force   coronavirus   COVID-19 

Speaking truth to power requires allies like you.
Become a Member
3 months
12 months
12 months
Check Member Benefits
Read More
×
×