Letter to Editor : Hats off Gen . Kapoor.

Here is the one I sent off today . Hopefully it will get published . In that case will try to post a scanned copy of the same .

Sir ,
For the last 60 odd years we have been reading and hearing successive Chief Of Staffs of the Army , The Navy and The Air Force proclaiming that the Armed forces are in fine fettle and ready to face any challenge to the national sovereignty. The fact that after 1962 ,the defence forces have acquitted themselves very well in each and every confrontation has always given credence to these claims.However it is a little known fact that it was possible only because of our valiant soldiers, the seamen and the airmen and not because of the equipment they had to use but inspite of it .Finally it has always been the man behind the machine which has mattered !
It has been my personal misfortune to witness in every inspections and presentations ,one after the other , Commanders projecting khushi picture of the state of affairs and glossing over / not mentioning the shortcomings . The malaise went right up to the top . Even when shortcomings were projected and not made good no noise was made . The Indian citizens at large believing the statements of the Chief Of Staffs of the three services were always blissfully unaware of the true state of affairs .
The hopes that even when projected the projected shortcomings would be made good in good time by the powers that be were always futile . It is also unthinkable to assume that none of the commanders at some time in these 60 odd years did not forcefully project the urgent requirements . However the very fact that today 80% of the tanks and armoured carriers lack night vision speaks volumes about the results of such forceful projections of the requirements .It was too much to expect our corrupt politicians to think in the national interest before their own interests
Ours , that is aam adami's experience has been that the only thing which will make our politicians do the decent thing is the extreme public pressure from the aam adami , the print and the electronic media .
Under these circumstances the acknowledgement of lack of night vision capability of Indian Army by none other then Chief of Army Staff has come as a breath of fresh air . I say hats off to Gen Kapoor in having the courage to bring these shortcomings to the notice of Indian citizens . May be it will generate required public opinion and pressure to wake up the powers that be who do not seem to see what is good for the nation , leave alone at night but even in broad day light !.

Sincerely,
PM Velankar , Nagpur.