Olympic Series

Olympics 1936 – Berlin

The headlines screamed ‘Corrupted Games’ and ‘A showcase for Hitler’s power’. Reports observed that: “Hitler’s Germany has set out to prove to the world that it has once again become Greater Germany”, and reflected: ‘we have become figurines in a huge medieval clock at Nuremberg, moved by a mechanism assembled over the past four years’.

Those four years had revealed the true nature of the ruling regime of the country hosting the Games. Hitler had been appointed Chancellor in 1933, and proclaimed Fuhrer of the Third Reich in 1934. In September 1935, he passed laws establishing two categories of Germans to ensure ‘the protection of German blood and honor’: racially pure ‘citizens’ and ‘subjects’. Hitler intended to use these Games to prove his political and ideological theories, although Theodore Lewald, whose father was of Jewish descent, remained head of the German Olympic Committee, and Jewish fencer Helena Meyer, an Olympic champion in 1928, was selected.

Germany rose to the occasion like never before, with 4.5 million entrance tickets sold and a thousand special trains conveying spectators to events. In Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, 100,000 spectators raised their hands in salute and subverted the Games from a festival of sport into a celebration of the Reich. The super – prepared German athletes won 33 Gold medals, compared with only three in Los Angeles. However this demonstration of Aryan racial superiority hit an unexpected stumbling block in the huge successes enjoyed by African – American athletes. Despite Hitler’s best efforts, the stars of the Games were Woodruff, Johnson, Metcalfe and, of course, the great Jesse Owens.

The Atmosphere

In terms of both public and muscular triumph, the Berlin Games appeared to have served sport’s cause marvelously. But, unfortunately, the spirit of sport was deeply corrupted and not served. The only Olympic ideal that remained was the spirit of competition. The Los Angeles Games served as a publicity campaign for a region whose sole beauty is a temperate climate. By contrast, the Berlin Games were a grotesque demonstration of a national political regime.

The Games no longer purely exist for sport: they have become a vehicle for other forces. IOC members are no longer free spirited gentlemen of sport, but government representatives. The host country for the 1940 Olympic Country was decided in the offices of ministries of foreign affairs. It was felt that the very idea of sport was in danger from an extremism rooted in national ambition.

Four Golds for Jesse Owens

The great Afro – American sprinter Jesse Owens won Gold medals in the 100, 200, 4x100 meters relay and the long jump and set almost as many world records – under the steely glare of the Fuhrer Adolf Hitler. The showdown in the long jump, between Jesse Owens and Carl Ludwig Long of Germany took place in front of Adolf Hitler, who spent the entire afternoon in the stadium. With his long blond locks and strong physique, Long seemed every ich the Aryan ideal in combat with the Afro – American. The tension was almost unbearable. Their styles were quite different. Everything stopped in the stadium. For an hour, races were interrupted and for once, a single event held everyone’s attention. Ludwig Long driven by sheer will on his second last attempt, jumped 7.87 meters, tying with Owens. When Owens heard the result he walked up to his rival and shook his hands, warmly offering his congratulations. Then he headed to the jumping pit and began his run up. Unusually, he kept low, sprinting like never before – not even in the 100 meters final. He seemed to hang in the air and stay there until he had covered 7.94 meters! Each had one attempt left. Ludwig Long missed his, before Owens, taking off like a diver from a springboard, achieved 8.06 meters! Long was the first to shake his hand. Nature itself must be proud of what it had achieved in Jesse Owens.

1500 Meters Race of the Century

In the fierce battle for 1500 meters supremacy New Zealander John Lovelock gave a sensational performance. Not only did he beat the world record to win by a respectable margin but he also appeared to accelerate out of the bends with a fresh pair of legs every time. As well as being the best on the track he ran the most intelligent race, an outstanding, faultless performance. The stage was set for the battle that would end with five runners beating the Olympic record and two the world record. The time keeper had put things in perspective by pointing out that we were witness to one of the most amazing athletic feats of modern times. Lovelock had truly made his mark.

