URGENT STEPS TO HELP JAWANS STAND UPTO STRESS

SHIBANI DASGUPTA

As nations and neighbours in the Indian subcontinent struggle for power or supremacy using might as well as manpower to achieve it, India forces are reacting with most uncontrolled rage leading to death or maiming of fellow servicemen. Another cause of concern in the armed forces is the regular resignation of officers-from generals to rear admirals to lieutenants  – at all levels, worsening already severe man power shortage. This development has increased significantly in the last decade and needs to be attended to by the top brass in the Armed Forces as well as the Central government

URGENT STEPS TO HELP JAWANS STAND UPTO STRESS

SHIBANI DASGUPTA

As nations and neighbours in the Indian subcontinent struggle for power or supremacy using might as well as manpower to achieve it, India forces are reacting with most uncontrolled rage leading to death or maiming of fellow servicemen. Another cause of concern in the armed forces is the regular resignation of officers-from generals to rear admirals to lieutenants  – at all levels, worsening already severe man power shortage. This development has increased significantly in the last decade and needs to be attended to by the top brass in the Armed Forces as well as the Central government

A surfeit of mind-wracking counter insurgency  operations on the border of India is the main cause behind multiple cases of rage in the not so recent past. To recount a few as reported this year. On September 13 Sepoy S K Rabha shot dead three of his colleagues two havaldars and a Sepoy and injured two others with his service weapon in Rajouri, J&K. Then he turned the gun on himself to commit suicide. On October 28 Signalman Satyam Kumar opened fire from his INSAS rifle to kill one havaldar and injured a sepoy colleague at an Army camp in Udhanpur district.

It remain an ugly reality that the Indian Army may find difficult to admit, that the mental stress and physical fatigue under which its soldiers work in counter-insurgency operations has been reflecting in the regularly increasing number of attacks, suicide, assault and fights causing alarm cases in the 1.13 million strong force.

Considering the fact that over 100 soldiers commit suicide every year and that there have been around 200 cases of violence within the ranks since 2002, it is very clear that the Army would need to very drastically revamp ways and means to reduce stress, as part of an intensive policy.

Unofficially senior officers admit that posting a few extra psychiatric is hardly a solution to the problem, now raging in northern and eastern commands in the two sectors, as has been announced some weeks ago. It has been felt that counselors are needed at every level, with regular rest and recuperation sessions for soldiers that will help take care of the debilitating stress.

Ex-officers of the Army are worried why frequent incidents of rage killing of fellow soldiers or officers – are taking place instead of aiming at the enemy. Retd Brig. Harwant Singh who had served in J&K when militancy was at its peak has listed several possible reasons for it. One is over –work under dangerous conditions. There has been a manifold increase in commitments of the Army due to its long deployment in internal security duties. Demand of sentry, patrolling and other duties are so high, many of the men do not get the opportunity to sleep to their bunkers or beds on two consecutive nights, while others many not get even one full night’s rest.

Also, in areas that have militancy or terrorism potential, that adds to the tension of the soldier-it makes them edgy and many times leads to violent acts – of killing their colleagues or senior officers, who they perceive as their source of trouble.

Even as India struggles with men of non-commissioned and other ranks category, commissioned officers from generals and rear admirals to lieutenants, officers at all levels are resigning and leaving India’s armed forces, worsening an already severe manpower shortage. According to figures made available by armed forces reveal that over 2,700 officers sought discharge over the past five years. Of these more than 2050 were allowed to leave. The Indian Air Force refused to share any figures on the plea that the information could be an indicator to the lack of morale. According to official sources, many officials are dissatisfied with their professional growth and opt to leave for better career options. Former Chief of Army Staff Gen (Retd.) V P Malik has regretted while admitting that many officers are dissatisfied with their professional growth and leave to achieve better heights in their career. On one side are material aspects like pay, allowances etc, while on the other are the prolonged periods of service without much respite in field postings – like insurgency affected locations for which they may be separated from their families.

In direct contrast are technologically qualified officers who join the sunrise sector of IT and earn thrice as much their compatriots still within the services. There is also a significant amount of stagnation in the Army-especially at the levels of Major and above. It is affecting morale, hence the tendency to quit.

The 12 lakh strong Army is already short of nearly 13,000 officers and is on an aggressive hiring mission. The Army top brass admits the main grounds for resignation are personal / compassionate reasons, non-empanelment for promotion to the next rank and placement in permanent low medical category. The plethora of resignations can also be traced to the economic boom that has engulfed India in the last five years. The discipline and work ethics of the technically qualified Army officers make them a welcome addition to the corporate sector away from the cantonments.

For the men of other ranks there is a tearing need to increase their strength in terms of numbers. The question being asked today is if hundreds of battalions can be raised to strengthen para-military forces, why no increase the strength of the Indian Army in the same ratio?