New Delhi: Last year, during country wide sit-in protest of Sikhs in India, few intelligencia contemplated that the Sikh Regiments will revolt against Indian government, if aggressive measures are adapted against the Sikh community.
The point was taken as a serious concern by Indian government and PM Modi during his address in the combined commander conference emphasized on the indigenization of doctrine, procedures and customs in the armed forces. Subsequently, reportedly deliberation is going on to review/ change the names of Sikh, Gorkha, Jat, Punjab, Dogra, Rajput and Assam regiments/ units.
Reviewing of the units name in Indian Army is malicious exercise to bury the history of Sikhs, Gorkha and other tribes which should not be done with ulterior motives. Under review presently by the Adjutant General’s branch, Indian Army, aims to soon end ‘archaic and antiquated’ practices in the forces. Army’s proposal has been strongly opposed by veterans.
They fear that all such projected alterations would precipitate an ‘all-round dilution’ in the army’s ethos, as tradition played a vital and dynamic role in military life. Defence analyst Major General A.P said, “The IA’s regimental histories and traditions are built on the valour and sacrifice of generations of Indian soldiers, irrespective of under whom they served and where they did so”. Doing away with all or even some these and replacing them with something new and untried would be a troubling transition that hits out at the core of the army’s self-esteem, spirit de corps and overall josh (fervour), the former armoured corps officer added.
Other veterans said the army lived by the credo of ‘Naam, Namak and Nishan’ (honour, loyalty and identity) that was further accentuated by their respective units’ battle cries, all of which were rooted firmly in custom and tradition dating back hundreds of years. If the decision is made that several army units who have battle honours to mark the Anglo-Gorkha wars, Anglo-Maratha wars and Anglo-Sikh wars, will then have to give it up.
Addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, members of the SAD (Amritsar) submitted a memorandum to the district administration seeking her to stop the proposed change in the names of regiments in the Army. The communique warned that failure to stop the change in nomenclature of Sikh regiments would force them to facilitate referendum among the Sikhs overseas. It stated that the regiments named after various communities had centuries-long history.
“To tamper with these is simply to deny history,” said a retired three-star officer declining to be named for fear of official chastisement. And, we should not forget, he warned, that today’s IA is the sum of its multiple parts and whether we like it or not, the British were a dominant part of it. “Tampering with history is avoidable, as the prevailing system has worked well through many wars and local insurgencies since 1947,” he suggested, adding that the IA should consult with veterans before initiating changes. General Dhillon anticipated “still resistance” from regimental units and veterans over these possible changes. Web Desk