The Games in Brief

Opening Date                                  1 August 1936

Closing Date                                    16 August 1936

Host Nation                                      Germany

Nations Represented                       49

Athletes Participated                       4,066 (328 women, 3738 men)

Sports                                                21

Games Officially Opened By          The German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler

Olympic Flame Lit By                     Fritz Schilgen (athletics)

Olympic Oath Read By                    Rudolf Ismayr (weightlifting)

IOC President                                   Henri de Baillet – Latour (Belgium)

The Olympic flame took on an important symbolism with the first torch relay. The route which was 3,000 km long, took the torch from Olympia to the Games’ host site, via seven countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Austria and Germany). Another first was the fact that the 1936 Olympic Games were filmed and transmitted on 25 big screens throughout Berlin. Hungarian water polo player Oliver Halassey won his third Gold medal, despite having had a leg amputated beneath the knee following a train accident.

PS-: Matter researched from the archives of the Olympics Museum in Laussane.

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

+919410900051  

  

Olympic Series

Olympics 1932 – Los Angeles

By mid – 1932, some 13 million people – a quarter of the work force – were unemployed in the United States alone, and many millions more in the wider world. Japan, Spain, Italy and Germany were soon to succumb to extremism.

The Los Angeles Olympic Games were deeply affected by the Great Depression that followed the Wall Street crash of 25 October 1929. Only 1,400 athletes from 37 nations made the costly journey to California – not since 1904 had participation been so low. Some events had scarcely a handful of entrants and the soccer tournament was cancelled because of a lack of participants. However, even lacking basic necessities, the Americans threw themselves into the Games. More than 100,000 people attended the Opening Ceremony in the expanded LA Coliseum – the largest sporting attendance in history at the time – and 70,000 attended the athletic events, including Hollywood stars.

From 1900 – 1928, no summer Olympics had lasted less than 79 days but the 14 days Los Angeles events programme was adopted as standard for the future. The level of competition was extremely high. Many records were broken. Amid a world wide financial crisis, the 1932 Los Angeles games were the first to make a profit – about $ 1 million – and the last until the next Los Angeles Games in 1984.

American Mildred ‘Babe’ Didrikson represented the meaning of sport in its most complete and multi – faceted sense. She won the Gold in both the javelin and the 80 meters hurdles and the silver medal in controversial circumstances in the high jump. It was reported that she had scored more than 100 points in a basketball match, single handed. Her incredible strength enabled her to train with American football players, and her skill at billiards allowed her to compete against the best players in the country. She was a competent swimmer and horsewoman and her talent in bowling equaled her dexterity in lacrosse. The morning she was scheduled to learn the basics of downhill skiing, she was granted a license to join the amateur circuit. During this period Mildred also turned her hand to baseball. As her hits frequently exceeded 100 meters she earned her nickname ‘Babe’, after the great Babe Ruth. Despite the fact that Mildred had legitimately qualified for five events, officials finally authorized the 19 years old to compete in just three disciplines. No doubt she would have been in contention for more medals in the discus, long jump and relay if she had been allowed to compete in these three further events.

Japan dominated the men’s swimming, but United States reigned supreme in the women’s events. The Japanese won every men’s swimming title except the 400 meters free style, which saw Buster Crabbe of USA and Jean Tarris of France duel for victory. Crabbe saved America’s honor. Helene Madison broke 16 world records for the distances between 100 yards and a mile in 16 months in 1930 - 31. Her 100meters world record in particular made her the darling of the American public. At 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 126 pounds, Helene Madison had almost a stretched appearance with huge hands and feet. She won three Gold medals in 100 meters, 400 meters and 4 x 100 meters relay. She celebrated her third medal by dancing the night away with actor Clark Gable, the Rhett Butler of Gone ‘With the Wind’.

The Games in Brief

Opening Date                           30 July 1932

Closing Date                            14 August 1932

Host Nation                              United States of America

Nations Represented                37

Athletes                                    1,503 (35 women,1,468 men)

Sports Disciplines                    15 (7 open to women)

Demonstration Sports               American football and Lacrosse

Games officially opened by     Charles Curtis, Vice President of the USA

Olympic flame not lit

Olympic oath read by              George C Calman (fencing)

IOC President                          Henri de Baillet – Latour (Belgium)

In order to finance their visit, the Brazilians traveled with a cargo of coffee. Franz and Toni Schmid won an Olympic prize for mountaineering after they were the first to scale the north face of the Matterhorn. The Olympic village which consisted of 700 small houses was exclusively reserved for the men, with the women being put up in a hotel.

It was thanks to Hollywood that the first mascot, a dog named Smoky, made an appearance.

PS -: Matter researched from the archives of the Olympic museum in Lausanne.

