As Army Tackles More Complaints From Jawans, Officers Post Counter Videos

New Delhi: A day after Army Chief General Bipin Rawat defended the force's 'grievances redressal' and 'Sahayak' or Buddy system, another video of a disgruntled jawan - adding to a recent string of complaints from soldiers - has appeared on social media. In a quick counter, officers have also posted videos saying such acts are a serious breakdown of discipline within the force.

"There are many people involved in walking the dogs of officers," says a jawan from the 408 Field Hospital in Batalik in Jammu and Kashmir, in the video.

He goes on to say, "In any base, all the vehicles of the army such as Gypsies are used by the families of officers to roam around, not jawans. Official cars are being given to people who go to beauty parlours. But if a jawan has an emergency or needs to urgently return home, a car is not provided to him."

A soldier, in a recent video on YouTube, had alleged that he was forced to "wash clothes, polish boots and walk dogs" for his seniors. This had invoked a reaction from the Army Chief, who explained and defended the 'Sahayak' or buddy system in the force.

"The officer has a buddy who is his sahayak. We call him a sahayak because he does odd jobs for him and he becomes his buddy. He takes care of the officer and vice versa. In peace stations, this buddy helps him with everything," General Bipin Rawat said at the Army Day press conference yesterday, his first after taking over as Army Chief, explaining, "He is the one who comes in the morning with your cup of tea and wakes you up, gets your dress ready and you go for PT. After you come back, he prepares your dress because there are only 45 minutes or so for an officer to get dressed and go for his first parade. So he helps you. He prepares your accoutrements and sometimes, it means polishing your brassware (brass symbols of rank worn on military uniforms), polishing your belt and polishing your boots."

Another soldier, Border Security Force constable Tej Bahadur Yadav, had posted Facebook videos alleging poor quality food and near starvation on the front-lines, while a constable of the paramilitary CRPF had posted a message to the PM on YouTube, alleging discrimination compared to the army and abysmal pay.

The Home Ministry maintains that claims have not been substantiated.

In counter videos, officers say that army faces an unprecedented crisis in discipline with jawans voicing their complaints through social media. "The Army doesn't operate through WhatsApp, Facebook or TV. Those misusing social media and trying to create a certain impression should face disciplinary action. Poor discipline affects the morale of the forces and this affects the ability of the Army to fight," says an officer in a video.  

In another message, a retired officer says. "Essentially what we are now doing is questioning and subverting what is the bedrock of great militaries and it's called the chain of command."

The Army Chief has urged soldiers to use the "suggestion-cum-grievance" box which he said would be put at the army headquarters and every camp.

"I assure (you) that every complaint will reach me directly and we will attend to it on priority.  If troops are still not happy, they can go ahead and use any other means," Genreral Rawat has said.