In Narendra Modi’s cabinet, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh enjoys the optics of seniority, but not necessarily the authority that should come with it
In Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is de jure numero uno. He sits next to him at meetings and in Parliament and like most another minister, regularly invokes Modi’s greatness and vision. The optics of seniority are excellent. So is his pedigree. He is a Thakur, dyed-in-the-wool Sanghi and twice President of BJP. His political graph starts as Education Minister to UP, CM Kalyan Singh. As Education Minister in 1992, his signal achievement was ending a regional malaise – copying in exams, sometimes with a knife dug into the desk.
Like infiltrators across LoC, invigilators feared to cross the red line. He had an ordinance passed making copying a non-bailable offence – the onus of proving oneself innocent was on the accused. Fourteen and 15-year-olds were sent to jail on charges of copying. The pass percentage in the UP high school board examination for Class X in 1991 was 58.03. In 1992, after the anti-copying law was put in place, it slipped to 14.7. He lost the 1993 assembly elections.
A great believer in astrology Singh was ambitious and usually took his cue from RSS leadership. He rose to become chief minister of UP, the second Thakur to do so. As president of BJP, he was asked to inform seven times MP, former Finance, Defence and Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh that he was no longer a member of the BJP (expelled). Jaswant had written the offending book - Jinnah -India Partition and Independence.
Following a stint as Home Minister, he became defence minister after Modi had shuffled around Arun Jaitley, Nirmala Sitharaman and Manohar Parrikar as defence minister. Last month at the Republic Day NCC rally he revealed he was in NCC and a physics teacher. His fondness for Dabang – strength and power – is well known but his association with the redoubtable Raja Bhaiyya of Kunda, famous for rearing crocodiles in his pond – is less known.
In the Westminster Parliamentary system cabinet ministers are selected by the PM and have to be elected either directly or indirectly. But they are not grilled for confirmation as ministers by select committees as in the US presidential system.
Otherwise, few would clear the viva, especially for the Defence Minister. Last week former Fox News commentator, Pete Hegseth former Army National Guard who was President Trump’s most endangered cabinet choice went through hell before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation. Poor Pete! he was facing multiple allegations of abuse including sex and alcohol.
He pledged to never drink alcohol if confirmed. Professionally he was well prepared, answering accurate questions on military equipment like the size of a 9mm bullet and the number of rounds in a carbine magazine. He told his examiners he would restore ‘warrior ethos’ in the armed services. Americans have much to worry about as the Chinese are catching up in technology, military and economic prowess. Singh has no similar worries. India has abandoned any catch-up with China, its main enemy. It hopes to make up the deterrent and capability gap through diplomacy as was evident from the meagre defence allocations (1.9 per cent of GDP) in last week’s budget.
After inflation and foreign exchange fluctuations, modernisation funds have decreased. In a tweet, Singh described the budget as ‘wonderful’ and congratulated Sitharaman for fulfilling the resolve of PM Modi for Viksit Bharat. No defence minister, service chief or CDS has ever put his job on the line, asking for additional funds. Recently a French CDS did so. He had to resign when the Euro 1bn extra that he demanded was not provided. Later, President Macron reinstated him along with Euro 1bn.
For the last few years, Sitharaman has ceased mentioning defence allocation in budget presentations. The armed forces are expected to employ force multipliers like invoking Chanakya, imbibing ancient military craft and becoming contemporary through the fusion of past, present and future, as reflected by the new painting on this theme that replaced the once-in-1000-year surrender ceremony painting in the Army Chief’s annexe. For all his virtues – injecting Hindutva in a hitherto secular armed force, venerating weapons with religious symbols and motivating triservice warriors by pledging mooh tod jawab, Singh has ceded his area of responsibility to PMO and NSA. Former Defence Minister AK Antony in contrast was the Rock of Gibraltar, never letting the NSA or even the PM bypass him.
So little reform got done. Singh is an affable team player guided occasionally by a Defence Advisor, a retired Lt General. Recently at a function of the Directorate of Civilian Personnel of Naval Head Quarters, he eulogised the ‘civilian in armed forces’: “you are civilian before you join service; in some ways, you’re civilian even while you serve; and civilian even after you have retired. Your families are also civilians”. No mention of veterans! I envy Singh for his immaculately starched white kurta and flowing dhoti which reminds me of my era of razor-sharp starched olive greens.
Last month, Singh went to Madhya Pradesh accompanied by Army Chief Gen Dwivedi. At Ujjain they prayed at the Maha Kaal temple, Dwivedi kitted like Singh. Later Singh visited military institutions in Mhow. At the Army War College, he began reading his speech: “COAS, Gen Umeshji Dwivedi; Commandant Armed ….pause….kaun sa hai…?” someone prompted “War”. Pause…someone repeated “War”. “Yeah. War College, Lt Gen JS Shahi…” Singh might infuse warrior ethos in the armed forces but as an aspiring politician, will remain the bridesmaid, never the bride.
(The writer, a retired Major General, was Commander, IPKF South, Sri Lanka, and founder member of the Defence Planning Staff, currently the Integrated Defence Staff. The views are personal)
