NEW DELHI: The Indian army was recently over-ruled by the prime minister in the formers decision to pull out of Punjab to keep the army’s morale high. The army had been called out to assist the civil administration to conduct the February 1992 election to the state Assembly. It had moved into Punjab in November 1991. The Punjab government requested the army authorities to stay in Punjab until there was an improved law and order situation,
Thus the army could not get out soon after the election process was over. The army wanted to move out of Punjab because the ranks were feeling the pinch of the extended stay in Punjab. Most of the units which came to Punjab had already served in far-flung, difficult areas, Now they had been posted to Punjab which, the rank and file thought, was as difficult an area as the far-flung stations, Most of the army men wanted family stations. The absence of this arrangement was telling on their morale.
The army authorities perceived the emerging resentment and recommended that the units be withdrawn so that the army morale was not harmed. But the Punjab — chief minister felt insecure after the threatened withdrawal of the army. He met the prime minister to seek reversal of the army’s move. The prime minister agreed to the request and asked the defence minister to visit Punjab and make a statement. Sharad Pawar visited Jalandhar to announce that the army would stay in Punjab as the central government had accepted the Punjab chief ministers plea, Evidently the defence minister wants to humor the Punjab chief minister to get his support in the Congress (I) working committee.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 11, 1992
