02-14-2006, 09:07 PM
Army chief on Muslim headcount issue
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Refraining from questioning the survey, Army chief General JJ Singh said on
Monday that the recruitment is based on merit and ability to perform different
duties and that the Army is apolitical, secular and professional.
He said the Army gives equal chance to everyone aspiring to serve in the
organisation and "the entry system is based on merit and capability to perform
different duties. We never have this kind of a thing like where you come from,
what language you speak or what religion you believe in. That's always been our
policy, Gen Singh said in Vishakhapatnam and added "the Army is apolitical,
secular and professional."
Army chief's statement came in the backdrop of reports that the armed forces
were reluctant to come forward with details of the number of Muslim officers and
men and reportedly conveyed apprehensions to the Government that such a survey
would send wrong signals.
The services also said the armed forces were truly secular, apolitical and
professional. Moreover, the Government had stopped raising new units on the
basis of caste and region in the 1950s and all the new formations were mixed in
nature, thereby giving representation to young men from all over the country.
The PMO reportedly overruled the objection, saying the survey formed part of the
Government's efforts to promote minority welfare by studying the social,
economic and educational status of Muslims in India.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What about the other minorities like Sikhs, Parsis, Christians? No one addressing their welfare issues!! One wonders as to what the ramnifications of such a survey about Indian Muslims in Army would lead too since we are surrounded by some Islamist nations against whom we have had several wars.
Related question: Does Pakistan survey the number of minorities in their army? Are these minorities in Pakistan redeployed to non-combat zones during war times?
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Refraining from questioning the survey, Army chief General JJ Singh said on
Monday that the recruitment is based on merit and ability to perform different
duties and that the Army is apolitical, secular and professional.
He said the Army gives equal chance to everyone aspiring to serve in the
organisation and "the entry system is based on merit and capability to perform
different duties. We never have this kind of a thing like where you come from,
what language you speak or what religion you believe in. That's always been our
policy, Gen Singh said in Vishakhapatnam and added "the Army is apolitical,
secular and professional."
Army chief's statement came in the backdrop of reports that the armed forces
were reluctant to come forward with details of the number of Muslim officers and
men and reportedly conveyed apprehensions to the Government that such a survey
would send wrong signals.
The services also said the armed forces were truly secular, apolitical and
professional. Moreover, the Government had stopped raising new units on the
basis of caste and region in the 1950s and all the new formations were mixed in
nature, thereby giving representation to young men from all over the country.
The PMO reportedly overruled the objection, saying the survey formed part of the
Government's efforts to promote minority welfare by studying the social,
economic and educational status of Muslims in India.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What about the other minorities like Sikhs, Parsis, Christians? No one addressing their welfare issues!! One wonders as to what the ramnifications of such a survey about Indian Muslims in Army would lead too since we are surrounded by some Islamist nations against whom we have had several wars.
Related question: Does Pakistan survey the number of minorities in their army? Are these minorities in Pakistan redeployed to non-combat zones during war times?