Friday 17 June 2022

BURNIG FINGERS... AGNIVEERS.. by DR Col PROF K PRABHAKAR RAO. VETERAN

 

                           BURNING FINGERS , THE INDIAN WAY

 

                                  Prof  Col Dr  K Prabhakar Rao, A veteran

 

 

 

            We see that when   former CDS proposed short   tenure entry of three years to youth as officers as scheme for tour of duty, there was hardly any comment in press. Youth neglected the scheme. I think the proposal died soon . 

             Now, when four year term for jawans as Agniveers is proposed and being implemented forthwith, country is burning at railway stations. Youth are burning trains, railway property  for the  last three  to   four days.    In secunderabad, there was  utter chaos  and very large scale violence and railway  police shot and killed one person when things were getting out of control. The crowd was heading to attack  massive diesel storage tanks in the station which could have caused great devastation and explosion. In view of situation police acted tough that was needed. Violence  should be always condemned and ruthlessly supressed.   

               Railway property  worth crores of rupees was destroyed.  In secunderabad , police failed to foresee trouble even after similar  chaos in northern states. Intelligence in all probabilities failed to fore see. This type of large scale co ordinated violence will not take place without detailed and precise planning and co ordination. This appeared   to be the outcome of well organised plan and execution  by  hoodlums being termed as agitated  youth  helped by vested interests. Police is rightly on the track of culprits. Many defence coaching centres in the  city are believed to be the key players in fomenting trouble.This is being investigated thoroughly.

 

           The proposed  scheme will  kill   time tested regimental  orientation and commitment to regiments and to army in general ultimately.   If continued   for few years, the very composition of regiments would be seriously diluted and  then destroyed finally which is not reversible. Old values that sustained army  all these years will vanish and a non committed army would be the outcome. The present army  evolved into a mighty committed force having fought many wars and  actions against terrorism since 1989 continuously. The youth who are ready to burn national property   if join army having escaped police eye would make them  into a force a conglamation of  rather hoodlums than disciplined soldiers. Discipline the key trait of services will evaporate in to thin air  making it a dangerous force in  nation under arms.. Once released , most of them  remain un employed   and frustrated  when they join some odd jobs here and there. State govts and para militaries do not give satisfaction they are seeking  and thus civil society gets largely   militarised with highly frustrated youth that can plunge nation into chaos.. It is very dangerous to nation.. A soldier takes much   more time than four years to  become  a very committed and patriotic soldier with high values in life. The proposed six month training to Agniveers  is an apology.   Discipline among soldiers   will vanish into thin air by the present policy. Govt claims, it is looking at reduction of  manpower and orientation towards technology.  The govt is all the time worried and concerned about high salary  and pension bill from defence budget. Think of civilian employees in min of  defence who are eating away into defence budget and I am sure the govt does not want to touch them. One can imagine the state if the present policy  is fully implemented. Destruction of the organisation is not far away. The new army chief  is expected to burn his fingers  surely cutting a sorry  figure.  That will be the worst day for the nation. But by the time, damage would have been done that would be non reversible. Destruction of an organisation would be  rather   simple and easy   for leaders but not re building it .

          The govt agencies however are claiming that issues were discussed threadbare for long time and all issues were well analysed before arriving at the implementation of the scheme of Agnipath.They claim that  certain modifiactions in the organization are essential  to reduce man power  as technology has greatly improved and is available. Apart from these the quality of input has also improved from what it was earlier and youth are in better state to absorb and understand technological improvements in the equipment and in warfare.

