A recent order by defence minister Nirmala Sitaram, to open up cantonment road for general public has created an uproar. While the general public seems to be rejoicing the decision as this has genuinely lessened some of it’s pain in commute but the armed forces community seems to be disheartened and is still assessing the issues that can be because of this decision.

Irrespective of who is right, one thing for sure has happened and has happened for the first time and that is both communities seem to be against each other. Kudos to Nirmala Sitaraman on achieving this.

Some of the concerns which have been voiced are mainly arising out of safety and security of highly sensitive areas, which also falls under the preview of these cantonments.

Concerns related to the safety of families who generally stay alone, as men would be posted far from their homes for duty, serving the nation has also been raised.

But there is one moot point which somehow seems to be missing.

Why do you think that such a mechanism was created, why did we create a secluded society which has its own area marked with no access/restricted access to general public / civilians? Why do they have their own schools/colleges, shopping malls(Canteens), their own mess for wining and dining and their own temple/mosque/gurudwara (all clubbed in one)? Their own police, their own courts? And then also ensuring that no one settles in any specific location by enforcing frequent transfers.

Why was such a setup created, a very secluded, kind of a cocoon? A world of its own. A society of its own type?

Army’s ability to function as the most reliable agency for the State comes from this very secluded nature of the institution. Why do police fail in controlling riots? Well, one of the reasons says – because they start associating themselves with rioters and instead of controlling, they start participating with them. The rioter could be his next door neighbour, the stone palter could be neighbor’s son, and so on and so forth. And even if the policemen want to remain unbiased he still carries the risk, as he has to go back to those same people, the same society which won’t be easy as you were tough on them.

That’s where army comes in. It is these same men who are staying in those cantonment, secluded, untouched, unrelated and unbiased to the outside world who come and finally help control situations like strikes and riots……leave terrorism aside, I am not even going there! They could do this only because for them everyone is same, everyone is unknown and no relation with anyone whatsoever. No religion, no caste, a totally pure unbiased approach to the situation. They just follow what State desires.

The strength and character of the institution derives lot of power from this very protective and secluded setup that has been created for them. The institution has successfully remained apolitical and secular even in these times where so much of negativity is flying.

The similar restrictions are put even on social media, where these men have been asked asked officially not to be part of any social media. No mingling at all.

If we want at least one agency to be able to work without any biases and deliver when all odds are against you, then please don’t touch this very basic setup. Understand this, the restriction is not on civilians, although it may look like, but the truth is that all these restrictions are placed on these men and their families.

There was no intention to trouble civil population, in fact for this reason, the cantonments are setup out of the town, it’s just that these towns have overgrown themselves beyond the cantonment areas leading to some trouble to public.

If required, Army should agree to uproot and setup a base outside the town but not accept this dictum. This is detrimental to the fabric of the institution, mark my word.