JAMMU, Apr 6: An unseemly controversy has been
created by some state-level politicians and a section of regional media to
malign the image of the Indian Army. Following the sensationalizing of a
report related to proposed recruitment on April 21 for Army, in a Jammu
English daily, two MLAs belonging to CPM and BSP raised the issue in the
ongoing session of State Assembly. The two members known for anti-BJP
stand tried to link the recruitment advertisement to the BJP’s alleged
anti-Muslim bias. Responding to the debate, the Chief Minister, Dr
Abdullah assured that he would take up the matter with the Ministry of
Defence and the Prime Minister. The advertisement had mentioned that in
that particular recruitment rally there was no vacancy for Muslims and
tradesmen categories. Controversy was uncalled for because it was
self-explanatory. Since tradesmen also did not have any vacancy, there was
no question of anti-Muslim bias. Neither the English daily nor the two
MLAs bothered to seek clarification from the Army.
Indian Army, it may recalled, has still not
discarded the colonial tradition of recruitment based on alloting
vacancies categorywise. There is no bias against any one. Army had already
conducted two rallies in Rajouri and Samba, in which recruits were only
Muslims. Hindu and Sikh vacancies were not filled up. There were no
vacancies left for Muslims and tradesmen candidate for Akhnoor rally.
Recruitment in army is based on intake from all categories so that equal
opportunities are provided to one and all. Vacancies are filled biannually
and categories to be filled are advertised accordingly.
The army in its rejoinder clarified that the
reference to the two categories in the ad was specifically intended to
avoid inconvenience to candidates of particular categories who would
otherwise have to travel from far flung areas to Akhnoor. It attributed
the controversy to biased reporting in the press.
General Padmanabhan, who sought clarifications from
Army recruitment authorities and the Northern Command, was told that
during Rajouri and Samba rallies six months earlier not a single Sikh or
Hindu candidate had been recruited in the Army. Akhnoor rally was meant to
fill the vacancies in the Dogra Regiment and the Sikh Light Infantry unit
and the quota for. On Sikh and Hindus had to be filled. Keeping tradesmen
out of the recruitment, it referred to those who have come out from ITIs,
because there is a separate recruitment.
Despite the aversion of Kashmiris for joining Army,
the J&K Light Infantry has a sizeable number of Muslim soldiers and
officers. Even during the last ten years of turmoil more than seventy
percent of the surrendered militants from Kashmir valley were recruited in
paramilitary organizations like CRPF and BSF. As on today, 3683
surrendered militants are serving in these two orgnisations. The process
of enlarging recruitment of Kashmiri Muslims in Army, CRPF and BSF was
started by former Governor Jagmohan in 1990. No security agency or belt
force anywhere in the world can recruit people without ascertaining the
individuals’s background and commitment to the country he intends to
serve. Indian Army and the Paramilitary forces have never discriminated in
recruitment.
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