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VISHALTHAPARNewDelhi|5thApr2014
ieldMarshalSamManekshaw'scareerwasalmost
writtenoffasamajorgeneralafterherebuffed
DefenceMinisterV.K.KrishnaMenon'sattemptto
ropehiminabidtoisolatethethenIndianArmy
Chief,GeneralK.S.Thimayya,withwhomthe
DefenceMinisteropenlyhaddifferences.

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AnewbiographyonManekshawbyhislong
servingmilitaryaide,Brigadier(Retd)Behram
PanthakiandhiswifeZenobia,bringsout
graphicallyhowManekshawrefusedtobedisloyal
tohischief,andstooduptoMenon,whothentried
tofixhimonfrivolousgrounds.
TitledFieldMarshalSamManekshaw,TheMan
andHisTimes,thebiographyalsodiscloseshowa
furiousSardarPatelhustledareluctantJawaharlal
NehruintosendingtheArmytoKashmirandsaved
KrishnaMenon
thevalleyfromPakistaniraidersin1947.Nehru,
accordingtothisversion,wantedtoconsultwiththeUNbeforesendingintroops,evenafterthe
MaharajaofKashmirhadsignedtheInstrumentofAccessiontoIndia.
Menon,widelyconsideredresponsibleforpushingIndiatoitsmilitarydefeatatthehandsofChina
in1962,hadsoughttoundermineGeneralThimayya,afterhecautionedtheNehrugovernment
againsttheMenonlineofmilitaryadventurismagainstChinawithoutadequatepreparation.
Thimayyaofferedtoresign,butwaspersuadedbyNehrutostayon.ButthisdidnotdeterMenon
fromattemptingtosubvertThimayya.TheManekshawbiographypaintsagrimpictureofthe
DefenceMinistertryingtocreatedivisionswithintheArmyintherunuptothe1962War,andeven
canvassingdirectlywithgeneralsagainsttheArmyChief.
Inafirst,detailedaccountofthesparringbetweenMenonandManekshaw,thenamajorgeneral
commanding26DivisionontheCeasefireLineintheJammuregion,thebiographerssuggestthat
MenonsoughttoprobeManekshawduringavisittohisformationbyseekinghisopiniononthe
thenArmyChief."MrMinister,Iamnotallowedtothinkabouthim.HeismyChief.Tomorrow,
youwillbeaskingmy(subordinate)brigadiersandcolonelswhattheythinkofme.It'sthesurest
waytoruinthedisciplineoftheArmy.Don'tdoitinfuture,"respondedManekshaw.
MenonflewintoarageandtoldManekshawto"abandonhisBritishwaysofthinking",anddeclared
that"IcangetridofThimayyaifIwantto!"Undeterred,Manekshawacknowledgedthatthe
DefenceMinistercouldindeedsacktheChief,butthatwouldstillnotshakehisresolvenotto
commentonthenextappointeeaswell.Manekshaw,whosecentenarywasobservedatalowkey
functionatDelhiCantonmenton3April,alsorefusedtocarryoutMenon'sorderstousesoldiersas
labourersforconstructingdeficitaccommodation.Heinsistedthatsoldiersunderhiscommand
wouldonlytraintofighttheenemyandnotbeusedascheaplabour.
AscornedMenonturnedhostiletoManekshaw,andteamedupwiththethenMajorGeneralB.M.
Kaul,tofixhimbycookingupevidencetobackupfrivolouscharges.Acourtofinquirywas
orderedagainstManekshawonallegationsofbeingan"unabashedAnglophile",tooWesternand,by
implication,antiIndian,ofrestoringandputtingupinhisofficeportraitsofRobertCliveand

Picture Essay

implication,antiIndian,ofrestoringandputtingupinhisofficeportraitsofRobertCliveand
WarrenHastings,andinsultingShivajibysaying(allegedly)thatthepaintingofShivajiridinga
stallionwasmisleadingbecauseShivajionlyrodetaattoos(ponies).
Inaforewordtothebiography,Manekshaw'scontemporary,
LtGeneralS.K.Sinharecountsthesordidattemptsbythe
MenonKaulduotocookupevidenceagainstManekshaw.
Sinhawasthen,briefly,attheDefenceServicesStaffCollege,
Wellington,whereManekshawwastheCommandant.A
colonelwassentbyKaulfromArmyHeadquarterstoget
instructorsattheStaffCollegetodeposeagainstManekshaw.
ThiscolonelwasstayingnotatanArmymessbut,strangely,
atahotelinCoonoor.Sinhatoowassummonedtothishotel.
"WhenIenteredthecolonel'sroom,IfoundtwoArmy
instructorsfromtheStaffCollegebriefingtheColoneland
insinuatingthatSamhadbeenindulgingin'antinational'
activities....TheColonelaskedmetogivesimilarevidencebutI