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

Olympics Series

Olympics 1928 – Amsterdam

Amsterdam was a picture of peace and harmony and Germany’s return to the Games seemed to offer further proof that, ten years after the Great War, the world was unified in peace. As the 9 th Games took place in the carefree atmosphere of a country that had not even taken part in the 1914 – 18 war, how could anyone have imagined the Wall Street crash to come the following year with its disastrous effects on the world economy? How could the rise of Adolf Hitler’s National Socialists have been anticipated, when elections for the German legislature had seen his party win barely 2.6 % of the vote?

The general atmosphere was one conducive to globalization, ahead of its time. Athletes from 28 nations, including Asia for the first time, won Gold medals, a record that would not be surpassed for another 40 years.

Athletics and gymnastics were finally opened to women and although tennis was withdrawn, female participation in Amsterdam was double that of the 1924 Games. Pierre de Coubertin, by now a sick man, never saw the Olympic flame burn in Amsterdam. He did not even attend the Dutch – hosted Games, instead sending an official farewell message to the participants.

The passing of the ‘Father of the Olympic Games’ went by almost unnoticed and it signified the end of an era – never again would the Games be reliant upon the will and personality of one man. The Olympic movement was here to stay.

The middle distance running events were completely dominated by the Finns; who won the 1500, 5,000, 10,000 and the 3,000 meters Steeplechase. And inevitably, alongside these new successes came endless debates. ‘Racial superiority’ and ‘Superiority of way of life and training methods’ were attributed to the victories. The time of the specialist trainers had arrived, wherein coaches for different distances viz short, middle and long was emerging as a doctrine. No single country dominated the 100 meters and five different nations were represented by the six finalists. Percy Williams of Canada had the distinction of making it a double, by winning both the 100 and 200 meters sprints. Other than athletics, Rowing was another popular discipline which enthralled the fans. The 29 year old Australian, Henry Pearce came out as a rowing giant for his prowess and stature.

The diminutive Mohammed Boughera El Ouafi, had the strongest legs in the marathon but it was, above all, his tactics that sealed victory.

The Games in Brief

Opening Date                               17 May 1928

Closing Date                                12 August 1928

Host Nation                                  Netherlands

Nations Represented                    46

Athletes                                        3,014 (290 women, 2,724 men)

Sports                                            9 (7 open to women)

Games officially opened by         Prince Hendrik of Holland

Olympic Flame lit                        For the first time, during the Opening Ceremony

Olympic oath read by                  Henry Denis (football)

IOC President                              Henri de Baillet-Latour, Belgium

At the finish of the 800 meters event several women collapsed, leading to a lively debate whether they should participate in such a race. Gold medals were won by 28 different nations, a record which remained unequalled for almost forty years. Germany participated in the Games after a gap of 16 years and for the first time a Gold medal was won by an Asian athlete, Japan’s Mikio Oda in the Triple Jump event.

PS -: Matter researched from the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

+919410900051                            

One man with courage makes a majority

The Rot Within – Over The Years

It was, while I was an instructor in the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehra Dun in 1992 that, I got involved in a case of trumped up charges for indiscipline, slapped upon me by the establishment, which involved the unfortunate death of a Technical Graduate Gentleman Cadet Sujit Karmakar, during training. The army initiated Court Martial Proceedings (GCM) against me, which became time barred after three years of inquiry / investigation and the charges dropped as non maintainable under the Army Act (AA). I lived those years of isolation as a persona non grata in the army and immersed myself in positive reflection upon the present and future of an institution, which was unwilling to face the truth. A truth, which screamed from the traditional ramparts of uprightness in conduct, character driven leadership, living by the courage of ones convictions, rectitude and probity in official dealings etc; only to be not heard by its custodians and guardians, comprising the top rungs of the Army’s hierarchy. The cultural environment obtaining in the monolith had slowly but surely transformed into a miasma of despair, which could only get worse because there was no premium on truth. Hypocrisy, double standards, and a pretentious life style had overtaken the values of soldiering and leadership, in an insidious and tacit manner by chipping into the sustaining edifice of ‘officership’, the heart and soul of any military organization. The officer corps was definitively getting sucked into the enigma of making a choice between being good and successful, which had become mutually exclusive. In keeping with the shroud of institutionalized corruption that now embellished our political, bureaucratic, corporate, judicial and executive culture, the Armed Forces could not keep itself insulated from the gratifying influence of financial decadence.

