Thread by @ColSanjayPande

#CostOfLeadership 1. A name, preceded by “Rank” and succeeded (may/may not) by “Retd” has eroded to a level that instead of awe, it generates disgust. These preceding and succeeding words meant ‘respect’ in past. Not any more in general. Sad but true. Let’s accept facts.

#CostOfLeadership 2. To be groomed from Day 1 to sacrifice for ‘Naam’, ‘Namak’ & ‘Nishan’, to live for ‘Nation’ & ‘Men’, to put ‘self’ last. Sadly it finishes at ‘Commanding Officers (CO’s)’ level and NOT at ‘Colonels’ level. The rot commences the day Command is relinquished.

#CostOfLeadership 3. Hasn’t it become fashion to collectively scream soon as an order comes from MoD? Who screams? Serving? No. It’s the veterans. How many times does someone take pain to explain nuances? It’s collective screaming. Reason? There is a lot more to hide than reveal.

#CostOfLeadership 4. Shortage of Officers. When was the last you heard the Chiefs give EXACT TRUTH? The mediocre and intelligence produces masterpiece solutions. Make men officers!!!! ACC? Military Leaders are 👉🏻👉🏻MILITARY LEADERS👈🏻👈🏻 & not 👉🏻👉🏻ADMINISTRATORS👈🏻👈🏻.

#CostOfLeadership 5. Soon as the desire to get Post-Retirement gubernatorial positions ends, things will improve. The leadership (non-existent) must know that Administrators cannot ever become Military Leaders and Military Leaders have ZERO acumen to become Administrators.

#CostOfLeadership 6. Military Leaders across globe & throughout history had common traits. Fearless. Upright. Professionals. Caring men. Nation First. Men Next. When did you last see a leader who called a Spade , a ‘SPADE’ ? The crop of leadership (so-called) today is appaling.

#CostOfLeadership 7. Military Leafers must melt away in history with a ‘reputation’ to leave behind. Never to be seen in public domain. Disgusting impressions, opportunism, bending over back and constantly pleasing those in power does more harm.

#CostOfLeadership 8. What good is the leadership of it has no clue as to why young generation is not joining forces? If it has clue, have they made the causes public? It’s a topic of national concern. Neither public nor law makers know it. It’s not confidential topic.

#CostOfLeadership 9. Officers Shortage. We have scores of civilians doing yeomen service to motivate youth to join forces. Why exactly is the youth not joining? No amount of lectures, interactions and motivational talks work. WHY? The blunt truth is they have other choices.

#CostOfLeadership 10. Wasting money in ‘Do you have it in you’ , ‘Touch the sky with glory’ etc. highlight valour, bravado, heroism, military hardware, exclusivity and ‘shaan’. What do they eat? Who takes care of injuries? Who takes care of early retirement? Children education?

#CostOfLeadership 12. Who takes care of career? Promotions? Early retirement? Guarantee of job upto 60yrs? Post retirement? Financial security? Comparative peer advancement? Inter-se status with other central Govt services? Hardships? Death? Parents? Can WHOLE life be nomadic?

#CostOfLeadership 13. IS THE YOUTH DEAF, DUMB & BLIND? Don’t they see OROP? Rations? Cantt Roads opening? Disabled Soldiers state? Tax on Disability Pension? Supersede Generals? Humiliating soldiers? Police beating veterans? No promotions? Early retirement?

#CostOfLeadership 14. Pyramid structure? No promotions? No jobs? WHILE everybody else in central Govt gets NFU, promotions with 80% reaching TOP, 60 years guaranteed service. WHY should the ‘youth have it in them’? Or why should they ‘touch the sky with glory’?

#CostOfLeadership 15. The YOUTH sees industry, further education , MONEY, career, big cities, education to children, life up to 60 yrs. House, car, savings, well settled life. Their college seniors are their idols and not Vikram Batras. KARGIL happened 20 years back.

#CostOfLeadership 16. The youth is well beyond joining NDA and getting first chance for graduate entry. Kargil is something their dad and mom spoke about. The post Kargil babies are youth of today. They read, see, are Internet generation, social media masters - the works.

#CostOfLeadership 17. Why doesn’t military leadership say it loudly. Is this rocket science? Everything is known by everyone. If you bell the cat, you don’t become Ambassador to a small country. This is NOT Forces problem. It’s national calamity. We want MILITARY LEADERS.

#CostOfLeadership 18. You don’t get MILITARY LEADERS by cheap gimmicks like make Jawans into officers. If you do DISBAND Defence Institute of Psychological Research- DIPR. Disband Service Selection Boards. Why maintain such organisations when the Chief has such an easy way out?

#CostOfLeadership 19. Asking Government to submit a White Paper on DIPR and SSBs I s incorrect since it involves national security. Can the Govt, for itself, make one and keep it Confidential? Just one precaution. Keep 100% Service Chiefs out of it. Interact with SSBs and DIPR.

