The Pioneer - August 18, 2004
Indian Army's new Enfield rifle
Abhijit Bhattacharyya
Traditionally, the Indian defence for an Indian civilian is a "forbidden territory". Very few, like "The" K Subramanian, have so far dared cross the "boundary" to the "forbidden" land. Today, however, this Indian citizen ventures into the "prohibited" zone to focus on a reported instruction given to all Army Commanders "to ensure that the Indian Army's secular credentials are not questioned".
One may ponder on the word "questioned"! Who will question the Indian Army's "secular credential"? Why and what for? Is there any "cause of action"? For now, let us see the variety of "instructions" issued:
"All religious symbols must be avoided by all officers and men when on active duty" and "no religious symbols, no devotional music, no sacred threads and no statues of deities". Direction for women officers are also in place. "Women will not wear ear studs or sport jewellery and only sindoor will be allowed if it is covered by a beret or peak cap". The instruction also strictly forbids religious symbols like "bibhuti, tilaks, birthstone rings or bracelets".
One is curious. What is the provocation for imposing so many do's and dont's on an institution with a glorious tradition of valour and apolitical professionalism (Tehelka and other aberrations notwithstanding)? Did the Army show any sign of fundamentalism, lack of objectivity and fairness? From all accounts that does not seem so. Far from it. The Indian Army's credentials are time-tested. Even the strongest critic, if any, would not (like to) resort to such falsehood.
One would now like to draw the attention (of all) to the core competence of the Army; its training and preparation for war by the Infantry, the spinal chord of the fighting machine. Who constitutes the Army's fighting units? Where do they come from? How do they go to war? What is their battle cry? The battle cries of the various combat units show that contrary to what has been instructed, the Indian Army consists of deeply religious soldiers from the countryside, the majority of who are Hindus and Sikhs. Understandably, their battle cries are a revelation.
The battle cries of the Bihar Regiment, consisting of 17 battalions, are "Jai Bajrang Bali" ("Victory to Lord Hanuman") and "Birsa Munda Ki Jai" ("Victory to Birsa Munda"). The latter war cry, obviously, is resorted to by the sizeable number of soldiers recruited from the tribal belts of Jharkhand and Chhota Nagpur regions. For the 19-strong battalions of the Rajputana Rifles, its war cries are: "Raja Ram Chandra Ki Jai" ("Victory to Raja Ram Chandra") chanted by the Rajput, Kshatriya and Thakur soldiers and "Bole Nara Haidiri Ya Ali" meant for the Muslim companies of the Rajputana Rifles (which consists mainly of Rajput Muslims, implying the Rajputs who had embraced Islam during Muslim rule).
For the 19 battalions of the Punjab Regiment, the twin war cries are "Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal" ("He who cries God is Truth, is ever happy") for the Sikh soldiers and "Bol Jwala Ma Ki Jai" ("Say Victory to Goddess Jwala") for non-Sikh combatants. For the 19 battalions of the Rajput Regiment which consist of Rajput, Muslim, Bengali, Oriya, Gujar and Ahir (Yadav) soldiers, the battle cry is "Bol Bajrang Bali Ki Jai" ("Say Victory to Lord Hanuman")". The 18 Battalions of the Mahar Regiment go to the battle chanting "Bolo Hindustan Ki Jai". (Late General K Sundarji was a product of Mahar Regiment).
The 19 battalions of Kumaon Regiment, which produced three Army Chiefs (Srinagesh, Thimayya and Raina) has four battle cries: "Kalika Mata Ki Jai", "Bajrang Bali Ki Jai", "Dada Kishan Ki Jai" and "Jai Durge Naga" meant for the 1st and 2nd Naga Regiment attached to the Kumaonis in their regimental training centre. For the 18-battalion Garhwalis, the war cry had to be "Badri Vishal Lal Ki Jai" ("Victory to the Great Lord Badri Nath"). The Dogras, with 18 battalions, chant "Jawala Mata Ki Jai". Incidentally, the present Army Chief is the first Dogra officer of this regiment with glorious history.
To the Sikh Regiment and the Sikh Light Infantry, the war cry is identical - "Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal". General VP Malik (Army Chief from 1997-2000) was from the Sikh Light Infantry. The 19 Battalions of Jammu & Kashmir Rifles start war with the chorus "Durga Mata Ki Jai". For the 14 Battalions of Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry and the two Battalions of Ladakh Scouts, the mantra is "Bharat Mata Ki Jai". Although the famous Gorkha war cry is universally known as "Ayo Gorkhali" ("The Gorkhas are here"), at least one regiment, that is, the 11 Gorkha Rifles, starts its battle with "Jai Mahakali". Field Marshal SHF J Manekshaw was from 8 Gorkha Rifles.
After this explicit and deeply entrenched reality on the ground, one is surprised at the attempt to "secularise" the Indian Army. The soldiers, by their very nature, are religiously motivated, deeply committed and God fearing individuals. And their sensitivity and self-respect emanate from their background as well as the stark reality of possible (at times) and certain (most of the times) death in combat zone. When man faces danger and death, he inevitably remembers God. That is a universal formula. There are no ifs and buts. However, religious sensitivity is the Indian soldier's precious possession.
And any attempt, even if done unknowingly, unwillingly or unwittingly to hurt it, can backfire. The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 saw en masse revolt of the Hindu and Muslim soldiers. In 1984, India faced the unprecedented revolt of the Sikhs. Both the revolts were born out of a deep sense of hurt to religious feelings as Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs are all deeply religious and God fearing humans. Yet, none can accuse them of being religious fanatics and lunatics once they join the Indian Army. Such was the ethos of an Army built and nurtured by a foreign country (Britain) that had nothing in common with India or its people.
Today, therefore, the press report on Army instructions banning "birthstone, bracelets, religious symbols and ear studs" and camouflaging of sindoor, perhaps, runs counter to the time-tested ethos, traditions and conventions of Indian soldiers' way of life in the regiments.
Here one may like to distinguish between the normal religious commitment of a human being and the distorted religious interpretation of a fundamentalist, fanatic and abnormal individual. The soldiers of the Indian Army are normally not known to be religious lunatics and fanatics. Nor does one visualise them to be so in future, "instruction" on "secularism" notwithstanding.
(The author is an alumnus of the National Defence College of India and is Member, International Institute for Strategic Studies, London. The views are his own)
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