Shiban Khaibri
Can we afford to keep taking of crucial decisions for our defence requirements in a state of reckless haze of unspecified delays? Can we, by any account or under any alibi, seem to be compromising with the security of this country? Can we again keep the modernization of our armed forces in the backburner and be concerned only about the launching of the electoral oriented flag ships of Congress led UPA Government at the centre only because it must win the elections? Can we ignore China’s yearly spending on defence of $148 billion, Japan’s $57 billion as against our country’s merely $46 billion? Can this Government afford to spend nearly Rs.4 to deliver food worth Re1 of it while at the same time, 57% of subsidized food grains do not reach those who should get it and not mind starving our operational submarine just for new batteries made in and available from domestic markets? Should delays in ordinary critical decisions cost the most precious lives of our brave heart sailor officers? Putting up such uncomfortable questions trouble us all and must be answered by those responsible for such a national pass, accountability must be fixed and the whole episode of sordid nature as this, must not be consigned to prolonged and stretched commissions of enquiry and then submission of the reports kept pending and usually not agreed to, hence allowing dust of time to settle on the matter and that be it all.
The second part of the issue is as to why the Chief of the naval staff Admiral D.K.Joshi tendered his resignation. Why did he quit? Prima facie, he does not appear to have in any way acted that could be construed to be indifferent to the sensitivity of the problem since as per reports, the first letter of requisition, he wrote to the MoD on April 3, 2012, the second on August 27, 2012 and finally on May8, 2013 in respect of critical requirements of Indian made batteries for the submarine INS Sindhuratna? Former Naval chief Vishno Baghat feels that Admiral Joshi was one of the best naval chiefs, the country had. He further maintains that “the Government’s decision to accept his resignation will lower the morale of the Navy.” The former naval chief further says, “The government drove him into resigning by attacking him and demanding explanations and such incidents have been taking place for years.” The Government showed no grace, says Bhagat, in the manner of accepting the resignation, accepting it within five minutes. According to him, the final responsibility for such mishaps lies with the defence Minister and the Prime Minister and they should be held responsible in every way.”
Soldiers are brave hearts and are adored for the skills of fighting. It is a natural corollary that the enemy at the front, in the skies and in the waters can be effectively tackled and vanquished only when our soldiers are adequately equipped, armed , encouraged , supported and well taken care of. Those bureaucrats, Babus, politicians, Ministers etc; who may seem to be innocently or deliberately paying no heed to this most important aspect of our national security, must be shown the door and in proven unwarranted and unnecessary delays, booked legally and punished. It is shocking that perhaps this is the first instance since independence that a service chief has to resign in utter frustration. It is more shocking that two of our brave soldiers had to lose their lives, not in an operation but in circumstances which could have been averted, had decisions been taken in time. Again, very recently, one more Naval Commanding officer had to lose his life in an accident on board of a ship built at a dockyard in Mumbai. Last year as, many as 18 sailors lost their lives when in a worst disaster of fire, a submarine sank in the waters near the same dockyard .The families of our lion hearted brave and dedicated soldiers feel proud when their dear ones, their pupils of eyes get martyred in a battlefield while saving their motherland but when they get killed in such conditions which could result from sheer recklessness, they feel utterly shocked and all the countrymen share their shock and indignation. It may again be recalled and memories refreshed that when Kargil war was thrust on this country by our conventional belligerent neighbour, our the then Army Chief had very bravely and proudly said “We shall fight the enemy even with stones” when someone had talked about some shortage of the required ammunition, such is the unprecedented mettle of bravery of our valiant soldiers of whom we are all proud of.
A.K.Antony looking after the defence portfolio for 8 years in continuation, must face the music and instead of Admiral Joshi, he should have tendered his own resignation citing administrative flip flop in his ministry as the reason. It is evident that Antony did not take a minute longer in accepting the resignation of the Admiral and not owned any responsibility for putting in operation a submarine whose batteries had become obsolete and not replaced by the newer ones. What can be a priority more important than the country’s defence related matters for the Defence Minister and the Prime Minister of this country?
Is it a fact that defence purchases have shown a downward trend due to which modernization of our armed forces has not been more effective? Augusta Westland chopper kickbacks of Rs.300 crore is in respect of purchase of those choppers for our VVIPs in respect of which a rich and developed country like the USA had felt the cost being too high to be afforded by them but we placed orders for 12 choppers and as much as Rs.1200 crore is reported to be stuck in Italian Banks due to the Rs.3660 crore deal of sale put on hold by India. Why is not that money got back? Why is UPA2 so soft towards the firm and the Italian government? Where has the enquiry of the kickbacks reached, the citizens would like to know? There appearing no respite in the torrent of scams, a new latest defence related scandal that appeared in the Daily Telegraph reveals that Rolls Royce is facing a corruption allegation that it paid bribes to win lucrative contracts of Rs.10,000 crore to supply Hawk trainer jet engines to an aircraft manufacturer (HAL) owned by the Indian government. The bribes are alleged to have been paid between 2007 and 2011 amounting to over Rs.650 crores.
A. K. Antony has reported to have ordered an enquiry into the huge alleged bribes. Why is this sordid picture not made known to voters, instead why only the stereo rhetoric of “We gave RTI, we gave food protection, we gave land bill, we gave money for weaker sections, we gave MGNREGA, we gave computers, we want to finish corruption but the opposition parties don’t allow us to proceed, we want women empowerment, we, we and we”? But again WE the people also say that WE saw chain of scams of CWG, Aadarsh Housing, 2G Spectrums, Railgate, Coalgate, and Augusta Westland. WE saw Jet engine, Lutyens land scam even at the last leg of the UPA2 Government. Congress is silent on submarines issue, on kickbacks issue, on scams issue but stuck only with secular card, why?
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