#CostOfLeadership 20. ‘Recruitment rallies attract thousands. There is no shortage of people joining Armed Forces’. I suggest a Brain scan of such duds and duffers. Recruitment is of Jawans. Unemployment is high. For each vacancy of jawan there are a thousand candidates.

#CostOfLeadership 21. Recruitment rallies are challenge for local administration. Thousands turn up. It’s OFFICER cadre that is military leadership. DIPR & SSBs are highly specialised orgs that have elaborate system to “select” candidates. 95% Civil Services will NEVER make it.

#CostOfLeadership 22. Civil Services need not sulk. They are the best selected for administration. SSBs select the best for military leadership. So HOW can Civil Service guy be a military leader & Military Commander an efficient administrator? Disaster assured if roles reverse.

#CostOfLeadership 23. So the slide begins. Bureaucrats get control of Armed Forces and Armed Forces Leadership fall on law makers feet for administrative roles. WHERE is military Leadership? Where is ethos? Chetwode? They were dumped the day Command was relinquished.

#CostOfLeadership 24. Military (non) Leaders now are thrilled with ambassadorial jobs in insignificant countries, chancellors of universities, guvs of insignificant states and more. They don’t realise that they are very highly regarded and must stay home gracefully.

#CostOfLeadership 25. Few take up a strategists role, TV debates, become self appointed representatives of uniform, some take to streets , some will die to get into state assembly. I mean it’s absolute nonsense. Is this true depiction of Military Leaders? It’s a caricature.

#CostOfLeadership 26. It’s NOT doomsday. Not at all.There is this absolutely fine lot, from Colonels to Lt Gens that generates confidence. In %age? Say 5-7%. Absolute copy book Military Generals. They are out in open. On social media. Everywhere. Firing up their commands.

#CostOfLeadership 27. These are incorruptible Generals. They look after their commands most fearlessly. They enjoy implicit trust of law makers. Bureaucrats support them. Anyone active on SM knows. These are the ray of hope in military leadership. They seek just Nation & Men!

#CostOfLeadership 28. These are 21st century generals who have embraced technology and deep reach of social media to advantage of command. They do not pass silly orders for officers to exit groups where veterans are part of. These generals have taken their command to new heights.

#CostOfLeadership 29. These officers do what is correct with their eyes on nation and men. They don’t focus on post retirement career. It’s this 5% that generates confidence. Today the need of the hour is to stop degenerating Military Leadership. It’s serious.

#CostOfLeadership 30. There are officers from Colonels to Generals who have capability to steer the forces gain trust of command, bureaucracy and law makers. They can take professionalism to levels that generates confidence. They have moral courage to stand for their actions.

#CostOfLeadership 31. The nation, the law makers and the bureaucracy needs such officers to lead. These are the military leaders India needs. Strong professionals, strong military leaders with following, leaders who have character who don’t seek benefits.

#CostOfLeadership 33. INDIA can no longer stand mute witness to absolute crass wars between MoD Bureaucracy and Armed Forces where instead of Armed Forces its the Veterans who are spewing venom. This must stop. Generals are mute. Don’t expect wonders. @PMOIndia @rajnathsingh

#CostOfLeadership 34. This madness must stop. All bureaucrats known for anti-Armed Forces stand & all mute & post retirement benefit seeking Armed Forces Generals must be eased out. Country cannot witness this anymore. 70 years of governance hasn’t paid. @PMOIndia @rajnathsingh

#CostOfLeadership 35. Military Generals ‘Administer’ rather than provide leadership. Bureaucrats have become ‘Military Generals’ while administering. None do their job. Shameless veterans spread and spew venom destroying very image of Forces. ITS MESS. @PMOIndia @rajnathsingh

#CostOfLeadership 36. Mess does not end with MoD & Armed Forces. The mess continues in MHA. The common factor in MoD & MHA is IAS. Just one question, & it will shock lawmakers. ALL CAPFs ARE EXEMPTED TO REPLY TO RTIs while ARMED FORCES ARE NOT. @PMOIndia @rajnathsingh @AmitShah

#CostOfLeadership 37. Which lawmaker introduced the amendment in Parliament? to EXEMPT ALL CAPFs TO REPLY TO RTIs? National security handled by Armed Forces does not merit RTI protection but CAPFs are protected!!!! WHY? Reason is simple. @PMOIndia @rajnathsingh @AmitShah

#CostOfLeadership 38. Which Bureaucrat, General or Lawmaker has pointed this RTI mess? None. Who created it? Why? Hence my point, the mess can be sorted out ONLY by @PMOIndia @rajnathsingh @AmitShah & no one else. We need radical steps to clean up the mess. We require sincerity.

#CostOfLeadership Continuing 39. Someone commented on my thread ‘some valid points’? SOME? All points are valid. I humbly requested to point out ‘not valid’ points and that I will reply to each with complete humility. Nothing came. I am still waiting. It vindicates my 38 tweets.

