Past is not past.. still relevant

PAST.. IS NOT PAST.. RELEVANT   EVEN IN PRESENT

prof   Dr  col k prabhakar Rao veteran

Wars are not fought every day and are also not   won every time. in democracies, army plays second fiddle and in a country like ours army plays even  third or fourth or even fifth  fiddle. the civilan beaurocracy  supercedes army in all aspects and army is pushed into a position of spectators. in 1965 war times, degradation of army was almost complete as a planned move of nehruvian policies. Generally every thing depends on the prime minister who is the chief executive of the country. Nehru died in 1964 and Shastri ji was in saddle  and made his mark as the

strong man in spite of his physical appearance. He gave army rather free hand four   waging warwhen pak patton tanks invaded in large numbers and Ayub khan declared  that he will have breakfast in Rawalpindi and lunch  in delhi. But this did not happen  and pattons were made into pulp.  This happened because army chief and field commanders had their way and had freedom of action ...Induan forces were about tyto capture Lahore city  in swift move  and Pskisttan was trembling..but Indin forces were not allowed to capture lahore.A hidden hand  was controlling  the  event.. We lost the bargaining ground.   we have seen in recent stadoff with PLA   where our batallion commander had no power to carry fire arms or to open fire when life is endangered. We had to fight like primitives using stones sticks, iron rods, kitchen knives, nails, clubs and boulders. Indian army surrendered entirely to beaurocrat machinery and their policies  in democratic India  of late

gonecate tgecdays of sam manekshaw when army kept it's head high with pride.we are imitating earthworms not hissing cobra where every joker in the world  tramples  us. We talk of our cholas, oandtas, chaluktas satavahanas, chauhsns, rajputs etc andbtheir valor bug to day we are paper tigers mewing not snarling. That is we. 

     During 1971 war, Indira listened to the army chief and took his  and advice and gave chief freedom of action. we won the, war but at negotiating table we were let down again. We, returned gained territotlries along with one lakh prisoners of war. We did not gain anything except we created another Islamic State In East that turned her guns at  us soon.  This was predicted by rajagopaiachari the first gov general of India after 1947.

What happened in 1962 is known to all.. And how we lost it is also known to world. it was a shameful event and black chapter in army's history. 

   Lesson is that when  army is not given freedom Of action  in a war to defend nation, invariably the country  looses. We are the best examples.. 

in the Iraq War fought by USA against saddam Hussein,  commanders had free hand and they won hands down. in Korean War fought after  ww ii, Army had no free hand resulting in dismissal of Gen macarthur  the field commander of immense stature in the world. till to day north korea is  an Achilles heel and pain thd ass  of all. 

in case of 1965, war Pakistan also claims  that  it won  the war and celebrates it as victory parade. Some one commented that for India, it was moral victory while for pak it was physical victory. in fact in war there, will be   winner and looser not in between. to sum up, whenever army goes to war with hands tied, it will loose. Not only in India but in other countries too. in case of India ,we claim ourselves as apostles of peace in world from the country of Buddha  , 

Mahaveera, mk Gandhi of late, and N number of saints ,rishis, sadhus, sants.babas  peers,gurus and  we preach to others as self proclaimed prophets of peace while other nations laugh if not openly behind our backs. A truth indeed. Never fight  a war with hands tied and mouts shut and victory would be  a mirage and  arr sure  to   loose the game in such case. We are best at it. 

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