           Youth are more worried about their long term  benefits and a need for long service that gives thema secured life to take care of the families and parents. The present scheme throws them out after 4 years. About 25 percent of the recruited cadre would be absorbed for permanent  job in services and rest have to compete in para military forces like Assam rifles, BSF  , CRPF etc. where some reservations could be provided for parallel induction of discharged soldiers.  Others have to try their luck in corporate world and and in some state governments.  Life is thus  gets  unsettled. The amount of Rs 11.5 lakh rupees I s a mere pea nuts for them with which they can not  buy a house nor some land  and meet family obligations.  Youth were thus  aiming for permanent recruitment into services like in previous years and suddenly the bomb fell on them  as Agni path  that they could not digest.  The trouble erupted in northern states and continued causing great losses. South was relatively calm except  incidents at Secunderabad. Some senior retired generals   who came on TV expressed  their view that services are purely voluntary services and there is no conscription and there is no compulsion. It was up to youth to join services to join or not  to join. It is up to them.  Indian  armed services are   one of the best armed services  in the world .  1411658 armed  personnel are working in three services as on December 2021 while in Army alone  has  11,10,079 armed personnel.  These services  have Youth  particularly from northern states   who feel that their   employment opportunities have been  badly cut down and agitated   youth attacked railway properties all over northern belt causing great losses. In fact , maximum number of youth join from north while contribution from south is far less. In army 14.65   %   of servicemen are from UP state which is highest and followed by  Punjab ( 8.129%) ,  Maharashtra (7.596 %), Rajasthan (7.205 %),Bihar( 6.608 %), Haryana (5.934 %),Uttarakhand (5.40%), West Bengal (4.94 %), Tamil nadu (4.593%),   Himachal Pradesh (4.397 % ), Madhya Pradesh (4.235%) , Jammu and Kashmir( 4.218%).Andhra Pradesh (3.860%). The remaining Indian states lag behind such as Kerala ( 3.379 %), Karnataka (2.911%), Orissa ( 2.132 % ), Assam ( 1.805 %),Jharkhand( 1.547 %), Telangana ( 0.972 %),  Chattisgad( 0.890%),Manipur (  0.771 %), Nagaland ( 0.331),Mizoram ( 0.279 %), Arunachal (0.270%),  Delhi ( 0.226 % ), Tripura ( 0.174 %), Sikkim (0.164%) and   Meghalaya ( 0.148 % ).The youth from  northern  belt  from which services draw max  man power feel that their employment opportunities are adversely affected. This also added fuel to fire. In fact  the declaration of the scheme was all of a sudden and there was no fore warning   about likely changes in recruitment into services. Hence youth feel that they were let down. Indian army has many conventianl regiments based on  particular province and  sect  Like jat, sikh, Rajput, madras,  mahar, Bihar, Maratha, Punjab, Garhwal etc and youth from these sects  take pride in joining  such regiments. Families feel very proud when their children join defence services. Now they felt let down by the new scheme  and having lost the opportunity   it resulted in    serious  unhappiness and crisis. There will be always many unwanted sources in society who will stoke the fire to cause crisis in society  leading to violence. Such persons  and groups exploit the situation  for political ends too. All hell broke loose the moment Agnipath was declared suddenly.

      Senior defence officers have been giving statements in press and declaring on TV that defence services are taking up reformation in the services in view of  changed technological  conditions and availability to the services. Youth are better qualified now to adopt better technological methods in the warfare. In other terms  the jobs can be done by lesser personnel leading to reduced expenditure on pay  and pensions in future. These senior officers  are also claiming that  discharged soldiers after four years i.e 75 % of recruited  soldiers could  compete in Assam rifles CRPF  and BSF the para military forces where  about 10 % reservations will be available to such discharged soldiers. Up to 25 % of recruited soldiers would be absorbed for permanent service if they meet the requirements at the end of four years service. These promises and statements in fact do not satisfy the youth who feel they are deprived of permanent service that was available to them early. Hence the heart burn continues.