Our society, which pedestalises success along with the lurking market forces of greed and filthy lucre, suitably lent itself to destruct whatever remains of character the officer had imbibed from the family, the portals of the hallowed institutions of leadership training and the military, which shaped the individual’s personality. The rot had seized the vitals of the Armed Forces, its officer cadre, and the down slide in professional integrity was an obvious consequence. Military motivation was no more a reality which existed in the rank and files, but was only confined to the pages of General Staff military publications for sanctimonious pedagogy. The noble trait of loyalty got redefined as sycophancy by the ‘climbers’, who had correctly gauged the prevalent mood within the organization as one of never swimming against the tide, even when the situation demanded of them a firm and righteous stand premised on principles than expediency.

Corruption which has become the bottom line of our mundane life and pervades every aspect of living, was put into stark relief by the President of the Union, when in his broadcast to the nation on the eve of the forty sixth Republic Day; he had to simultaneously rebuke people holding prominent public offices and call for mobilization of people’s power to fight these evils. The Armed Forces had tasted blood and was equally embroiled in deeds of overt and covert decadence, which was flourishing and prospering in the senior ranks of its hierarchy. The system was getting impacted by the adverse influence of corruption and spineless leadership, proliferating and percolating into its rank and file, making the environment murkier. Young officers transiting into offices of positional authority were getting bitten by the bug of this decadence and yielding to its pernicious influence. It became truly heart rending to watch officers mutate into loyal camp followers, only in the earnest hope of some day riding the band wagon of success, even when it is ill gotten. The decadence of moral values has made its presence so absolute, that none deny it even when most decry it. The contradictions within our functional ethos have made the understanding of leadership principles and traits so complex, that it stands on the threshold of absurdity, which can only get more retrograde if not arrested at all levels within the Forces.

General Vijay Kumar Singh has stirred the hornets nest, involving senior officers in various acts of corruption, graft, bribery and moral decay. The skeletons are slowly emerging from the cupboard, to the embarrassment of the Army and its institutions. We have the apex institution of the Army involved in scams and denigrating its status, only for personal gains and profit. The names of ex Chiefs who have spiraled into their offices by trading the stature and gravitas of the organization they once belonged to, has put the Army to shame and disrepute. The names which have already rolled out into the public domain are those of Generals (retired) Joginder Jaswant Singh and Deepak Kapoor, disgracing the office they once occupied and putting a big question mark on the system of evaluation and promotion obtaining in the Army. The court martial of Lt General (retd) Avdesh Prakash, arrest by the CBI of Maj Gen (retd) A R Kumar and TN Kaul and Lt Gen (retd) Tejinder Singh named by the Chief in an FIR lodged with the CBI for offering him a bribe for clearing a tranche of about 600 sub standard high mobility TATRA trucks, does not do proud to the reputation of the Army. The rot which has besieged the Army in particular, is from within and has no one else to blame for. It will require many more to cleanse the System, which has been subjected to systemic decay over the years. The philosophy which must now become the corner stone of every young officer should be rooted in faith in one’s self and abilities, and the desire to live with the honor of one’s soul, which recognizes the merit of a good action.

“One man with courage makes a majority”.

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal, VSM

+919410900051

The Olympics

Olympics 1924 --- Paris

Twenty Four years on, the Olympic Games returned to Paris. For Pierre de Coubertin, who had announced his retirement, it was a final opportunity to redeem France after the disastrous events of 1900.

In a quarter of a century, the event had changed completely. Participating nations had grown from 28 to 44, with more than 3,000 athletes – accommodated for the first time in an Olympic village – competing. The Games were also free standing, no longer part of a larger exhibition.

Spectators flocked to the purpose – built Colombes Stadium, designed to hold 60,000 but there were still peculiar sideshows such as the ‘Pentathlon of Muses’, an art competition included at de Coubertin’s request.

But all was not international harmony in 1924, and the true ‘spirit’ of the Games became diluted. Unwelcome side effects of the Games’ success were the first examples of extreme nationalism, if not xenophobia. After the US annihilation of the French in the final of the rugby tournament, insults and blows were exchanged and the American flag was torn down. Four years earlier the Germans had been denied an invitation to the Games and despite Coubertin’s efforts, Germany was absent once again in 1924.

Paavo Nurmi’s four incredible days -: Not content with winning the 1500m and 5,000m in the space of an hour, the Flying Fin went on to claim three more gold medals. Nurmi had won three titles at the Antwerp Games. In Paris, he did even better. Nurmi’s Glorious victories were as under -:

1500m                                3:53.6

5,000m                               14:31.2

3,000m team race               8:32.0

10,000m cross country       32:54.8

Cross - country team race  32:54.8

Nurmi, had over the course of the heats and finals run at Colombes, the pleasure of being first to cross the finish line a total of seven times. Always first – and with such style, such speed!

