When we are fighting a vital election to safeguard the stability and national integrity of India, senior service officers are jumping on the “Ram bandwagon”. When we are caught in the vice of religious and caste polarization, tearing the very fabric of India apart, retired generals like Jacob and Cadet have thrown all the wisdom of their distinguished careers to the winds. Laurels which were heaped on them by the previous Congress Governments have been buried, as in their declining years they now seek some position and publicity, with what, in their perception, might be a winning party. Gen. Cadet’s statement on the first political disaster of 1347 shows a general’s military point of view disregarding political compulsion and international pressures. The second political disasters pointed out by Candeth is the 1962 Chinese war. | was myself seriation the 4 Infantry Division and was near Bodalla when it fell on 20 Nov. 1962. No doubt we got the bloody nose and were found unprepared. But here we had been tricked by China, whom Jawaharlal Nehru had befriended. Out of this disaster started the modernisation of the Indian Army. Today we are in the first rank. Regarding “swapping of territories” in 1965 and 1971 on which Candeth feels so strongly that “political leadership let the land remain Pakistan hands”, Candeth was GOC-in-C Western Command and should have had the courage of his conviction to resign, having failed to convince his political bosses. Some senior officers have woken up now to state that political decisions taken then wre militarily wrong. Retired Army Officers joining any political party is nothing new. However, the present rend smacks of populism and opportunistic tendencies. General Candeth has always been regarded as the Liberator of Goa. Liberation of Goa was only a moving of occupation forces. He faced no military opposition. On a purely political decision he got the glory. It will not be inappropriate to appeal to all ex-servicemen not to be swayed by the moves of these senior retired officers. We stand committed to a secular united India and will be proud soldiers serving an elected Government committed to secular ideals (Hindustan Times, May 20).
