That dynastic subversion of the Navy - The India Express
Satyindra Singh ()
January 30, 1998
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Title: That dynastic subversion of the Navy
Author: Satyindra Singh
Publication: The India Express
Date: January 30, 1998
When the emergency was clamped on the nation in June '75, most of
the instruments of the state had been debauched. Indira Gandhi
had pretty much killed the Congress party, which was one vehicle,
especially under her father, Nehru, of ensuring that a vast
country like India was ruled by consensus. She destroyed the
powers of the chief ministers and damaged the federal structure.
She had pressurised the judiciary and sapped its independence by
appointing mediocre judges and transferring to inconsequential
outposts those judges who dared to assert their independence. She
damaged the independence of the bureaucracy by calling for a
committed civil service. She even politicised the armed forces by
using it for civilian purposes by manipulating promotions. Then
the Sanjay mafia took over.
To sustain Indira Gandhi's regime after a plaint President had
signed the emergency proclamation, her admirers and courtiers,
led by Sanjay, brought crowds; and the roadcrossing in front of
her house at Safdarjung Road became the scene of round the clock
political melas. The crowds' requirements of transport and water
were met by pliant governments in Haryana and UP. Aid was also
sought from the army. Gen T. N. Raina was also from the 'clan'
and had become the Army Chief after superseding at least one
officer senior to him. He came under tremendous pressure, but it
goes to his soldierly credit that he did not succumb.
Sanjay Gandhi's meddling in military affairs in his capacity as
an extra-constitutional authority cannot be ignored. For, we need
to focus on such bizarre occurrences in the wake of Sonia
Gandhi's aggressive rhetoric of the achievements of the Dynasty
and why it should be voted back to bring glory to India.
It was January 1976 and the occasion was the fifth review of the
Naval Fleet at Bombay by the President and Supreme Commander
Fakhruddin All Ahmed. Bansi Lal was the Defence Minister and he
had ensured that Sanjay was positioned as a VVIP in INS Vikrant.
After the usual tea party held on the lawns of the Navy House, a
message was delivered from Bansi Lal and Sanjay who wished to
interview Vice Admirals Jal Cursetji and K L Kulkarni, the then C-
in-Cs of the Western and Eastern Naval Commands. The job for
which this weird selection board had assembled was to select the
next Chief of the Naval Staff to succeed Admiral S. N. Kohli.
A heated discussion took place at Navy House when Kulkarni
objected to this interview. Eventually both the 'candidates'
went. Next morning Kulkarni was livid when he and Jal Cursetji
were kept waiting for hours for the two VVIPs at the Shipping
Corporation of India Guest House. According to Kulkarni, Bansi
Lal told him that Sanjay wished to interview him. He was asked
for his views on submarines and all the queries directed to him
came from Sanjay himself. Jal Cursetji was eventually selected
and served a full tenure as Chief of Naval Staff.
The third candidate in the running, Vice Admiral Krishnan, the
seniormost with considerable operational experience and also a
Distinguished Service Cross awardee in World War II for
outstanding bravery had presumably been eliminated in the
preliminary round itself. The method of selection for this top
job in the defence services was known to Admiral Kohli and was
narrated to me a few days ago by the Western Fleet Commander,
with whom Kulkarni stayed. Even otherwise the story is too well
known to many old timers in the Navy and is indeed remembered
with guilt and shame.
But what is disturbing is the attempted subversion of one of the
ultimate instruments of the state by an extra-constitutional
authority in collusion with a serving defence minister. Here was
a patently illegal order to two senior naval officers, but both
thought that disobedience would have been at their personal
peril.
Sonia Gandhi has to remember that the dynasty has much to hide
and history does not change by turning the faces of portraits to
the wall. Sharad Pawar - the better-late-than-never Sonia
courtier - has described Sonia as a Sanjivini. Sycophancy has
devoured emperors. The Romans knew that.
(The writer is a former rear admiral)
Likely Type 209/1500, the deal for which was signed in Dec 1981. Sanjay Gandhi died on 23 June 1980.ramana wrote:Curious about the submarines question.
https://www.amazon.ca/25-Missile-Boat-S ... 8172344783shaun wrote:I am looking for these two books for almost years , can't find any ..
25 Missile Boat Squadron: An Untold Story by Vijay Jerath
The Indo-Pakistani War Of 1971: Volume 2 - Showdown in the West by Ravi Rikhye
Thanks but 1st one is not available and 2nd one I prebooked it 2 years back !!!Rakesh wrote:https://www.amazon.ca/25-Missile-Boat-S ... 8172344783shaun wrote:I am looking for these two books for almost years , can't find any ..
25 Missile Boat Squadron: An Untold Story by Vijay Jerath
The Indo-Pakistani War Of 1971: Volume 2 - Showdown in the West by Ravi Rikhye
https://www.amazon.ca/Indo-Pakistani-Wa ... C94&sr=1-1
First one is available (but you have to pay for shipping). Click on that link again, check out the right hand side of the screen and click on the See All Buying Options button.shaun wrote:Thanks but 1st one is not available and 2nd one I prebooked it 2 years back !!!
