NEW DELHI: Indias progressing fast towards militarization of its civil services even as the country’s international publicists insist on the country being called the largest democracy in the world.
The trend really began in the early fifties when most of the eastern states revolted against India’s efforts to integrate the tribal people of those lands. Delhi sent out its armed forces to crush all opposition in those states. Consequently, not only the army remained stationed in active duty in Nagaland, Mizoram and other states but former military officers’ cr those belonging to the police force were made governors.
With the liberation movement in Kashmir, Punjab and Assam gaining ground in the past decade, India appointed former military or police officers to serve as governors. The practice became institutionalized after the operation “Blue Star”, The armed forces became all too powerful in these states. They started claiming their pound of flesh in terms of representation in civil positions.
Former Delhi police commissioner Ved Marwaha is a claimant to the post of Delhi’s lieutenant governor. Another contender for the posts former Central Bureau of Investigation Chief Vijay Karan, The present incumbent to the Delhi post is also a former police officer, Markandey Singh.
Vijay Karans chances of success are rated high because, according to observers, he obliged the present political bosses by his performance” during the Janata Dal rule when politically important cases were deliberately slowed down by him.
But Karan’s claims are being countered by the supporters of Ved Marwaha who was instrumental in suppressing Sikhs in the course of the operation “Black Thunder” when he headed the national security guards organization. Later, he became an adviser to the governor of Punjab and was known as the toughest officer who 100k strong actions against Kashmiris fighting for freedom from India.
Already Kashmir has a former RAW chief, G.C. Saxena, as governor. He is about to complete two years in office. Saxena is brother of Cabinet Secretary Naresh Chandra.
Former Intelligence Bureau Chief M.K. Narayanan is pressing his claim to be appointed governor of either Karnataka or Nagaland just as his predecessor TLV. Rajesh war was appointed governor first of Arunachal Pradesh and then of West Bengal,
Even I.A.S. officers have started resenting the trend as dangerous to the country’s image as a democracy. They argue that officers in trusted with sensitive security duties will be tempted to do the bidding of political masters for the future plum positions just as JLE. Ribeiro and H.S. Dyal did in the recent years. Both of these officers were later rewarded with the post of ambassador and Lt. Governor respectively.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 1, 1992
