The government has announced a three-day mega event spread across the country to celebrate the second anniversary of the surgical strikes launched by the army’s special forces in September 2016. The show-piece event in Delhi will include an exhibition on the lawns of India Gate with a video and selfie wall. It would be inaugurated by the defence minister. The PM would also address the Combined Commanders Conference in Jodhpur on 28 September.

Officially the government seeks to remind its neighbour of the response of the nation to Pakistan’s misadventure in Uri and convey the message that it would again react, possibly more violently, in case Pakistan does not desist. The timing is important as the nation is slowly moving into election mode and a strike now could have political implications for the current government.

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It is also aimed at displaying the conduct of the strike as a major achievement of its tenure. To ensure that it gains maximum mileage, similar events are simultaneously being conducted at multiple locations across the country. The UGC has instructed all universities to celebrate the event in a befitting manner. The BJP wants to move stages ahead of the opposition by proving that it was the only government in history to respond to a Pakistan strike thus offsetting the Rafale controversy.

Taking political mileage from the strike is justified as after all it would have had to face criticism and insult had the strike not succeeded the way it did. However, for multiple reasons this decision of the government could also lead to negative publicity and possibly damage its reputation.

Pakistan’s support to terrorism continues unabated. While major strikes have diminished, however militant attacks could offset the conduct of local polls, impacting the government. In the days preceding the anniversary of the strikes, we have seen the beheading of a BSF jawan and an increase in abduction and killing of innocent police personnel in the valley. Demands for the government to respond have been on the rise. The only action taken has been to turn down the offer of talks by Pakistan.

Within the serving and veteran military community, anger against the present national leadership for its inaction at correctly handling issues concerning the soldier, whom it seeks to glorify in this extravaganza, has been growing by the day. Social media is abuzz with government apathy and inaction at genuine concerns of the soldier.

While the defence ministry may show clips of the strike, would it also dare to show those events where it employed the army solely for political gains outside its jurisdiction?

I wonder if the government would show soldiers with brooms and bags picking up tourist muck in remote areas ordered by the defence minister, something which the local administration should have done but refused to do.

Would it also inform the public that it forced the army to use its limited training and war stores to construct foot overbridges in Mumbai, thus curtailing its availability of essential equipment for training purposes? Would it also project photographs of soldiers laying mats for International Yoga day, simply because the Delhi administration had failed?

Would it also show clips of locals demanding opening of even internal roads in cantonments, post the announcement by the defence minister? Would it also share with the nation the information that it takes years to procure even the simplest military equipment solely because of delay mechanisms set forth in its own instructions, forcing the forces to be years behind in their capability. It would not do so, as it would only enhance adverse publicity which it already faces.

There are also other reasons for the growing anger. Soldiers who suffered disabilities while in service and have been granted reprieve by the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) are being compelled to battle their cases in the apex court. Accepting the grant of the AFT would have been more cost-effective than hiring dozens of lawyers to challenge a rightful judgement.

Its refusal to stand alongside the soldier who operated in tough conditions in curtailing insurgency in the North East and is now being hauled over the coals by the apex court has enhanced frustration. In case they are indicted by the court, would the ministry put forth the options it is considering or leave them to their fate? The fact that Major Aditya’s father had to approach the court in his personal capacity to set aside the FIR lodged by the state government on sanction of the defence minister, remains fresh in the minds of the national public. The government needs to answer these, rather than showcase what the nation already knows.

The government may attempt gimmicks to gain political mileage on the success of the army, but it would be very short lived. Disenchantment on its handling issues concerning the soldier are only growing by the day. The impression being conveyed by this extravaganza is that the government is ready to exploit the success and achievement of the soldier for political games, while at the same time it is willing to dump him once its political aim has been met.

Ideally, the PM should have chosen this day to congratulate the armed forces for the strike as part of his address to the combined commanders conference, thus conveying the message to Pak, while simultaneously announcing measures and decisions to mitigate the growing anger at its apathy towards the soldier. The ruling party desperately needs to regain goodwill of the military and veterans which it has lost because of its callousness against the soldier.

The government should remember that army valour, ethos, sacrifice and respect from all walks of life of the nation is well established. The army would outlive political parties, governments and leaders as it is an institution of perpetuity and its task of ensuring national unity and security remains unchanged, despite any political party being at the helm. All that is desired is the government of the day announce measures to remove irritants which hurt its stature and impact its soldiers.

The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army.