You waited for 2 years, just another few months more.Rakesh wrote:Satish The Submariner
https://www.indianpolitics.co.in/satish-the-submariner/
07 Dec 2022
The retirement of the Indian Navy’s Il-38SD May brings to an end an illustrious epoch spent operating Soviet-made submarine hunters.
There were 2 experimental sonars under development:
https://x.com/NewsIADN/status/1768892488595677553?s=20 ---> Aerial view of Indian Navy's now retired Tu-142 maritime plane, Sea Harrier and Kalvari Class submarine, at a beach in Visakhapatnam.Rakesh wrote: ↑04 Mar 2024 20:24 https://x.com/IN_HQENC/status/1763555920141791681?s=20 --->
* The iconic Indian Navy's Tu-142 aircraft has found a new home as a museum at Kakinada, Andhra Padesh. The museum was inaugurated by Smt Vanga Geetha Viswanath, Hon'ble MP of Kakinada, in the esteemed presence of Hon'ble MLAs and senior Naval Officers.
* Nestled on the beach, this museum marks the third of its kind, joining the ranks of #Vizag and #Kolkata.
* Commodore N Sudeep, Cmde (Aviation), ENC, took the gathering down memory lane, sharing the remarkable 30-year journey of the naval aircraft. Stationed initially at INS Hansa, Goa, and later at INS Rajali, Arakkonam, the aircraft played a pivotal role as a Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti-Submarine Warfare asset for the Indian Navy.
https://x.com/arunp2810/status/1770071348750188790?s=20 --> Last word on the late Admiral L Ramdas:Rakesh wrote: ↑15 Mar 2024 20:08 https://x.com/indiannavy/status/1768561 ... 76063?s=20 ---> With profound grief and a heavy heart, we regret to announce the sad demise of Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM (Retd), former Chief of the Naval Staff, age 90 years, on 15 March 2024 at Secundarabad. He was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Sep 1953 and retired on 30 Sept 1993.
During his illustrious career spanning over 40 years, the Admiral held several important appointments such as Commanding Officer of INS Beas during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, Controller Warship Production and Acquisition, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, FOC-in-C (South) and FOC-in-C (East), and rose to the helm as the 13th CNS of the Indian Navy on 01 Dec 1990.
and the first timeThe Second Time First
Interestingly, it is Desai’s second jackstay crossing that is more known and, as I shall show subsequently, was considered the first. This could, possibly, be because it has been more written about, including by the venerable late VAdm MP Awati in a navy inhouse publication ‘Quarterdeck’ and in the Western Fleet history “A Salute to the Sword Arm” (Thomson Press, 2007). So let me mention that first and quote the inimitable Awati who was the Fleet Commander of the Western Fleet when this happened.
In Awati’s words “Shri Morarji Desai, Prime Minister, boarded INS Shakti by helicopter, off Cochin one fine morning in February 1979. Captain SK (Gigi) Gupta, was in command. I had, earlier, transferred my flag to Shakti. Everyone aboard was impressed by the physical fitness and agility of the PM, no mean feat at 83. He was immaculately turned out in white khaddar kurta pyjama topped by a dark Nehru jacket with the inevitable white Gandhi cap on his head. He held himself erect, and spoke Hindi and flawless English with equal facility in a measured tone, as if he had chosen every word with great care. Quite a man, I thought. He walked around the ship, visited the engine room, spoke to as many officers and sailors he could, impressed them with his knowledge of the role of the ship and of the navy. This obviously was no ordinary Prime Minister.”
Awati continues, “In the afternoon, the PM readily accepted my offer for transfer by jackstay to the escorting ship, ignoring the restraint counselled by his personal escort from Delhi. ‘Admiral, he said to me’ these spoil sports around me, are always looking for an opportunity to restrain me from participating fully in my visits. I know fully well that you would not have asked me to, if you had the least doubt about my safety’. He winked at his escort. Aplomb, I thought to myself, a seasoned politician and a leader!”
The description by Awati continues: “The crew on both ships was charged-up to see a spirited octogenarian PM ready for the evolution. He was tickled when a heavy bag of cement was heaved across the jackstay as a pilot, preceding his journey across. The moment came the Prime Minister of India was ceremoniously transferred by jackstay to the escorting frigate INS Dunagiri, as he was piped over the side by Shakti, and received by Dunagiri. He was returned to Shakti by the same route, expressed praise for the manner in which the evolution was conducted.”
Adding his own impressions, Awati writes, “I was personally very sure he would enjoy the experience, the view below him as his Bosun's chair was pulled over the ‘oggin’ (naval term for sea) from one ship to the other. It was a happy occasion, an evolution conducted with seamanlike precision. Nevertheless, there was that nagging anxiety until the old gentleman was safely delivered back to the flagship by the replenishment teams of the two ships. A loud cheer went up spontaneously as the PM waved back to the escort on his return to Shakti. Not every Fleet Commander has the opportunity to send his Prime Minister across the waters from ship to ship on a jackstay, I thought to myself.”