At the end of four years, there will be  many released youth who will not be able to find proper job in industry. The army experience is not much counted in industry except for security services. The released soldiers from services like EME  Signals and  Engineers could find some placements if lucky. Yet scores will be facing axe in civil society. Def services are also stating that the released personnel will be given 12 th class pass certificate by the govt to enable them to  find some employment in civil society when curtains are drawn . Sadly these  defence certificates have no takers outside army. The released  personnel have lost valuable time to continue education after release. They are already more than  21 years age and have lost most precious time to acquire higher education. Thus they are big loosers on both fronts.It is argued that the the released youth have acquired discipline, better bearing, self confidence and   pride of having served in defence services. Even if these are accepted fact remains that they lost very valuable time in their life  and  are still running around for settling down in life.         

 

References

 

1.        “Trains burnt  in Agni path protest”, correspondent,  Deccan chronicle, dated 17 June 2022,  Page 1 Col 3 to 6,

2.        BJP defend Agni path as  CMs offer  Agniveer sops”,  correspondent , Deccan chronicle dated 17 June 2022  , page 7,   col 2 to 4,

3.        “Defence ministry  revises Agnipath  as per age limit” , correspondent, Deccan chronicle ,  dated 17 June 2022, page 7, col 5

4.        “Storm over Agnipath. It is huge shift May need  Tweaks”, Deccan chronicle ,  Page 6 ,

5.        “Reform unpleasant but will  bear fruits  PM”, Deccan chronicle  ,  dated 21 June 2022,  Page 1, col 5 to 8

6.        “Army issues recruitment notice , PM to meet chiefs”, Deccan chronicle, dated 21 June 2022,  page 1,   col 2

7.        “Agnipeeth bringing  the gig  of economy  to Indian   military”, Sanjeev Ahluwalia, Deccan chronicle, dated 21 June 2022,  Page 2, col 2 to 4

8.       “Secunderabad  riot mastermind to face probe by city cops”, Deccan chronicle,  dated 21 June 2022, page  4

9.       “Arani nirasanagni ”  , Enadu , Hyderabad Telugu edition,  dated 19 June 2022, page  1.

10.   “Agni veer to get 10 per cent reservations in paramilitary”, Deccan chronicle  dated  19    June 2022, page 1, col 2,3

11.    “ Kutrapooritham gane  vidhwamsam”, Enadu, Hyderabad telugu edition, dated 19 june 2022 dated   page 6 , col 1 to 4

12.    “ Niyantrana leke nirbheeti”,Enadu  Hyderabad Telugu edition,, dated 19 June 2022, page  7, col 1, 2

13.   Guntur, vijaywada visakha railway stationla lonu dadulaku pathakam, Enadu, Hyderabad telugu edition, date 19 june 2022, page 6

14.   “Disa nirdesam leni agni path, Sonia Gandhi”. Enadu Hyderabad telugu edition,  dated 19 June 2022, page 21, 

15.   “Allarla nashtam pai sit tho daryaptu cheyinchali”, Enadu , Hyderabad telugu edition, dated  19 June 2022, page 21

16.   “Kendra analochiha  nirnayalaho yuvatha bali”. Enadu, Hyderabad yelugu edition,  date  19 june 2022,  page 6, col 2,3

17.   “Agnipath to change defence hiring”,  Deccan chronicle, dated 15 june 2022 page 1, col 5 to 8

18.   “Agnipath evokes mixed reactions from veterans”, Deccan chronicle,  15 June  2922,  page 7, col 3,4,5

19.   “500 Secunderabad rioters tracked”, deccan chronicle 20 June 2022, page 4 , col 2 to 5

20.   “Coaching centres provoked stir”,  Deccan chronicle 20 June 2022 ,page 1 , col  2 to 6

21.   “One dead in  Agni path stir at Secunderabad station”, Deccan chronicle 16 June 2022,Deccan chronicle 16 June 2022,  page 1, col 2 to 6

22.   “Agnipath protests  refuse to die down across India,”  Deccan chronicle 18 June 2022 ,page 1, col 2 to 4

23.   “23, Agnipath to transform  our military, so give it a chance,” Lt gen Syed Ata Hasnain Retired,

         Deccan chronicle, dated 20 June 2022 ,page  6, Col 3 to 6

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