While it is accepted that the armed forces must be protected from unnecessary intrusions, since security is of prime concern, there is a case to be made about which areas they can cordon off from civilian use. There was a time when the Shillong Garrison Ground was open to sporting events of various schools in the city. Suddenly the place was garrisoned off and became out of bounds for civilian events. No attempt was made by state governments since then to retrieve this venue for public events. Many national political leaders including the late Rajiv Gandhi gave public speeches from the Garrison Ground. Today what is galling for the local public is that roads that could be used to divert the burgeoning traffic of Shillong city are all out of bounds. This arrogant exclusivity displayed by the armed forces alienates them from the local communities. As it is there are very few occasions for a public-armed forces interface. Even during the two most important events – Republic Day and Independence Day – when the Governor invites a cross section of society for the ceremonial “At Home,” there is a clear line that divides civilians from the military. The twain never doth meet and no one makes any attempt to cross that dividing line as if doing so would taint one or the other group.
Civilians are fully aware that security of the operational areas of the armed forces especially Signals Units and Air Force Stations is of paramount importance, but residential quarters within city limits cannot all be appropriated by the armed forces. An activist has taken up a PIL on this issue. But Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s decision to review the occupation of all such spaces that were hitherto allowed for civilian thoroughfare is a welcome break from tradition where spaces occupied by defence personnel within the city were almost sacrosanct. If service to the nation is the military code then people are an integral part of that nation.