Repeatedly Asked Question

This is an interesting question for me to answer. I am asked this question numerous times. I have been asked this question more than once by the same aspirant. The fact that I have to repeatedly answer this question makes me sad and is a sad reflection on the state of our democracy. Normally I am crisp in answers but I will gradually build this answer.

Some Facts

• India is democracy and freedom of speech is a fundamental right as per our Constitution.
• Indian people are the sovereign.
• Indian PM is not a king but is elected by the people to serve them for a fixed duration. It is not just the right of the people but a duty to ask questions of the elected representatives.
• The role of us, common citizens, has increased even further when the majority of the media, which is supposed to be the watch-dog has been bought by Modi and has stopped asking questions of the government. It has become a lapdog rather than being a watch- dog: “Godi media”.
• Modi Has Eroded Democracy.
  • In the Modi misrule the democracy index has fallen and India has come to 51st position. Please read this report: India falls to 51st position in EIU’s Democracy Index
  • Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, (UAPA) is being weaponized and used routinely to stifle dissent by Modi. Please read this report: The crippling effect of sedition and UAPA on dissent in India
  • A sedition case was registered and Karnataka Police questioned fourth class students for three days for acting in an anti-CAA play. Please read this report: Sedition charge against Karnataka school for anti-CAA play by kids
  • In Modi’s efforts to stifle criticism, Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid were accused of raising anti-national slogans in 2016. The charge-sheet could be filed by the Police only in 2019. A false narrative of “tukde-tukde gang” was created by bought media persons like Arnab Goswami and promoted by PM, HM & BJP leaders. Please read these reports:
    • JNU sedition case: Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and 8 others to be charged today
    • Don’t Have Information on Tukde-Tukde Gang, Home Ministry Says in Reply to RTI Query
  • Modi government, being keen to suppress the anti-CAA protests, fabricated charges against people like Amulya and others. Please read this report: Amulya Leona to Azamgarh, sedition law used without questions, Supreme Court guidelines ignored
  • How HM tried to stifle dissent by engineering attacks on JNU and Jamia are well known to most young people.
  • Criminal Yogi went a step further in stifling democratic anti-CAA protests by using the Police against innocent citizens. Please read this report: Watch Testimonies of UP People’s Tribunal on State Action : Citizenship, Democracy and Protest – Kractivism.
  • Fabricated Cases Against Reporters. Please read this report: Stop harassment of journalists, drop sedition cases against them, global press bodies tell Modi
• Modi is Not India or Constitution. Indira as PM had felt that she represented India. In present times some right wing forces would like to believe and promote that Modi is India and also the Constitution. This is absolutely false. The idea of India as promoted by Modi is not the real idea of India.
• Criticizing Government is Not Anti-national Act. Modi is very sensitive to criticism and that is why has never held a single press conference or given an interview to a genuine journalist but only stooges. He is scared to answer uncomfortable questions which citizens who are concerned more about the welfare of India and not blind-followers must ask because Indian taxpayer’s money has been used to:
  • Pay the extra cost of Rafales.
  • Write off the NPAs of corrupt businessmen.
  • Promotion of Modi’s greatness which is a falsehood.
  • Pay salaries, pensions, provide security and other perks to a majority of politicians who have criminal cases against them and have more often than not accumulated crores of rupees through unfair means.
• Modi’s Incompetent Decisions Have Caused Immense Losses to India. Modi’s incompetent decisions have ruined Indian economy and caused immense hardships. Major examples:
  • Demonetization.
  • Ill planned GST.
  • Unplanned lockdown.
  • No care of suffering migrant labourers.

Just Because Majority is Scared to Criticize should You be Scared?

Through use of money, slapping of false cases and using other coercive measures Modi government has succeeded in stifling the media, practically all independent institutions and the opposition. Does this mean that you should stop asking questions and criticizing the government? The answer is a big no. To save democracy or endeavor to make India as conceived by Gandhiji and the framers of our Constitution we must ask questions and criticize actions which deserve to be criticized, otherwise we will soon reach India as conceived by Modi, which is definitely not my idea of India.

Criticizing Government in SSB

SSB functions inside India. The norms which apply to Indian society apply to the SSBs as well. When criticizing what you feel is wrong is correct anywhere in India then it is correct in SSB as well. We all have our respective consciences. We are able to discern as to what is fair and what is not. Listen to your conscience and speak what you feel is correct and what is not without hesitation. If you hesitate to criticize the wrong actions of the government because you feel that it will lower your selection chances, then, if the assessor thinks, like I do, then he will not select you. I would not select potential future military commanders who lack moral courage. Such commanders would lower the image of the most respected organization in India in the years to come.

-BY  COL MM NEHRU