'India's well-timed diversification of Army helped Democracy'


Posted on 20th Mar 2015 01:27 pm by mohit kumar

New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) India's well-timed decision post independence to control and diversify its army helped preserve its democracy, or it could have ended up like Pakistan which has seen three army coups post independence.

Yale university professor Steven I. Wilkinson, in his book "Army and Nation: How India's Founders Made its Army Safe for Democracy" - writes that while the Indian Army at the time of independence was dominated by few martial groups, diversification and modifications in its structure helped the country.

"If you inherit an imbalanced army, chances of a coup are high," Wilkinson said speaking about his book at the India International Center Thursday evening.

The author said in 1929, the army had overwhelmingly warriors from Sikh and Gorkha communities, both martial groups.

"In 1947, the army was still dominated by certain martial groups who made 95 percent of the troops. It was still an imbalanced army, as the British recruited troops from martial roots. These officers were also a closely knit community creating more trouble for politicians," he said.

He however added that India was still in a better position in what it inherited, compared to Pakistan, which had 72 percent of its army from Punjab alone, while thereere only 155 officers from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

"The most represented and the least represented (in army) - Punjab and Bengal - were together in Pakistan," he said.

India on the contrary had 32 percent Sikh soldiers, 18 percent from Uttar Pradesh, and 10 percent from erstwhile Bombay province, which he said was more diversified comparatively, while still imbalanced.

The author said, however, India dealt with the issue better than Pakistan.

"India dealt with it better. Pakistan either did not try or did it too late. They could have done a lot in the 1950s," he said.

"India's political leadership felt the army needed immediate attention. (Jawaharlal) Nehru and (Vallabhbhai) Patel were thinking about it as an issue. In Pakistan there was very little thinking about it," he said.

He highlighted that at the time of independence, both Indian and Pakistani armies had a similar background, adding that the Indian Army could have reacted in a similar way as happened in Pakistan had there been political instability here.

"They were trained in the same way, and they kept ties even after partition. Had India slipped into political chaos, they (Indian Army) could have acted similar," he said.

The author also pointed out that despite of the fact that army was dominated by people from Punjab, it was not untill 1961 that the army got its first chief from the Punjab regiment - General Pran Nath Thapar.

Pakistan, since partition, has seen three military coups and several unsuccessful attempts.

It began in 1958, when the first Pakistani president, Iskander Mirza, who had retired as a major general, dismissed parliament and prime minister Feroz Khan Noon, appointing the army chief, General Ayub Khan, as the chief martial law administrator. Thirteen days later, Mirza himself was deposed by Ayub Khan, who appointed himself the president and raised himself to field marshal.

In 1977, Pakistani Army chief General Zia-ul-Haq overthrew prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was later hanged.

In 1999, General Pervez Musharraf overthrew prime minister Nawaz Sharif and and evnetually became the president.

0 Like 0 Dislike
Previous news Next news
Other news

Delhi records a 'cold day' for the second consecutive day, no respite from the cold wave in Uttar Pradesh; fog persists in Punjab and Haryana.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a cold wave in several parts of Himachal

Such crimes are a matter of shame in the presence of women CM, TMC MP Saugata Roy said on rape and murder of a minor

Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy has termed even a single crime against women in West Bengal as

National Weather Update Today: Snowfall may occur in hilly areas, forecast of rain in these states

Changes in the weather can be seen in North India from the beginning of December. In most states,

Welfare of people is being done by Ayushman Bharat scheme, so far 4.21 crore patients have been treated

So far 4.21 crore patients have been treated under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya

Pakistan Feared; Pakistan alerts army for fear of surgical strike

In India, many farmers' organizations are agitating these days with the demand for the withdrawal

Magh Mela 2025: Traffic arrangements in Varanasi, similar to the Mahakumbh, vehicles will be stopped for 12 hours each in five police station areas.

The Commissionerate Police has implemented traffic diversions in view of the Magh Mela and the re

'Modi ji himself brought a bill against himself... Shah spoke on the bill for dismissal of PM-CM; he took a jibe at the opposition

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, will d

PM Modi gave digital certificate to the winners of the National Children's Award, said- now your responsibility towards the country has increased

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today interacted with the Prime Minister's National Children's Award

US: Will India-America come together to compete with China in space? White House said – cannot give much information

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a US tour from June 21. This tour is being given a lot of

PM Modi will visit Haryana and Punjab on August 24, and will give hospitality

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Haryana and Punjab on 24 August. During this time they wi

Sign up to write
Sign up now if you have flare of writing..
Login   |   Register
Follow Us
Indyaspeak @ Facebook Indyaspeak @ Twitter Indyaspeak @ Pinterest RSS



Play Free Quiz and Win Cash