Gustakhi Maaf Haryana: Pawan Kumar Bansal

Gustakhi Maaf Haryana-Pawan Kumar Bansal.

By our enlightened reader
Ramesh Gupta Narwana.गणतंत्र दिवस की नौटंकी
The Republic Day Parade 2025 is done and dusted. I have been wondering what were that Parade Commander and his Deputy for. Another contingent was marching ahead of him and at the head of the Parade doing Aavahan with musical instruments. Initially I mistook them as artists from Indonesia and as a mark of respect to their President who was the Chief Guest at the Parade having been put at the head of the Parade. As they drew closer I realized that they were our Country cousins only as I could see dhol, manjira and jingling cymbals in their hands. Haven’t understood why were they at the head of the Parade though there is nothing to write home about any spec of splendour in their performance. Young boys and girls from any school in Delhi could have given a better performance. Wonder whose control they were under marching even ahead of the Parade Commander?

Over the years the event has become less of a Parade and more of a jamboree. It was meant to showcase our military prowess with culture entering down the way. Culture, creativity and ingenuity & brainwave of mandarins of MoD has over taken the Military part over the years and the event having taken a different meaning and message altogether. A similar death knell has been sounded for Beating the Retreat Ceremony that follows this Parade and which purely and exclusively was a military Ceremony.

I always have my sympathies with the Parade Commander. There is nothing under his command and least of all his control. Hithertofore he had no control over the skies, this time even the Forces of dholl manjira were out of his command and control. Between the time he drove past the podium and the tail of Parade winding, he may well go home and watch the remainder Parade on TV sipping his coffee.

I will end with oft repeated lament of excluding the Veterans from this Parade. Why can’t we muster a column of Veterans marching past the Rajpath nay Kartavya Path. They are an integeral part of any military parade held anywhere other than India.The three veterans in military uniforms today were there because they were the awardees of PVC and AC. Alas the Country could not find space for the common veterans- the unsung and lesser mortals! And where were the surviving veterans of INA in today’s parade. A lone, WW I surviving veteran trudging in a similar parade of his Country was the most spectacular sight of that Parade sometime back.

This article is author’s own opinion, Khabre Junction does not support it.