Both Indira Gandhi And Nehru Have Overlooked Seniority In Appointing Army Chiefs

Government’s decision to appoint Lt General Bipin Rawat as India’s next army chief, superseding Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi and Lt Gen P M Hariz, has unleashed a new political war. At the forefront of this war is Congress, its on-and-off ally Trinamool Congress, Aam Admi Party and CPI.

With a sanctimonious flavour, these parties have accused the ruling BJP government of violating “established institutional norms.” But as they always are, facts have been ignored. And when Rahul Gandhi can mug up Ghalib's couplet, who needs facts at all? But facts are important, and here they are:

Not once, but thrice, the Congress party overlooked seniority in appointing army chiefs. Giving birth to the practice, Jawaharlal Nehru in 1957 appointed General K S Thimayya as army chief, superseding two senior lieutenant generals, Sant Singh and Kalwant Singh. While the latter stayed on, the former resigned. Later, he went on to conspire against Thimayya.

In 1983, then prime minister Indira Gandhi had appointed Lt Gen AS Vaidya as army chief, superseding Lt Gen SK Sinha, who had resigned in protest. Earlier, in 1972, she had side-stepped Lt General P S Bhagat, who was in line to succeed General (later Field Marshal) Sam Manekshaw.