Extraordinary situations call for extraordinary solutions, unshackle juniors’ initiative

The case of Major Leetul Gogoi has become a cause célebre in the Indian media.
Major Gogoi explaining his action to the media
Major Gogoi explaining his action to the media

The case of Major Leetul Gogoi has become a cause célebre in the Indian media. His action of using a stone-pelting Kashmiri as a human shield has stirred a great deal of controversy and debate. There has been a great deal of ill-informed comment and condemnation by some political parties, and he is either eulogised or demonised, depending upon the political orientation of the commentator. So was Maj Gogoi right or wrong? Let us examine this contentious issue objectively.

Forward Command from the Rear? I am looking at this debate from the perspective of soldier who spent many years in live counter-terrorist operations in Punjab and J&K. I have served for years in highly terror-infested districts of Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch in J&K. I fully understand the operational context and know it first-hand. One of the first lessons that I learnt in these operations was never shackle or constraint the initiative of your subordinate commanders.

They have split seconds in which to decide and act. Don’t complicate his OODA (Observe-Orient-Decide and Act) loop. His life and death and the safety of his men would hinge upon his decision. So give him your general intent and encourage him to further it. The worst kind of a senior commander is one who does Forward Command from the rear. Sitting in a safe air-conditioned HQ in Delhi or Udhampur or even Srinagar, you have no business trying to micro-manage distant battles from your Command post. If you wish to influence situations personally then land at the point of action where the bullets are flying and assume direct charge.

Otherwise let your Captains and Corporals lead the charge. They are excellent boys and if you train them well, they will do wonders. Encourage them to think on their feet and act decisively. Encourage them to think “out of the box”. Being repetitive on the battle field can prove fatal. Extraordinary situations call for extraordinary solutions. Your job as a senior Commander is not just to lay down Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) with the help of which you can court martial people but build a climate of trust between senior and subordinate.

Auftragstaktik? In the traditions of the German Army, these were called Arftragstaktik or mission type orders. The commander spells out his Broad Mission and general intent. He then trusts his subordinates to further that intent. He does not breathe down the neck of his Juniors. While serving as a Brigade Commander in Kishtwar, I had given my boys a simple dictum: “Be nice to the people, be nasty to the terrorists”. At that time we did not have the third category of the stone pelter and thrower of petrol bombs!

The Gogoi Case Study: On April 9, the officer was at his post with 53 RR. He received an SOS from 12 panic-stricken election officials and nine ITBP troopers and two policemen who were guarding an election booth in Budgam. They were surrounded by a 1,200-strong violent mob that was pelting stones and hurling petrol bombs. The officials were petrified that they would be lynched. Maj Gogoi set out immediately with his Quick Reaction Team. They reached the site and saw the blood thirsty mob. What precisely were his options?
• Turning tail and heading for home was unthinkable. There were lives to be saved.
• Opening effective fire to disperse the mob. It could have easily led to some 30-40 casualties among the civilians.

As per his interview, Maj Gogoi saw a ring leader inciting the mob. He and his men chased him and seized him. They tied him to the bonnet of the Jeep as a hostage, rescued the officials and then drove back safely through a number of villages to his post.

The human rights brigade was baying for his blood. He had violated the rights of the stone pelter (voter by their description). What about the human rights of the election officials, ITBP boys and policeman surrounded by a howling mob? Some Old Guard Army Officers felt he should have opened fire to disperse the crowd. As per SOP, he was to have fired “for effect”. So what if 30-40 civilians had been killed? In the event the officer thought on his feet and came out with a highly unorthodox solution. Was it legal to take a hostage? The AFSPA was in vogue and the officer was full within his rights to apprehend any suspect and take him to his post for interrogation.

Omar Abdullah joined the war of tweets that very day and the iconic photo of Farooq Ahmed Dar tied to the bonnet of an Army Jeep went viral on the internet. There was manufactured outrage in J&K. A number of retired Generals also joined in. Some of them questioned Gogoi’s action.

An operation is judged by its end results. Gogoi had saved the lives of some 23 officials and police personnel on duty. He had also avoided heavy collateral damage by not opening fire. In my view, his action was fully justified.

The Army Chief put an end to the raging controversy by pinning his Commendation Card on Gogoi’s chest. He sent a clear message to the rank and file: Perform your duty without hesitation. The Army Chief restored their morale and rebuilt their trust. Those who have no knowledge of matters military should simply shut up and let the Army do its Job.

Maj. Gen. (Retd) G D Bakshi

War veteran and strategic analyst

gagandeep.bakshi@yahoo.com

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com