Admiralty immortalized or sacrificed.

Headlines in the print and the electronic media immediately after the resignation of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) read, “Taking moral responsibility for the accidents and incidents that have taken place during the past few months, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral DK Joshi today resigned from the post”.

In the days that followed the CNS,s resignation, lot has been said and written about the nobility and rarity of such action based on ones dictates of conscience, loyalty, integrity and a deep sense of service before self. Though being from an earlier genre I subscribe to such values, I am inclined, rather convinced that contemporary India finds them hollow and untenable. All this divinity may have influenced the India of late 50s and early 60s. But post the demise of Lal Bahadur Shastri and the machinations of Indira Gandhi, to come to power and stick to it, the entire moral fabric of this country has been soiled and shredded to smithereens by our self serving politicians and continues to hurtle downwards in an irretrievable abyss.

 Would it therefore, be too contrarian to assume that the  moral high ground taken by Admiral Joshi in claiming responsibility for acts which were neither of his own omission or commission was premature, ill conceived and dismally unproductive.

What was the end state that the Admiral had in mind while resorting to such extreme action? Would it set/refresh the intellectual and moral tone among Indians or make them true and devoted citizens of the country giving them the vision and the knowledge of what the Navy and the Defence Forces are all about, thereby enhancing the virtues of patriotism, responsibility and devotion to duty. Or would it in anyway help the future Defence Commanders penetrate the impregnable labyrinths of bureaucracy and political chicanery.

 Or was there no end state and the decision was intuitive driven by sheer desperation, helplessness and cognitive decapitation in the face of recurring adversities that afflicted the Navy in the recent past. Only Joshi knows the truth.

But one thing is certain his sacrifice will make no difference to anyone but himself.

 The immediate aftermath of his resignation caused some ripples in Indian media and gave them enough fodder to garner TRPs for two days. It certainly caused a sense of discomfort, discontent and consternation, against the political class and the bureaucracy, among the Armed forces, especially the veterans. Yet nothing concrete has been heard or read about how the MoD, controlled by the all powerful bureaucracy, feels about the accident and the resignation of the CNS. The political class, of course, found another chance to exercise their vocal chords and indulge in polemics of blame game, to earn few Brownie points prior to the forthcoming general elections.

Wonder when will they understand that it is the function of the civilian policy makers (NSA, NSC,MoEF and the MoD) to determine the ends of national policy and to allocate the resources which the military needs to achieve those ends. Has this ever been done to the satisfaction of the Armed Forces? It doesn’t require Solomon’s wisdom to understand that India faces constant threat from two hostile neighbours, which could lead to a two front war and that we have to guard a 7500 km long coastline besides our well spread out Island Territories?

I hope I am wrong, but with the frenzy that is gripping the nation prior to the elections, national focus will be shifted by the Media ,for easy pickings, to Misa Bhartis, Ram Kirpal Yadavs ,Lalu Yadavs, Rakhi Sawnts et al. In the milieu that ensues, Joshi’s resignation will amount to no more than self – flagellation. Regrettably, he has prematurely become a part of unsung veterans who sacrificed everything they held dear in the interest of the nation. I wonder if he ever read these lines by Francis Dan Quall,

God and Soldiers men like adore,

When at the brink of danger, not before

Danger past alike are both requited

God is forgotten and soldier slighted.

Given the very nature of the Armed Forces and their tasks, accidents/incidents will continue to occur and not stop because someone chooses to resign. Two incidents in the last two days at Mazagaon Docks, Mumbai and Vishakhapatnam prove the point. So was Joshi singularly responsible and accountable for the various accidents in the Navy over the last ten months. No. His immediate subordinates, in the line of succession, Vice Chief of Naval Staff( VCNS), Vice Admiral Dhowan,FOC in C, Western Naval Command,Vice AdmiralShekhar Sinha and FOC in C, Eastern Naval Command, Vice Admiral Chopra are equally and directly responsible and accountable .So who succeeds?

 It would be in fitness of things that the PMO recognizes the high moral standard set by Joshi and reinstates him. This will not only help overcome the present impasse but also send an ethical message to the country and equally cover the UPA in some glory that has deserted them over the past years.