Recently, the National Highway Association of India issued a circular that is meant to honour defence services personnel. As someone who belongs to the fauji family, I am of the view that there is no need for this. The directives of the circular would result in an empty, forced gesture – there are many other meaningful ways in which our men and women in uniform can actually be honoured.
The NHAI had received several complaints from defence personnel, about toll booth staff who insisted upon charging a toll, and who were often also rude to defence personnel. This was in spite of Army, Air Force and Navy personnel being exempt from toll payments. In response, NHAI issued a circular saying that such rude behaviour is not acceptable. The circular also said, “The armed forces personnel deserve the highest regards and should be given due respect at toll plazas, including salute and a standing ovation as deemed fit."
When my husband receives a smile and a spontaneous salute, as we drive through the toll booth, this feels great! However, I think the directives of the circular are not a good idea: saluting and giving a ‘standing ovation’ is an empty gesture when it is forced. The person at the toll booth is busy doing their job; they should not be compelled to make such gestures while at work, if they are not so inclined. If they do it of their own volition; that would have some meaning!
Besides, I feel that India has many, many heroes in addition to our faujis; each person who does their job well and with sincerity deserves respect from each of us; not just from toll booth employees.
The Indian military man is often literally in the line of fire; sometimes called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice. This is not the only reason military emoluments should be in a class of their own, and not be linked to pay grades of civil servants and other government employees. I have spoken before about why defence personnel have been justifiably unhappy about recent pay hikes; about how the three service chiefs felt compelled to reject the 7th Pay Commission recommendations and address letters in this connection.
As of now, the One Rank One Pension remains to be satisfactorily dealt with – veterans have still not received that they should rightly be entitled to. There is also the perception that military ranks have been downgraded vis-à-vis civil service counterparts. Though the Indian armed services have remained silent and apolitical – as has traditionally been the case – there is dissatisfaction in the ranks and morale has taken a hit. Though our highly disciplined forces would not dream of lodging official protests or demands, this is the era of social media, where both dissatisfaction, as well as morale issues, have found expression.
Soldiers do not want to ask for what is rightfully theirs. The nation doesn’t 'have to' watch aged, retired armed forces personnel offer dharna, just so that the government would take notice of their requirements, (whose tents and makeshift structures were recently uprooted by the authorities, I might add).
All that our men and women in uniform want is to be treated with respect and dignity. They want to be reassured that the dues will be paid; that families will be taken care of, when soldiers are far away on deployments, living at nonfamily stations; often battling hostile attacks and inhospitable environments. They want to be free from anxiety about the fate of their family and loved ones in the event, when they are required to make that ultimate sacrifice some day. And they want all this to be done without having to ask for it.
The salutes at the toll booths are not a requirement. Toll booth personnel don’t need to be told to do it either – our men and women in uniform earn those salutes anyway.
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