Thus writes an army officer to a friend:
"... And what a pity it is that, in all democratic countries, politicians are so
ignorant of and uninterested in the army. The army could teach them
much. Is it not at least worthy of deep thought as to why it is,
that the army has held the loyalty and affection of the man serving
in it to a far greater degree than any other Government service? And
held it moreover under conditions of danger and discomfort and
trial far exceeding those of any other service. You have a fine army
and it will be finer still when your best men come forth in large
numbers to officer it. Find the right officers and you need have no
fears about it. It will be second to none. But put in the wrong
officers or get it mixed up with politics and you will have a heavy
bill to pay. India is bound to have many troubled years ahead, but I
am convinced that the one thing which can pull you through them most
quickly and with the minimum bloodshed is your present army,
provided you find officers for it and keep politics and religious
differences out of it."
It is not a matter for pity if it is true that in all democratic
countries politicians are uninterested in the army. The pity of it
is that they are wrongly interested in it. The democracies regard
army men as their saviours. They bring wealth and subjugate other
countries and sustain authority in times of civil disturbance. What
is, therefore, to be wished is that democracy to be true, should
cease to rely upon the army for anything whatsoever.
What has the army done for India? It is for that army that the
writer pleads. I fear that in no sense has it served India’s
interests. It has kept millions of inoffensive and disarmed people
under subjection. It has impoverished them. It is an army of which
the sooner the British part is sent away and better employed, the
better for both India and England, and the world. The sooner the
Indian part is turned away from its destructive purpose and its
talent employed for constructive purposes, the better it will be for
democracy in India. It will be a poor democracy that depends for its
existence on military assistance. Military force interferes with the
free growth of the mind. It smothers the soul of man. Thanks to
years of foreign domination brought about by the "highly efficient"
army, India, in spite of the efforts of the Mission, might have to
pull through a long or short civil war which, I shall hope, will
bring to an end all infatuation for armed forces. They are a
brutalizing process after you have isolated discipline which should
be common for any social order. If Free India has to sustain the
present military expenditure, it will bring no relief to the
famishing millions.
Mussoorie,
30-5-'46
Harijan, 9-6-1946