Naval chief Vishnu Bhagwat sacked

Thursday 31 December 1998
Times of India


Vice-Admiral Sushil Kumar takes over * Defence Secy
also transferred * I have done my duty with honour:
Bhagwat * Communal politics, says wife

By Dinesh Kumar

The Times of India News Service

NEW DELHI: In a sudden move, the government on Wednesday dismissed
chief of naval staff Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat and transferred defence
secretary Ajit Kumar.
The Flag Officer Commanding in chief of the Kochi-based Southern Naval
Command Vice-Admiral Sushil Kumar took over as the Navy chief on
Wednesday evening while Mr Ajit Kumar has swapped places with T.R.
Prasad who was secretary,industrial policy and promotion.
This is the first time that a service chief has been dismissed from
service in India's post-Independence history. The closest other
example was when chief of Army staff Gen. P.N. Thapar
esigned following the Indian Army's debacle in the 1962 war with China.
A single page terse statement issued by the defence ministry here
said that the government had terminated the services of Admiral
Vishnu Bhagwat because ``it had been noted for some time that
the officer has been taking series of actions in deliberate defiance
of the established system of Cabinet control over the defence forces.''
The statement, however, did not spell out any details of the defiance.
But, it pointed out that the decision had been taken ``consciously and
deliberately in the face of action which threatened the established
structure of democracy, traditional neutrality and objectivity of the
armed forces as well as national security.''
Admiral Bhagwat's dismissal comes in the wake of his refusal to comply
with an Appointment Committee of Cabinet's decision to appoint
Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh the deputy chief of naval taff. Admiral
Bhagwat had opposed Vice-Admiral Singh's appointment arguing that as
the Navy chief he was entitled to choose his principal staff officer in
accordance with the Navy Act.
The Calcutta High Court, however, had ordered the defence ministry to
intervene in the matter. Interestingly, Admiral Bhagwat had taken over
as chairman, chiefs of staff committee, only on Tuesday.
Mr Ajit Kumar has been transferred following serious differences between
him and the three service headquarters. Recently, the three services
chiefs had written a letter to the defence minister complaining against
him.
Acknowledging that the government was fully conscious of the gravity of
the decision to remove the naval chief, the statement said that they
were aware that it might give rise to uninformed speculations. ``It is
necessary therefore, to clarify that adequate, careful and serious
consideration was given to the matter at the highest level of
government... the government recognises that there is a need to insulate
the defence forces in this country; so as to preserve their identity
forged over many decades, but deliberate defiance of the government
cannot be accepted in any democratic society,'' the statement pointed
out.
It said that there were a number of cases where democratic countries
have had to exercise such a prerogativ e. ``There is a need to preserve
a balance between the interests of national security and the right of
the people of this country to be informed of the compulsions which have
led to the government to take such a decision,'' it added.
A defence analyst here questioned why the political leadership had let
such a sorry state of affairs to develop and allow it to drift so far.
Differences between the defence ministry bureaucracy and the services
is deep rooted in history. But, never has a service chief been
dismissed. Instead on two earlier occasions the defence secretary had
been transferred from the ministry, the analyst said.
PTI adds: The sacked Admiral left his office without the customary
ceremonies associated with such occasions, including the guard of
honour. A composed Admiral Bhagwat reacted tersely to his dismissal
telling reporters, ``I have stood by the constitution of the republic
which is secular and democratic. That is what every soldier stands for.
I have done my duty with honour.''
Later the Admiral, in a message to all Navy officers and sailors,
said, ``I am confident that each one of you will uphold the ideals
of our secular democratic republic and our sacred constitution no
matter what the price we pay.
`At this hour I expect every officer and sailor to do his duty...
Our service and country still have a great future,'' he said in his
message which ended with hum honge kamyab, we shall overcome.''
Immediately after the sack order was served on him, Admiral Bhagwat
accompanied by his wife, Nilofeur Bhagwat, met President K.R. Narayanan
at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Meanwhile, Ms Bhagwat, who is also a noted lawyer, condemned her
husband's dismissal and alleged, ``It was motivated by ``communal
politics, corruption and kissa kursi ka (power game). She however said
her husband had decided not to challenge the order in any court as ``the
country will react more seriously.''
``It was for (government's) survival and (because of) ressures from the
Akalis and the BJP itself. The decision was violative of the rule of law
as well as the Navy rules,''she told reporters at their official
residence.
Admiral Bhagwat ``paid a price and it is necessary that he paid it. The
country puts persons into highest offices not to serve men but the
institutions. It is time for others to stand up. His sacrifice will
instil spirit among the people.''
`The Prime Minister, the home minister and the defence minister are all
bound by the rule of law. None of them can arrogate to themselves a
royal prerogative of dismissing or appointing anybody,'' Ms Bhagwat
said.
Former Navy chief R.H. Tahliani reacted strongly to the dismissal saying
the government's ``totally unwarranted'' action would have serious
repercussions on the morale of the armed forces. ``It is terrible and
totally unwarranted,'' he said asserting that the issue should have been
sorted out through discussion.
Later in the day the new naval chief said the naval force
would have to ``ensure'' its service in the best interest of the
nation. Admiral Kumar told reporters shortly after
anouncement of his appointment that ``naval force has stood by long
standing tradition of serving the country and we will have to do our
duty.''