Johnny Weismuller, the smiling water borne Adonis, a consummate American swimmer aged just 20 years won the thrilling 400m Freestyle final, beating Sweden’s Arne Borg and Australian Andrew Charlton. He began his life in destitution. He left school at 12, never to discover the torments of trigonometry. Working as a bellboy at the Chicago Plaza Hotel, his sole luxury was swimming, an activity he had practiced on the advice of his family’s doctor, to strengthen his weak chest. By the time Johnny reached 16, swimming had already given him an enviably large physique and a friend introduced him to Bill Bachrasch, who would become his mentor. Bill before taking him under his tutelage said ‘First of all, you have to forget all you’ve learned and swear you’ll work with me without asking questions and searching for excuses. You will be a slave and you will hate me, but in the end, you will break all the records you want’. On 9 July 1922, Weismuller became the first human to swim the 100m Freestyle in under a minute.

The Games in Brief

    

Opening Date                               4 May 1924

Closing Date                                 27 July 1924

Host Nation                                   France

Nations Represented                    44

Athletes                                          3,092 (136 women, 2,956 men)

Sports                                             19

Games Officially Opened By        The President of France, Gaston Doumergue

Olympic Flame Not Lit

Olympic Oath Read By                 Georges Andre (Athletics)

IOC President                                Baron Pierre de Coubertin

Many symbols associated with the Olympics took on an official form in 1924. The Olympic motto ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’ (Swifter, Higher, Stronger) was used for the first time. At the Closing Ceremony, the ritual of raising three flags was introduced – the flag of the IOC, the flag of the host nation and the flag of the next host nation. Another first was the Olympic Village, which housed the athletes.

PS -: Matter researched from the Olympics Museum in Laussane.

Brigadier (retd)  S D Dangwal

+919410900051

The Olympics

Olympics 1920 ------ Antwerp

The 1916 Games, awarded to Berlin, took place in Antwerp. Germany, like other aggressor nations – Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey – was excluded from the 1920 Games. Russia too was absent; its troops were still fighting their Civil War.

Among the 10 million who had lost their lives in the Great War were many Olympians. The 1920 Games were given to Antwerp to commemorate the suffering inflicted on Belgium during the conflict. The opening ceremony saw two historic innovations – the Olympic flag and the oath. The flag’s five rings, adapted by Pierre de Coubertin from the altar at Delphi, signified the unity of the five continents, and the first oath was delivered by Belgium fencer Victor Boin. In a clear voice he declared : ‘ In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams.’

Pao Kahinu Kahanamoku, a swimmer of Polynesian origins and born in Hawaii, nicknamed ‘The Duke’ was literally a human fish. Though he did not invent the ‘Crawl’ stroke, but he adapted to it so effectively that his competitors were left open mouthed. The Duke was a force of nature, who had set a World record in the 100 meters and was untouchable in his events. There were two more women sensations in the swimming pool; the diminutive diver Aileen Riggin aged 13 years, who won the Spring Board and the powerful Ethelda Bleibtrey who had made her own waves, taking the Olympic and World records in the 100 and 300 meters freestyle, and in the 4 x 100 meters relay backed by a strong American team.

Nedo Nadi, a young 26 year old Captain in the Italian army won five titles in fencing. Two individuals and teams in Foil and Sabre and an Epee team. Also, another remarkable feature was Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn, who at the age of 72 won a Gold Medal in the team event for the double – shot running deer event.

Games in Brief

Opening Date                   20 April 1920

Closing Date                     12 September 1920

Host Nation                      Belgium

Nations Represented        29

Athletes                             2,669 (78 women and 2,591 men)

Sports                                22 (4 open to women)

Games Officially

Opened By                        King Albert of Belgium

Olympic Flame                 Not Lit

Olympic Oath Read By    Victor Boin

IOC President                   Baron Pierre de Coubertin

The Olympic Oath

“In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules that govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams.”

PS - : Matter researched from the Olympics museum in Laussane.

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

9410900051

The Olympics

The Stockholm Olympics  -  1912

The sound of boots began to be heard throughout the world, but the Olympic Games did not suffer because of this. In fact, they became truly universal, as for the first time, all five continents were represented.

