WHAT

INDIA DEFENCE CONSULTANTS

WHAT'S HOT? –– ANALYSIS OF RECENT HAPPENINGS

New Delhi, 21 July 2001

SECOND OPINION –– MILITARY TRADITION BROKEN BY THE CAS

Ranjit B Rai

(Extracted from Pioneer)

The news item and the TV viewing and Pioneer Diary (16 Jul) have gloated over the fact that our revered Air Chief did not salute the visiting President of Pakistan in the reception line at Rashtrapati Bhawan on 14 July. This event needs discussing as it has intrigued many and pained me. My pride in the Naval Uniform I wore for 32 years and the high traditions I followed stands punctured. I deserve an explanation and hence this second opinion after consulting some select serving and retired officers who unlike your report are one with me.

Air Chief Marshal Anil Yeshwant Tipnis is a respected pilot, an officer and a gentleman known also to be a stickler for tradition and discipline. In fact in the Air Force Golf Course he has instituted strict regulations even on traffic. He was nominated to represent the other two Chiefs and the one million strong Armed Forces and three million retirees like me who have fought wars and kept India intact, to accord a ceremonial welcome to Gen Pervez Musharraf. Tipnis stood alongside the Prime Minister, India’s Cabinet Ministers and leaders in the order of precedence to welcome a President of a country who was also India’s guest by invitation By tradition in reception lines, world over visiting Heads of State are accorded a salute by service officers in uniform. The salute connotes respect, courtesy and traditionally signifies that “my hands are clean and I hold no weapons ”. Each service modifies the salute but a salute is a salute and traditionally precedes the traditional handshake. In uniform we take pride about the ritual. The Air Chief did not salute the guest but shook his hand. Gen Musharraf briefly saluted the Air Chief in return possibly giving recognition to uniform or by a sixth sense of tradition. I cannot confirm but I did see this act on TV. In fact Gen Musharraf saluted the press too and the crowds and this was commented upon on TV by the expert commentators.

The question that begs an answer is did the CAS not salute the Pakistani President of his own volition or was he instructed. If he was ordered not to salute did he counsel his superior the Defence Minister former Major Jaswant Singh (two years his senior at the Academy) that he was breaking Military tradition in uniform and he could avoid it by being absent or wearing civilian garb like the rest. It is culture and tradition that builds Militaries and binds regiments, squadrons and ships and readies them for wars. Troops take orders and even go to one’s death with no questions asked. Churchill was a stickler for tradition in the Armed Forces. That is also what the Indian Armed Forces have maintained since World War I till Kargil, and earned respect as the most disciplined in the world. There are examples when victors have saluted the vanquished because the latter was senior and a salute is never misunderstood. In the Army the chair in office is saluted irrespective of seniority, in the Indian Navy every lady is saluted on arrival on board, the MVC and PVC decorations are saluted and the list of traditions in saluting could go on. Yet one glaring example from the American civil war that contributed to making USA into a single federation comes to mind and needs mentioning.

Gen Ulysees S Grant the Commander of the Northern Union Forces finally defeated his senior Gen Robert E Lee Commander of the Southern Confederates on 9 Apr 1865 and accepted his surrender at the Potomac Court House. Grant had lost 50,000 men but after the surrender when his officers tried to ridicule Gen Lee, Grant saluted Lee and ordered his troops to follow suit. Gen Grant also gave him a horse and a weapon to return South with dignity and respect due to a General – though defeated. America was united and this event is taught to every American in his history lesson. Gen Grant himself went on to become the General of the Combined US Armies. He was elected President at the age of 46 on 4 Mar 1869 on the motto “Let us have peace”. He was re elected in 1872.

In the present case if the Government did order the CAS not to salute because Gen Pervez Musharraf did not come to Wagah border to avoid saluting our PM, then the CAS should not have stood in the receiving line and no tradition would have been broken. The IAF Guard Commander saluted the dignitary and that was adequate if tit for tat was the norm our Governement set. The Pakistani media have explained that Gen Pervez Musharraf did salute PM Vajpayee at the Government House at Lahore and this fact needs confirmation to set the record straight. (President Musharraf in his TV briefing explained why he did not go to the Wagah border as it would be a political jamboree –– inappropriate for the Service Chiefs to attend in uniform –– and said he was the first to salute PM Vajpayee at the Government Guest House.)