IS CAMARADERIE THE REASON WHY THE APPOINTMENT OF THE NEW NAVY
CHIEF BEING DELAYED?
Disclaimer:
1. This is a Wild Guess by a Retired Mind
2. The Story may be Apocryphal
A STORY OF CAMARADERIE
It was in 1978, I think, when we were having
a drink on the lawns of RSI Pune (then located off East Street), that an old veteran
retired army officer (of World War II vintage) told us this story, which may be
apocryphal:
General Cariappa, the senior most Indian Officer,
was expected to become the first Indian Army Chief in 1949.
General Rajendrasinhji was the next senior
officer.
There were rumours that Rajendrasinhji would
be made Army Chief as the government preferred him over Cariappa.
Rajendrasinhji is reported to have met Nehru
and told him that he would resign if appointed Army Chief by superseding
Cariappa.
He also reportedly said that no other General
would take over as Army Chief if Carriappa was superseded and all of them would
resign in protest.
Rajendrassinhji told Nehru that by superseding
Cariappa he would set a wrong precedent and this may lead to politicising the
Army.
Cariappa was appointed Army Chief.
After Cariappa completed his term, Rajendrasinhji
succeeded him as Army Chief.
(By the way, RSI is the acronym for Rajendra Sinhji Institute, a
Tri Service institution named after General RajendraSinhji)
IS THE APPOINTMENT OF THE NEW NAVY CHIEF BEING DELAYED FOR SIMILAR REASONS?
Is this the reason why the announcement of
the New Navy Chief is being delayed?
Are all Admirals displaying a similar spirit
of camaraderie?
Is no Admiral willing to take over as Navy
Chief because they all want Admiral DK Joshi to be recalled back as Navy Chief?
Dear Reader: What do you feel – does the same
spirit of camaraderie displayed by General Rajendrasinhji exist even today?
