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Ex-Servicemen in Hurly Burly of Politics: Some Hits, Some Misses

Ahead of the assembly polls in five states, a look at ex-armymen’s tryst with politics, post the 1971 war. 

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Punjab Election
4 min read
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Hitting the campaign trail in Punjab, which goes to the polls in the first phase on 4 February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi listed reasons why people should vote for his party and its ally, the Akali Dal. Besides standard claims that he required continued support because the government had taken corrupt forces head-on, Modi also listed three Punjab-specific issues: One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme, surgical strikes and the Indus Waters Treaty.

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Ex-Army Personnel, A Crucial Vote Bank

The last, indeed addresses a Punjab-specific partition angst and seeks to mollify it by the jingoistic promise of more Indus waters, thereby jeopardising the agreement between India and Pakistan which has lasted six decades and more. The second claim follows the same tack. In contrast, Modi’s claims of having fulfilled promises on OROP brings to focus that with an estimated three lakh ex-servicemen (ESM) in Punjab, this demographic group constitutes a special vote bank.

Indeed, issues related to ESMs are of particular import in this round of assembly polls as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand have among the highest number of former soldiers in absolute numbers and in terms of population to ESM ratio.

Besides actual numbers, ESMs have greater political significance because after retirement most settle with families in village homes and influence electoral behaviour of other family members. The BJP runs the risk of losing support of this group because of slipshod handling of the OROP issue. Already, there is a vertical split in the Indian Ex Servicemen Movement, leading to the formation of the breakaway group, United Front of Ex-Servicemen, which is backing the Congress.

Also Read: Will the Congress Benefit from OROP in Assembly Elections 2017?

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Ahead of the assembly polls in five states, a look at ex-armymen’s tryst with  politics, post the 1971 war. 
(Infographic: Harsh Sahani/ The Quint)
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Army’s Tryst with Politics

Despite their numbers and and the fact that they constitute a pan-Indian political body, the ESM are under-represented in politics. This has partially stemmed from the politically prudent tradition of separating soldiers from politics. History and post-partition events in Pakistan testify that politically entrenched armies are unhealthy for developing polities.

India could not have followed in the footsteps of nations like the United States of America, which have a long tradition of retired generals playing a public role on the strength of their military records. Starting with George Washington to Colin Powell, they were all starred generals and eyebrows were never raised over their entry into politics.

In India, despite Indira Gandhi’s fears that Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw (when still army chief) was plotting a coup, the defence forces scrupulously stayed away from politics. Most generals preferred to become legendary and practised the dictum that soldiers should fade away. Yet, post-1971, visible discord surfaced between the ESM and the government, chiefly on Gandhi’s post-war stance that ended with the Simla Agreement between India and Pakistan.

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Only Few Clicked as Politicians

Yet, barring odd former army personnel who joined politics – or like Gen SK Sinha, patronised by anti-Congress parties and given significant assignments, most reinvented themselves post-retirement, some as societal role models, and others in diverse jobs.

A few who entered the big league of politics, for instance Jaswant Singh and Rajesh Pilot (he was the Squadron Leader when he entered politics), established themselves on their political achievements and not their defence past.

When retired general and junior officers and ORs (Other Ranks) joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in droves in the run-up to polls in 1991, they were driven by the party’s nationalistic campaign.

But only Maj Gen B C Khanduri made it to big time politics because he moved from being just a former army man with interests solely in defence issues. That his decision to engage with broader issues was essential for his success is demonstrated by the limited role that General Shankar Roychowdhury played after being elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha in 1999.

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Controversial Army Chief-Turned-Netas

The interest of politicians in retired generals resurfaced in 2013 when Modi addressed his first public meeting in Rewari, after being nominated the party’s prime ministerial candidate, with General VK Singh alongside him. He was showcased with an eye on the ESM vote bank. Previously, Gen Singh displayed ambitions to enter public life when he enlisted in the anti-corruption movement.

Despite his controversial tenure and the hullabaloo surrounding his date of birth, Modi invested in the General but he is yet to vindicate the faith reposed in him. In this round of elections, the Akali Dal has fielded another controversial army chief, General JJ Singh to contest against Captain Amarinder Singh.

The former chief minister and the face of the Congress campaign, made it big in the hurly burly of politics because of his ancestry and not for being an ESM. In contrast, General JJ Singh is short of the decorum one expects in public life from someone who held the highest office in the Indian Army.

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Current Crop of ESM Leads to Disillusionment

Because of high social credibility and crucial role they play in securing the nation, the ESM deserve the attention of political parties and leaders. Unfortunately governments, including the incumbent, responded to long-pending demands of the ESMs with lack of urgency and sincerity. The various parties’ insistence on continuing to treat them as vote banks will add to the declining glamour of the armed forces as career forces and add to security challenges.

Retired generals – chiefs or others – could do well to understand that post-retirement, a role in politics or governance is not a strict no-no, but they must embark on a new career after taking fresh guard. Loose talk, as has been General JJ Singh’s wont, and Gen VK Singh’s lack of circumspection on most issues hardly strengthens the case of senior ESM in politics.

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(The writer is an author and journalist based in Delhi. His most recent books are ‘Sikhs: The Untold Agony of 1984’ and ‘Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times’. He can be reached @NilanjanUdwin. This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)

Also Read: Sorry General JJ Singh, But Capt Amarinder Never Deserted the Army

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