Here's an interesting forward …….
Firing from the other man's shoulder!
Dear Fauji Friend
Last week Maj Gen Joshi called on me. He was an esteemed instructor during our
Degree Course days, and EME officers would remember him as one of our finest
engineers. Indeed, he spent most of his time with the DRDO. He was commissioned
in Jun 1960 and was in the Eastern sector during the 1962 debacle. He has
analyzed the event very systematically, and his study reveals the following :
* Pt Nehru, the architect of modern India suffered a severe stroke of
depression from which he never quite recovered. He died in May 1964 at the
comparatively young age of 73.
* VK Krishna Menon was removed from the post of Raksha Mantri for his
incorrect assessment of the situation.
* Gen Thapar, the COAS was sacked. The careers of Lt Gen Kaul and
scores of other military officers took a "U" turn.
* A few thousand soldiers died; many more were wounded and some were
taken prisoners.
* The psyche of the country received a severe blow. It was considered a
'National Shame'
The question he asked me was, "Who was the Defence Secretary? And what was the
punishment meted out to him?"
I have asked several friends and also surfed the Internet but I am unable to
find an answer. In all probability nothing was done to him, because he had no
role in this!
Gen Joshi then took this discussion a step further. He observed that during the
recent attack on Mumbai, dozens of soldiers and policemen have been killed. The
whole nation is shaken. Mr Shivraj Patil has lost his prestigious job. The CM
of Maharashtra has been axed and several heads in the government are likely to
roll. Can some one tell us as to what action has been taken against the Union
Home Secretary or the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra? (Thomas tells me that
they will all be "promoted" soon though he does not know why).
Having spent many years in and around the South Block, I marvel at the way our
government has been structured. The Civil Servants rule the roost. In terms of
promotions and status they are ahead of every one else by miles. They are
central in the Pay Commission and the Cabinet Secretary is involved in every
major decision making process. Yet, when things go wrong, they wash their hands
off so clean that one wonders how!
A slightly closer examination reveals the secret. I have figured it out this
way:
* They never do anything themselves. They always find some one else to
be the head, and they know how to reduce him to be a 'figure head'. (In the Pay
Commissions, they have a retired Judge). However they place themselves in a
spot which has the maximum opportunity to influence matters.
* After the event, they never face the Press or the Media. Their role
is amorphous.
* The senior amongst them rarely sign a letter or order. Our pension
letter is signed by a Director, who is not directly recruited IAS officer. Only
rarely do you find a paper signed by a Joint Secretary. Officers above that
level do not sign any document.
* They have a strong association. It protects the interests of its
members dutifully and diligently.
So we have our Defence headquarters in which the postings, promotions, rewards
and punishments of all senior officers are controlled by the civil servants;
and they also have the final say in the process of procurement of weapons and
eqpt, but they are not "responsible" if things go wrong! It is authority
without responsibility. (For those who may not know, a lowly officer in the MoD
can have a Deputy Chief posted out, but a Service Chief can not get even a Desk
Officer moved)
When Gen Joshi left, I found myself perplexed. What sort of system have we
evolved? And how has it survived all these years? It is a bit like a unit in
which the clerks are running the unit and the CO is so dependent on the Head
Clerk that he can not move without their help!
Can some one give a cogent answer to the questions raised by Gen Joshi?
Regards,
Surjit
PS
Politicians wear the dress of the people they represent, to identify themselves
with the masses. Soldiers and Policemen wear uniforms. Can some one tell what
the Civil Servants wear? The answer came from the wag who said, "Civil servants
wear thick skins"
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