AGNIBAAN

 AGNIBAAN

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

14/VI/2022

 

I write as I watch the presentation on ‘Agniveers’ with the ‘Defence Minister’ in the Chair. I must say that an ‘Agnibaan’ has been fired by the Government from the shoulders of the three Chief’s. They said that this is a new, ‘out of the box’ ‘money saving’ & ‘employment generation idea’. On the contrary this should have been a presentation to sell a ‘soldiering idea’ to the nation.

 

It was pitiful to watch the body language & expressions of the Service Chief’s. It expressed something else. They have no choice but to accept it or ‘lose their job’. Two Naval Chiefs have already shown the way. Now the ‘hanging carrot’ takes precedence.

 

Agniveer merits are being circulated as a new recipe of ‘Gobi Manchurian’, a ‘’foreign dish, which is being portrayed as ‘Amrit’ for the Forces. Can it beat the age old ‘Mother India’s recipe’ of ‘Aloo Gobi’ which is time tested? Let me not talk semantics.

 

Many veterans voiced their opinions to the contrary to the introduction of this scheme. Most of them fought wars and understood the psyche of a raw recruit under fire. They know what motivates him ‘to give his today for your tomorrow’.  Their apprehensions though valid don’t matter. But then “Chamri jaye par damri na jaye, overruled this dissension. Desh gaya tel lene.

 

The ‘use and throw’ policy has been set into motion. The DM is at no risk at all. He has come and he will go. There would be a different DM in another couple of years. The ‘Defence Secretary’ will be moved to ‘Ministry of Animal Husbandry’ and somebody from there may replace him. The Forces shall continue doing what they have been doing both in peace and war, with whatever they have, as Gen VP Malik said once. Who cares?

 

            Why should I feel bad when all those sitting on the podium have predicted the future of Agniveers? Four years down the line, we would know. Let’s have patience and be prepared, as experiments do fail. Knowing the fauj and its ‘yesssssirism’ even if it fails, they will give a presentation otherwise because the next ‘Kursi’ is at stake. ‘Akalmand ko ishara kafi hai’.

 

            Be that as it may. I remember in one of the Corporates, Security was part of my job. There had been no recruitment in the last ten years. Guards kept retiring, a few guards passed away, a couple of them resigned. The strength kept dwindling by the day. Any request for recruitment fell to deaf ears. ‘Cost cutting’ was quoted. Security was ‘Ram Bharose’.

 

‘Reduce security’ Colonel Saab was the CEOs agenda in every meeting. One day he gave me a task, that from tomorrow you have ten men less, work out a ‘fool proof security plan’. I had no choice. One took it as a challenge & submitted a plan.

 

We were on a video con-call with our HO in Bombay. How are you controlling costs was the usual question to the CEO? He coolly said that Colonel Saab has agreed to reduce ten men by the end of the month. Hello……. I never said so. You presented the plan Colonel.

 

One day the Labour Union barged into an office for a ‘botched up’ labour contract. As a good fauji I reached and spoke to them not to take law into their hands. Good sense prevailed.

 

The situation was twisted and projected to the HO by the HR & the CEO, as an Int and Security Head’s failure. The HR blamed Colonel Saab for not cooperating in bringing in ex-servicemen. What! They never sanctioned the budget. That’s how they function in the civilian world. Thrown out Agniveers have a very bright future and might land up as security guards.

 

Let’s return to the TOD. It will have its ‘teething and nappy burn’ problems, which no one would highlight. Only twenty-five percent would be retained. That’s a little too harsh. I am sure in due time, there would be more men who would prove themselves as capable soldiers.

 

Why recruit them if they have to be thrown out? Is my argument.  What will happen in four years that three out of four would be shooed off to the civil street. Those disgruntled may join certain mercenary forces which seem to be active in India now, who need physically fit people who can also operate weapons.

 

On the lighter side, the first recruit should be of the RMs runner and the second his driver. All guidelines of Agniveers would be changed overnight for these two.

 

Jokes apart, The Naval, Air Force and Army version of the Agniveer missile has been fired. Now it is ‘fait accompli’. Chief’s felt ““convinced””, would never be known. Do they have any choice? I wonder!!!!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© NOEL ELLIS