The organization of the Stockholm Games was exemplary and innovative. For the first time electronic timing devices for the track events and a public address system were introduced. New events included the modern pentathlon and women’s swimming and diving. However, Sweden’s refusal to host the boxing tournament led to the IOC to limit the powers of the host nations.

Despite their friendly atmosphere, the leitmotifs of these Games were endurance and suffering. At 320 km, the cycling road race was the longest in Olympic history. The light – heavyweight Greco – Roman wrestling final was stopped and both wrestlers declared equal second place after nine hours of tussling. The middleweight semi – final lasted two hours longer.

Hannes Kolehmainen of Finland set himself an incredibly difficult task. On 08 July he won the 10,000 m and just two days later he won the 5,000 m breaking the world record. Three days after his initial triumph he set a new record in a heat of the 3,000 m team race, and then on 15 July he won the 12 km cross country event.

Kolehmainen’s achievements were equaled, even surpassed, by the remarkable Jim Thorpe. In the space of a week, he won the five – event pentathlon, finished fifth in the high jump and seventh in the long jump. He then capped all that by breaking the world record for the decathlon, setting a mark so far ahead of its time that it would have earned him Silver in the 1948 Olympics. On 07 July, Thorpe completed the five events of the pentathlon; on 13, 14 and 15 July, he then took part in the ten events of the decathlon. King Gustav V of Sweden told Thorpe: “Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world”

Jim was born on 22 May 1887 and had Irish and Indian ancestry. He was a national hero after the Stockholm Games. But in January 1913 it emerged that he had earned $ 25 a week playing minor league baseball for North Carolina. Thorpe confessed and apologized, arguing in his defense that he had merely been a schoolboy, unwary of the rules regarding professionalism, and had since turned down offers of thousands of dollars to safeguard his amateur status. On 27 January, the Olympic committee stripped him of his titles, records and medals. In 1943, a movement to reinstate him took place, but Thorpe did not live to see the outcome: he had died of a heart attack on 28 March 1953 in Lomita, California. On 13 October 1982, the IOC abolished the ban on professionals and reinstated Thorpe. On 18 January 1983, his medals were returned to his children.

The Games In Brief

Opening Date                      05 May 1912

Closing   Date                      27 July 1912

Host Nation                           Sweden

Nations Represented             28

Athletes                                 2,547 (57women, 2,490 men)

Sports                                    15 (5 open to women)

Games officially opened by  King Gustav V of Sweden

Olympic Flame not lit

Olympic Oath not taken

IOC President                        Baron Pierre de Coubertin

The competitor who won the most medals in these Olympic Games was a Swiss man, Louis Richardet, winning six medals ( four Gold and two Silver ) in shooting.

PS - : Matter researched from the Olympic Museum in Laussane.

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

+919410900051                               

First Learn To Walk with Your Shadow

Chief You Are No Sam Bahadur. What Is The Grandstanding For?

I have written a lot about General Vijay Kumar Singh, Chief of Army Staff, ever since his date of birth controversy came out into the public domain and thus made itself open to views and  opinions, whether in support or otherwise. My views were not supportive of the General’s stand in the entire matter and I was forthrightly savage about the manner in which he went about to resurrect his integrity and honor, which was never in doubt, by making the government to accept and publicly recognize his date of birth as mentioned in his Birth and High School certificates. The Supreme Court adjudicated in the matter and brought the matter to a closure, whether final or temporary? Is best left to the petitioner’s discretion and satisfaction. While the ink had not as yet dried upon the Court’s order in this matter; the General probably smarting under the pain of losing a just battle which should have gone in his favor, transgressed service rules by going to the media and springing a surprise, by suggesting that a veiled offer of a bribe of Rs 14 crores was made to him by a lobbyist, to clear a file for the supply of TATRA trucks to the Army. What was more intriguing was this offer coming from a recently retired officer, who headed the Defense Intelligence Agency till June 2010. In accordance with his own admission during the course of the television interview, the Chief said that he was too shocked to understand the implied meaning behind this couched suggestion and asked the officer to immediately leave his office. Thereafter, he went to the Raksha Mantri and informed him about what had transpired earlier in his office on 22 September 2010.