#CostOfLeadership 40. Gist of first 39 tweets is this. Last 30-35 years have witnessed ‘failed military leadership’ in India & the current mess is directly attributable to them. Youth is not interested, MoD hates armed forces, CAPFs are being pushed ahead etc. Failed leadership.

#CostOfLeadership 41. We have leadership that follows ‘close’ rule. Close everything. Ban everything. Threaten. Seal careers. Humiliate command publicly. Ban social media. Create rift between serving and retired. You call them leaders? Army Commanders neither speak or comment.

#CostOfLeadership 42. Lt Gens go dumb. Vocal chords fail. ALL that is expected is just follow Chetwode. Have courage to look into eyes of your subordinates. Do not reduce yourself to a caricature in public that makes India believe that ALL are like them. Promote to Margdarshak?

#CostOfLeadership 43. A General has all the right to air his opinion in public domain so far as he is consistent with his military reputation. The spoken reputation. The crass unmilitary like behaviour, ungentlemanly conduct and wuiting ‘democracy’ is shame and blot on uniform.

#CostOfLeadership 44. This coupled with Adarsh type scams have eroded the respect and here I reproduce my FIRST tweet of this thread . “1. A name, preceded by “Rank” and succeeded (may/may not) by “Retd” has eroded to a level that instead of awe, it generates disgust..........”

#CostOfLeadership 45. The competition soon after relinquishing Command is fierce. Competition for sheltered postings, to manipulate to get under a past boss, peace postings, desk jobs etc. Senior Officers get ‘their’ staff. Where is leadership? Where is Chetwode? Where is Army?

#CostOfLeadership 46. This journey from relinquishment of command till retirement completely transforms an officer from a Military Leader into a spineless submissive favour seeking person. Mind you Army still runs beautifully. That 5-7% Colonels to Generals take the burden.

#CostOfLeadership 47. Where does this lead to. Simple. To the current mess. A piled up mess of 30-35 years. Barring 5-7% Colonels to Generals, whether serving or retired, who are the real Military Leaders, rest MUST be converted to #MargdarshakVeterans Pension, Golf, Booze!

#CostOfLeadership 48. How do we get out of this mess? Unless @PMOIndia @rajnathsingh and @AmitShah get these 5-7% to discuss, we can expect worst. To start, 1. All Army Commanders are as good as Chiefs, promote juniormost and ask all seniors to #MargdarshakVeterans community.

#CostOfLeadership 48. 2. Repeat this exercise right down to Brigadiers. Let new lot come up. 3. APPOINT NEW CHIEF ON 31 Dec 2019 or earlier a Lt Gen who is proving his mettle with his current command, highly acceptable to @rajnathsingh and @AmitShah ie MoD and MHA

#CostOfLeadership 50. 4. This Lt Gen should be media and social media savvy. Utilise it positively to create a very positive image of Army, motivate youth and motivate entire Army. 5. He must generate confidence in command and ensure Litul Gogois aren’t produced.

#CostOfLeadership 51. 5. This Lt Gen must clean up internal mess of Army. 6. This Lt Gen must be able to communicate with Governors, MoD, MHA, ALL DGs of CAPFs and must create and generate positivity. 7. MoD and MHA must post service and CAPF Officers in ministries.

#CostOfLeadership 51. EVERYTHING boils down to one man. COAS. Let us not have caricatures in that chair. Never have Chiefs been ridiculed the way done today. DO WE EXPECT YOUTH TO BE MOTIVATED? Put a friendly, professional & sauve Lt Gen there. Fresh COAS and radical steps needed

#CostOfLeadership 52. Where do Tweet 1 to Tweet 51 lead to? The ills are within Army. Failed Military Leaders from 30-35 years have ensured that only their kind comes up. I thank the 5-7% who have carried the burden and ensured that ray of hope converts to bright light.

#CostOfLeadership 53. What can @PMOIndia @rajnathsingh @AmitShah MoD or MHA do when jelly-spine rules the Army. Veterans MUST remain apolitical. MUST continue to project military leadership. Inspire youth by self example. The COAS must 👉🏻RETIRE👈🏻 AND ENJOY after retirement.

#CostOfLeadership 54. Indian Army, and due to them, the Armed Forces get projected in the most negative way today. This Military Leadership must accept responsibility and just resign. Make way for those 5-7% Military Leaders who carry Army. @PMOIndia @rajnathsingh @AmitShah

#CostOfLeadership 55. How is it that during last five years so many veterans 24X7 scream & criticise Govt, MoD, Ministers at drop of every hat? Where was their voice when uniform was on? Can they look into eyes of their unit officers? SAD. @PMOIndia @rajnathsingh @AmitShah

#CostOfLeadership 56. LAST I am scared of only few people. MY unit officers and 93 Regular Course who trained in the finest traditions of Indian Army. I can look into their eyes TODAY, 14 yrs after retirement. I have lived a Chetwode life. @PMOIndia @rajnathsingh @AmitShah