Sam Manekshaw’s military career started with service in World War 2 and spanned 4 decades. He was instrumental in the Indo-Pak war in 1971 and was the first person to be promoted to Field Marshal. He was awarded both Padma Bushan and Padma Vibushan during his lifetime.

But, in spite of all the exemplary leadership, when he passed away on 27 June 2008, the then UPA Government neither declared a national day of mourning nor any Government official attended his funeral The primary reason is that he fell out of grace of the Congress govt for his straight forward responses.

Alarmed at the high influx of refugees Indira wanted Sam Bahadur to go for war immediately in April 1971. The Army Chief declined citing monsoon rains among other things. For Indira Gandhi, the refugee crisis is taking monstrous proportions as the indigenous population was being subsumed by the heavy influx of refugees and there was tremendous rage against her inaction. Anyway Sam Bahadur prevailed and army operations were postponed till the winter which proved fruitful as the Indian Army’s victory was swift. It took just 13 days to win that war (3-16, Dec 1971).

Manekshaw always questioned the attitude of politicians in general and was very critical of them. The Congress govt could not ever make him sing their tune, so he was sort of punished with a lowered salary and paltry pension. He was not paid his arrears until 2007 and it was Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam who gave him the check of 1.3 crores. Not the victory that made Indira ‘Durga’, but the denial kept lingering in the minds of congress leadership (Sonia and her coterie?) even though Indira had died long back.

Obviously when this brave soldier of the nation departed he was not given a farewell he deserved at all. Congress never gave P.V. Narashima Rao too the respect he deserved even after his death in 2004. Even the congress party headquarters gate did not open to keep the body for sometime for the congressmen to pay respects.

Sonia Gandhi insulting the then prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh is legendary – is it a telling evidence of her ego or arrogance of legacy?

And her lieutenants take the cue lest they fear the . Such is the grand old party’s tradition to keep a family’s ego above the nation’s cherished tradition!

Are democratic institutions in india deteriorating beyond redemption? Is the country becoming hopelessly ungovernable?

The institutions of democracy are not able to respond adequately to the challenges posed by economic development and social change with their growing political awakening and raising expectations.

Frequent walkouts in parliament and legislatures, unruly scenes, disgraceful disorderliness, disruptive tactics and sit ins have taken precedence over reasoned arguments and give and take attitudes.

Inability to accommodate and reconcile contending demands, increasing recourse of people to violent and extra constitutional agitations, growing corruption render the governance tough.

There is certainly deterioration of calibre and integrity of political leadership. Compromise for power and personal wealth are rampant amongst most of them. Consequently, even major parties and political leaders, though are able win elections are neither able to govern nor maintain authority and thus not able to check erosion of institutions like the party, parliament or the bureaucracy!

The interests of caste and sub groups take precedence over all other issues and to protect their interests, they vote en masse. Since there are too many such vote banks, though separately subcritical, elections are fought with their support. Their uncompromising demands far outweigh other saner requirements for development.

There are fingers pointing to questionable judicial integrity, especially in lower courts. Political interference in law and order enforcement has been prevalent ever since 1960’s. Police and courts are the last resort of a common citizen!

Media is under the control of business houses and political parties. Bureaucracy is never shy of using all means at their disposal to throttle their voice!

Would these deteriorating institutions of pillars of democracy, make this country ungovernable? Would this frustrate the public soon?

No, it appears at present everybody is happy in India, for they have happily mastered the art of seeing hope even where none apparently exists. No one appears to be unhappy enough to ensure that anything radically changes in their lives. This make-belief House of Happiness will be challenged only when ordinary citizens, especially the young, come out of their stupor, and begin to find far more effective means to display their unhappiness.

Would Diversity itself be a liability? Many politicians believe “divide and rule” would enable managing the country of such magnitude!

But this would only be a short term solution. It would not be a surprise if there is violent upsurge of unrest in the not so distant a future! At that time, only the political leadership of the country should take the blame, not the ‘deep state’! Statesmen of stature is the need of the hour!

https://www.asianage.com/opinion/columnists/pavan-k-varma-why-india-worlds-happiest-country-but-must-get-rid-of-that-status-1848771?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0sPTSufG_GqSXqT2rHlnuGg61CZYdJzk61eZjJ2KUDtgas6DsBjKa_26U_aem_axJAMX2QSxXoiMSEg3k6KA