When this story found itself in the pages of a newspaper, there was a commotion which ensued on the floor of the Lok Sabha in the Parliament, with the opposition demanding a statement from the Government to explain the offer of a bribe to the Chief, in defense procurement. An embarrassed Raksha Mantri, visibly shaken and distressed at this development was obliged to give an explanation, by providing a context and was effusive about his personal integrity and honesty in a long political career of about fifty years and having  zero tolerance for corruption in defense procurement. Notwithstanding the initial shock which had overwhelmed him, on hearing what the Chief had to tell him and naming Lt Gen (retd) Tejinder Singh as the alleged lobbyist who made the offer of the bribe, the Raksha Mantri asked for a formal complaint to be made and the matter pursued. The Chief was disinclined to probe and get the matter investigated, and suggested that it be dropped. However, the matter has now been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for inquiry.

What emerges from this entire episode is that, the burden of acting upon the entire incident of a bribe having been offered by Lt Gen (retd) Tejinder Singh on 22 nd September 2010, rests with both the Chief and the Raksha Mantri and in equal measure, respectively. The provisions of paragraph 39 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) mandate the responsibility of reporting the offer of a bribe made to a government servant, to the law enforcing agency by the individual, without any extenuating circumstances to justify its non compliance, whatsoever. However, there are certain observations which make the matter appear to be much more than what it is, and manipulation of the truth to suit individual motives cannot be discounted. A sequential narration of facts, which have stumbled into the public domain, will probably enable a more lucid picture of the situation, and to arrive at an informed opinion. Subsequent to the filing of the report in the matter to the CBI by the Chief, an audio tape of the conversation that took place in his office on 22 nd September 2010, when the alleged bribe offer was made to him by the lobbyist has also been handed over to the investigating agency. The questions which now beg to be answered are, why did the Chief sit upon this incriminating piece of evidence that he held with him for more than 18 months and never told the Raksha Mantri or anybody else about it, all through? How was the Chief able to tape record the conversation ( for which one needs to prepare before hand) in which the alleged bribe was offered, when Lt Gen (retd) Tejinder Singh had taken an appointment with him to enquire about the status of his re employment, for which the Chief himself had purportedly recommended him? Why did General V K Singh not inform the Raksha Mantri about the presence of this audio tape held with him in the interregnum? The answers to all these questions can be the basis for arriving at the real motive of the General, to yet again grandstand about his probity, convictions and moral courage to take on the Government as non other has done hitherto fore.

I am more than convinced in my mind that the metaphorical ‘Bribe – Bomb’ is a deliberate and extremely well machinated ploy to put the Government into a predicament and embarrass the Raksha Mantri, who did not accede to the officer’s prayer made in his statutory complaint related to his date of birth row. The judgment is in the people’s court to decide and make an opinion, whether the Chief is a genuine maverick who bucks the system and tilts at the windmills, without a care for or fear of repercussions from the Government he serves. The letter to the Prime Minister, about the ordnance shortages and the question mark about the Army’s preparedness to defend the territorial integrity of the Union of India, is something routine and has earlier precedents. Therefore, it does not contribute to an image makeover of General V K Singh as a gladiator and a character driven personality, who has dared the Government. His actions seem to be steeped in an emotion replete with spite and vindictiveness, but cleverly shrouded by making a virtue out of an ulterior motive.

The issue about commissions being eked out by middlemen in arms deals, is a given, internationally. And it continues to remain as a global practice. The dangerous thing in this is any motivated negotiation in the General Staff Qualitative Requirement of the weapon system / equipment / ammunition / ordnance etc which will compromise the safety and security of the personnel and the country. This can never be argued and justified and makes itself virtually indefensible. Mr A K Antony, though equally culpable of not acting on the report of a bribe having been made to the Chief, cannot be crucified for being corrupt or else projecting himself as a Saint who may have inadvertently made an  error of judgment. Opinion within the entire country and the Services fraternity has been vertically divided into camps of those who acclaim General V K Singh as a hero and those who would rather wait for the garb of hypocrisy to be removed sooner than later, and expose him in his true colors of being as mundane and fallible as others. What will emerge from the investigations made into the matter by the law enforcing agencies and the courts? Will only get known in the due course of time, but the military fraternity should have hoped that whatever expose is being attributed to the Chief was done in a manner which is more becoming of a Chief, something in the style and manner of Sam Hormusji Frumji Jamshedji Manekshaw, endearingly known and remembered as SAM BAHADUR. There has non been like him and General V K Singh must first try and walk with his own shadow than paint all and sundry with a tarnished brush of complicity in acts of disgusting and diabolical corruption.

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

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