">All along, naval history enthusiasts had heard of the above-mentioned episode of INS Shakti and marvelled about Morarji Desai’s fitness and derring-do. In fact, we were so certain of this being the only instance of a Prime Minister crossing by jackstay that we included this in the afore-mentioned Western Fleet history book that was edited by this author. But, a couple of years ago, while researching on some other topic, I was flummoxed to find out that Desai, as PM, had crossed by jackstay even earlier.
Going through certain papers of Adm Jal Cursetji, the Chief of Naval Staff from 1976 to 1979, I found him mentioning a visit by Morarji Desai to Mumbai. Cursetji says “The Navy was host to Sri Morarji Desai, Prime Minister of India on 30 October 1977 who was embarked onboard Dunagiri. The ‘Day at Sea’ was very well attended. The distinguished VVIPs included 6 Governors, 4 Cabinet Ministers, 2 Ministers of State, 2 Chief Ministers, 19 Members of Parliament in addition to the Air Chief and other VIPs. 12 ships and 4 Air Squadrons participated in the exercises to show the guests how their Navy works. To the numerous exercises that had been planned, the Navy had to add at short notice — the Prime Minister's desire to be transferred by jackstay to and from Vikrant — much to the anxiety of the Chief of Naval Staff — lest the chair to be used should give way!”
This was news indeed. Apart from the jackstay, such a huge contingent of distinguished visitors embarking should have been mentioned somewhere in naval archives. It struck me then that this visit had made a big splash in the media at that time because as a seventh standard kid in school, I remembered reading about this in the newspapers in small town Bijapur (North Karnataka). But, now, my initial research led to dead ends.
The Navy’s official history for the period 1975 to 1990, ‘Transition to Eminence’ doesn’t mention this visit. Incidentally, it doesn’t mention the other visit of 1979 too. While I had no reason to doubt what Cursetji had said, I still needed some more sources to authenticate and be sure. Cursetji and the then CO of Vikrant (Capt, later Admiral, RH Tahiliani) are no longer with us. Dunagiri and Vikrant are decommissioned. After poring over material, I was lucky in my research when I found that Vikrant’s decommissioning diary had an entry on the visit of PM Morarji Desai on October 30, 1977. This was very good progress but it didn’t specifically mention jackstay.
However, Dunagiri which was a brand-new ship in October 1977, having been commissioned just a few months before, could offer more clues. Especially the officers who served there. And that is when I hit pay dirt. Cdr Arun Saigal (Retd), a veteran with an amazing memory, revealed that he was very much on board the Dunagiri at that time as the Signal Communications Officer (SCO). He had written a small account of that.
In his words, “Morarji Desai had assumed office as Prime Minister of India in early 1977. The Navy invited him to spend a Day at Sea. After much deliberation it was decided that Dunagiri, being the latest ship to join the Fleet would be the ship to host the Prime Minister and other VIPs during a sea sortie where the Western Fleet would show off its prowess. It was a great honour and we began to plan in earnest.”
He continues, “Dunagiri was flying the flag of CNS and as SCO I had the additional responsibility of conveying CNS messages to the Fleet Commander so I used to occasionally run to the Helicopter Deck where the VIPs were seated to convey information or receive instructions. At one stage the commencement of the Replenishment-at-Sea (RAS) demonstration serial had to be delayed a bit because the Prime Minister, despite his age had decided to visit the Engine Room to see for himself. As he came up the Fox’le hatch he saw the preparations for the Jackstay and decided to stay there. The Captain (Capt, later VAdm, Sukhmal Jain) told me to rush down and see what was happening and to help escort the PM back to the VIP viewing area on the Helicopter Deck.”
This is where the fun begins. In Saigal’s words, they are even more dramatic. “After seeing the first transfer of a sailor by jackstay from Dunagiri to Nilgiri, Prime Minister Morarji Desai expressed a desire to go across himself. The Executive Officer was not willing to permit it. He requested the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Moolgavkar to convince the Prime Minister that it was too dangerous to do so. I heard the latter part of the conversation which went like this: ‘Bahut strong grip chahiye hoga’ (a very strong grip would be required to hold on to the upper part of the jackstay stirrup attached to the traveller). Mr Morarji Desai turned towards the Air Chief with a stern look and stretched out his hand: ‘Aaa Panja Lada Ley’ meaning that he was ready to wrestle with him to show the strength of his grip. There was nothing more to be said! However, the Chief Boatswain’s Mate had foreseen some odd eventuality like this and had secreted a modified Godrej steel chair inside the gun turret. It had four steel slings to enable it to be hooked on and slung from the Traveller Block to enable a person to be transferred seated during jackstay. It was quickly brought out and the PM strapped on to it and he went across from Dunagiri to Nilgiri by jackstay with the ships steaming at about 14 knots (a little more than 25 kmph) about 75 ft apart. Our hearts were in our mouth until he safely reached across. He had made history. The date was 30 Oct 1977.”
