India’s military should have used its deep resources to help “repatriate starving migrants” instead of indulging in “flypasts and petal showering”, a former navy chief and 1971 war hero said on Sunday.
Admiral Arun Prakash, Vir Chakra, tweeted: “Given deep resources of tpt (transport), logistics, med facilities & manpower, our military could have served citizens in meaningful ways & even helped repatriate starving, itinerant migrants in organised manner. But if fly-pasts & petal showering is considered their optimal use; so be it.”
The military on Sunday showed its “gratitude” to the medical staff battling the coronavirus by conducting fly-pasts, showering petals on Covid-19 hospitals, playing army bands and illuminating naval vessels.
Many other veterans joined Admiral Prakash, one of the navy’s most decorated officers, in expressing disgust at what they variously described as the military’s “cheerleader” act and “circus of the ridiculous”.
“Social distancing and austerity measures put to shame with all these celebrations by the Armed Forces!! Where are we going??” Lieutenant General (retd) Rameshwar Roy tweeted.
He questioned the decision to go ahead with the programme on a day an army colonel and a major were among five security personnel killed in an encounter in Kashmir.
“Today one Colonel and a Major have (been) martyred in Handwara, J&K in an encounter with terrorists.... And to say that we are celebrating... I am sad n sorry for ....” Roy tweeted.
A retired colonel who didn’t wish to be quoted told this newspaper he found it “terrible and shocking that the armed forces went ahead with the event management programme” despite the encounter deaths.
Major General (retd) Sandy Thapar criticised the way the entire military brass — chief of defence staff Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs — had turned up at a news conference on Friday to make the “inane” announcement of the programme.
He highlighted how the home ministry had shortly afterwards stolen the chiefs’ thunder by announcing a lockdown extension.
“First you make CDS and the 3 Chiefs come hold a press conference in uniform over an inane announcement a lowly rep from DPR (defence public relations) could've made,” Thapar tweeted.
“Then you time your lockdown extn alongside, drowning the PC. Perfect strategy to rub some noses in ground and to show who’s boss!”
Veteran Birender Dhanoa had posted on Saturday: “Why are the Armed Forces being used as the official cheerleaders.... This was not the military I served in. Just saddened and disappointed that this will happen.”
Lt Col Rohit Agarwal, another veteran, tweeted: “Who’s idea is this? Showering petals from helicopters! Band displays outside hospitals? Circus of the ridiculous. Flypast? How will it bloody help? Ridiculous. Useless waste of precious resources.”
He echoed Admiral Prakash: “The forces can contribute more constructively by mobilising resources to assist in the movement of migrants back to their states instead of this tamasha.”
Retired colonel Sanjay Pande tweeted: “Armed Forces have no business to raise morale of country in a pandemic. We aped US. Brilliant plan to deflect & digress attention. Announcing two week further lockdown within two minutes of Shri Bipin Rawats ‘Petal-Plan’ displayed cowardice & made Chiefs look silly.”
Defence minister Rajnath Singh, however, thanked the armed forces’ gesture.
“I thank the Armed Forces for their special initiatives like fly-pasts, showering flower petals and several other performances to express gratitude towards medical professionals, police and other frontline warriors,” he said in a tweet.
