From the archives, 5 June 2002

LETTER TO EDITOR

THE THREAT OF POLITICISATION

 

The Indian Arrmed Forces are renowned for their apolitical status and heritage. This characteristic has to be preserved through exercise of vigilance and circumspection on the part of our officer corps. It must be realized that this aspect of our ethos has not transpired in a vacuum.  As with any other enterprise, it preservation requires appreciation of threats, attention and effort. Professional publications such as INFANTRY (INDIA) have a significant role in this regard. The onus is on the Editorial Committee to ensure, amongst its many other pressing responsibilities, that articles with content that detracts from the pillars of our professionalism are not patronized. The right of editing such articles must be exercised (‘Editing. The editorial committee reserves the right to suitably edit/modify the articles without reference to the authors. [p. 89]). This responsibility is ever so much more important at the current time of substantial political ferment in the civil society that we are sworn to defend. We therefore cannot be oblivious of our respective duties in this regard as part of the Editorial Committee or as professional readers and well-wishers of INFANTRY (INDIA).  This understanding prompts this letter apropos the following extract:

 

‘There are media reports, that the CPM and Left Front came to being in the mid sixties and remain strong by the srtength provided by these illegal migrants from Bangladesh.’

Lt Gen OP Kaushik (Retd), ‘Security Implications of Demographic Aggression in the North East’, INFANTRY (INDIA), Dec 2001, p. 2.

 

Here the retired General is referring to a ruling provincial government. The ‘media reports’ are not cited in footnotes, as the article carries no footnotes. In effect the article is an opinion/felt piece. Two questions arise. One is if such article content can be included in a professional publication, in light of the political implications. In its publication is evidence that the Editorial Committee of INFANTRY (INDIA) does not think otherwise. If it is conceded that this is permissible, then is there an editorial responsibility to ensure academic rigour by insisting that authors substantiate their argument by reference to data/facts/authorities on the subject. The author in question, being a Vice Chancellor, could well have been subjected to higher standards than those applicable to a young company commander sending in an article from the Line of Control. In its not doing so, it can be inferred that the Editorial Committee has been intimidated by the rank and the string of decorations that suffix the author’s name. 

 

Lest it be felt that the observation above is ‘hairsplitting’ by an overly judgmental reader, there are several controversial points raised by the General (not pursued here) that also merit editorial attention. These points are not only ‘controversial’ in terms of being current issues in the political arena (where they rightfully belong), but also on account of their contested basis in fact. An Editorial Committee has to be sensitive to these issues, and if they are to be reflected in the Journal then academic standards have to be exacting. The seductiveness of certain opinions to our generally conservative nature is insufficient reason for them to merit space in our professional journals.

 

The importance of such vigilance lies in the fact that, though the Journal may absolve itself of the views expressed by disclaimers as ‘views expressed in the journal are those of individual authors and not necessarily of the Infantry School, Mhow’ (Inner Cover of Dec 02 issue), the fact that it has found them suitable for publication lends them undue service imprimatur and dignity. Their influence is pervasive in that impressionable minds of junior officers imbibe these unreflectively. Take for instance the following questionable (if not downright odious) extract from the same Journal:-

 

‘The threat to us is real. Contrary to popular perceptions, the ISI is not fomenting LIC in J&K alone. Recent arrests indicate that it has spread its influence right form Kashmir to parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It has also set up bases from Gujarat to North East. A group like Harkat ul Mujahedeen for instance which sends its members trained in camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been able to influence and indoctrinate members of the minority community and even set up bases in places like Firozabad, Hapur and Agra.’

Maj Ashis Singh, Random Thoughts on LIC, p. 15.

 

In short, the article in question (‘Demographic Aggression’) is one that would be unremarkable in Panchjanya, but is eminently questionable in INFANTRY (INDIA). The point is that the retired fraternity has their right to respective political agenda. It behooves on the serving community to ensure through consistent exercise of vigilance that their views do not contaminate the extant apolitical in-service environment. Our representatives exercising this vigilance on our behalf are the Editorial Committees of professional journals. It is a case for introspection if this key responsibility is being given its due. It is a duty that the Editorial Committee owes to the readers, its fellow infantrymen, to INFANTRY (INDIA) and to the institution, THE INFANTRY SCHOOL.