Military should be kept out of politics for a vibrant democracy: Army chief Rawat

The Army chief says that in the “good old days”, the norm was that women and politics were never discussed in the forces.

Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat on Wednesday said there was a politicisation of the armed forces and the military “should be somehow” kept away from politics.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat presenting the President’s Standard to 87 Armoured regiment, 41 Armoured regiment and 10 Armoured regiment in Suratgarh Military Station on Tuesday. (PTI Photo)

It is essential that the military stays far away from politics for a vibrant democracy, he said.

“The military should be somehow kept out of politics. Of late, we have been seeing that politicisation of the military has been taking place. I think we operate in a very secular environment. We have a very vibrant democracy where the military should stay far away from the polity,” he said.

Rawat was speaking at an event organised by the United Service Institution.

In the “good old days”, the norm was that women and politics were never discussed in the forces, he said. However, these subjects were gradually “inching” their way into the discourse and this should be avoided, the army chief added.

“Whenever (any) issue (of) linking any military establishment or military personnel where political entity comes in then... that is best avoided,” he said.