By Agnivesh Jyotiraditya Kannankara
India faces many security challenges, yet continues to be negligent when it comes to vigilance about security of its own forces. When more focus should be on strengthening the perimeter and protecting sensitive installations in military bases with greater caution, the new move from the Ministry of Defence brings forth greater issues to the forefront.
The recent order by the MoD to open all cantonment roads to the public is the point I wish to highlight in this article. Several questions arise naturally while the issue is raked up since there are serious concerns that the decision may expose the cantonments to security risks as military bases have recently been targeted by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, Pathankot, Agra as well as other areas of the country and reports of anti social elements as well as several militant groups cropping up in different parts of the country.
We certainly need to understand the ground reality before trying to tear through the heart of the army and vying to establish ‘victory’ because heedless acts in vain will only leave us losers in the long run.
The main contention from the side of civilian population has been that the closure of roads of cantonments leads them to take longer routes to work, education or during functions and events. Reasons like inconvenience due to barricades and checking by military officials have also been cited. Many feel they have the right to access even the roads inside cantonments since rules must be same for all. There are some who even have doubts, “if the army itself is scared then what?”
While saying this, let us not forget that the Army consists of people who are confined to the cantonments for their day to day life and from the cantonments that are mostly in remote areas, they always have to take long routes to even reach the city or secure basic items.
The thousands of children who are restricted to Army schools since their fathers are out on duty for the nation are forced to travel for miles if they opt to study in a good school in civilian locality. What about long routes then? It is because, for them the nation comes first, that they never complain!
The civil population enjoys all the freedom with privileges and it is certainly not right to deprive the forces, even the least available safety. We must refresh our memory that the reason why we are all safe in our homes is because the army never hesitated to take longer routes in situations like Kargil. The need of the hour is to encourage children to always place ‘Nation first’ in their priorities, show respect and concern for fellow beings. For this the adults have to lead the way.
Cantonments are camps for accommodating and administering the troops as well as putting them through the rigours of intensive military training which requires open spaces and privacy. They are highly protected areas that house numerous sensitive establishments like formations, headquarters, residences and also store weapons as well as records vital to security that cannot be afforded to be breached.
The rules exercised in such areas demand much caution and alertness than that in civil areas. The fact that civilian population sprawled around the cantonments over the years is not the fault of the forces nor does that reduce the importance of the activities it needs to perform to maintain its own operational readiness.
The army personnel and their families are always soft targets for attacking groups. A peep into the inside will easily reveal the activities happening there that will give away the loop holes to launch perfectly planned attacks on any cantonments.
It is worth noting that the cantonment roads and areas are perfectly maintained by the forces with whatever limited resources made available in contrast to the degraded roads and garbage piles we see in civil areas. Public access to the interior roads means degradation of cantonment areas because we simply do not know to be environmental friendly.
In such eventuality, the training exercises and drills of the forces as well as free movement of vehicles will be affected even during operations. Now, do we want them to focus on national security or force them to just guard their own premises and maintain roads?
As we know, degraded working conditions and efficiency do not go together. Instead of compromising our own safety, it would be only appropriate for citizens to take out these protests to the government to reduce the petrol prices and to demand an answer why the taxpayers’ money is being wasted on high-end facilities to leaders and VIPs rather than improving the infrastructure of the country.
The order certainly spreads an impression that the government favours only the civilians’ emotional requests. Ignoring the requirements of the army because they are only a ‘serving’ force not a ‘protesting’ force can be detrimental. The army undoubtedly should be kept above politics and should be left alone to do their duty based on their own analysis and reports that is integral to the security of the country.
From a neutral point of view, if the rules should be same for everyone, let me simply suggest the opening of the roads of all VIP residential areas and that of bureaucrats and materialise socialism in our country and also request the leaders and VIPs to lose their security which is provided with the tax payers’ money, including those working in the forces. Let us utilise that money to feed the poor of our nation.
A few fighter rides or visits to the border will not help the ministry to understand the ground reality in the forces. The minister must visit the cantonments to evaluate the real security issues.
No great strategic sense is required to conclude that permitting the free flow of unmonitored traffic all over the cantonment could be disastrous or to understand that unrestricted public access to cantonment roads will lead to security nightmares. It would be best to review the consequences of this order by MoD and leave the army to do the job.
army essentially means the millions of men and women who have chosen to willingly give up their lives to protect ours. Not everyone can take on perpetrators fearlessly. The choice to even die defending the honour of motherland is not meant for all. That is what distinguishes the army from civilians. That is why we need to give a big salute to our brave soldiers. Learn to respect the army for their selfless work and dedication.
(The author is a multiple records holder and has penned a book on the hill city, Shillong — The Unexplored Paradise)