SamManekshaw

refusedsinceIwasnotwitnesstoanyantinationalactivityby
Sam.ThecolonelwasoutragedandthreatenedtocallGeneralKaul...Iwalkedoutofthehotel,"
recountsSinha.
ThechargesweredismissedbyacourtofinquirybytheWesternArmyCommander,LtGeneral
DauletSingh,butMenondidnotrelentinhisefforttogetManekshawdismissed.Hewrotealetter
ofseveredispleasureandhaditputonManekshaw'sservicerecord.Kaulcomesoutasaninept
GeneraljealousofManekshaw,whowasathreattohisaspirationtobecomeArmyChief.
Manekshaw'scareersurvivedthisviciousassaultafterbothKrishnaMenonandKaulmettheir
nemesisinthe1962War.
ThebiographyalsohasarevealingaccountofNehru'sindecisiononKashmir,evenasPakistani
raiderswerewithin7kmoftheSrinagarairporton26October1947,andSardarPatelprevailing
uponNehru.Manekshaw,thenaLtColonelintheDirectorateofMilitaryOperations,presentedan
assessmenttotheDefenceCommitteeoftheCabinetthatKashmirwouldbelostforgoodiftroops
werenotflownimmediately.
"Nehruhesitated(evenaftertheMaharajaofKashmiraccededtoIndia).Hewasconcernedabout
theworldopinionandtalkedaboutconsultingtheUNuntilanimpatientSardarwrestedtheinitiative
fromhim."Jawahar,doyouwantKashmirordoyouwanttogiveitaway?""Ofcourse,Iwant
Kashmir,"wasNehru'sindignantresponse.TheSardarturnedtoSamandsaid,"Youhaveyour
marchingorders".
"At11amfromDelhi'sSafdarjungairportwithsixIAFandfiftyDakotasrequisitionedafewdays
earlierfromprivateairlines.Atotalof800sortieswereflownforafortnight.By16Novemberthe
raidershadbeenrepulsedfromthevalleyandSrinagarandtheairportweresecuredalthough
engagementwithinfiltratorsintherestofKashmirandalongthebordercontinuedforanother14
months,"thebookstates.

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Jointhediscussion
alokasthana 21daysago

TheanimositybyIndianMODtowardsIndiansoldiers,fromthosedaystilltoday,isnot
newsitisawellknownfact.IseethemasabiggerenemythanChinaandPakputtogether.
InSam'scase,wemustalsorememberthattheservicechiefsthemselvesactedlikestooges
ofMODbynotattendingthefuneralofthisFieldMarshal,whatevertheirpersonalopinions
ofhimbe.WhowouldrespectsuchChiefs,whowerenotevendwarfsinfrontofhim.
7

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Rahul 21daysago

Justlikehowgermanyembarkedonadenazificationcampaigntodestroytheremnantsof
theNaziregimeIndianeedsadenehruficationtogetridofthethisrog
6

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Guest 22daysago

WasmostsurprisedclearlynotpleasantlyonarecentvisittoDelhitoseeastatueof
KrishnaMenonoutsideSenaBhavan.Thereissomethingmalignabouttheman,which
comesthrougheveninafrozenpieceofsculpture.Howanyonecouldhaveappointedhim
RakshaMantripassescomprehension.
4

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VaidyanathasamiBalasubramania Guest 21daysago

Thenextgovt.MustremovethestatuetoMuseum.NehruandthisMegalomaniac
unnecessarilyirritatedUSthoughreceivingaidunderPL480,thenrushingand
pleadingfortheirinterventionin1962Chinaconflict.ButbythetimeChinastopped
hostilitiesandwithdrew,havingmadeapoint
5

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VaidyanathasamiBalasubramania 21daysago

ThisUPAGovtisasineptasNehru,menon,Kaultrio.WeneedagogetterlikeSardarPatel
now.Nowthetruthisoutofthebag.Thistriobyfoolishforwardpolicyunnecessarily
provokedalreadyabelligerentMaoChina.Evenin1948orsoSardarwarnedofChinaonour
borders.Nehruignoredittoourperil.
3

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SushaalSungeet 3daysago

ChurchillsaidcrooksandscoundrelswouldcometopowerinIndiaaftertheBritishleave
India.Whenhesaidthat,Iguess,hehadNehruandhiscroniesinhismind.
AtthetimeofIndependenceSardarPatelwastheCongressPresidentandthereforehe
wouldhaveautomaticallybecomethePM.But,NehrublackmailedGandhitobecomePM
andsucceeded.AfterthathemadesurethatGandhiwouldnotcomeinhiswaybyusing
NathuramGadsetoeliminatehim.ThenheblameditonRSStwobirdsinoneshot.
NehruwasaHinduhaterwithasoftcornerforMuslimssincehisancestorswereall
Muslims.ButforSardarPatel,NehruwouldhavekeptIndiasplinteredanddivided.Hedid
notwanttointerveneinKashmirinspiteofMaharaja'saccessiontoIndia.Hedidnotwantto
interveneinHyderabadStateeither.WhenIndianarmywasmakingprogressinKashmir,
NehrurantoUNtopleadforUNinterventiontokeeptheKashmirissueunfinishedandto
makesureIndiableedsforeveroverit.
Hegivesafreehandtomissionariestoillegallyconvertinthenortheasttomakeitanother

Hegivesafreehandtomissionariestoillegallyconvertinthenortheasttomakeitanother
sourceofbleedingforIndia.NehruandhiscroniesmeddledwiththeveryprofessionalIndian
armyandtriedtodemoralizefromdayoneinIndependentIndia.
1

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MSubramaniam 6daysago

PrimeMinisterManmohanSingh,SoniaGandhi,RahulGandhihavealottoanswerfornot
beingpresentatFieldMarshallManekshaw'sunveilofstatueoncentenarycelebrationsof
India'sfirstsoldierwholivedforthecountry,serveditwellandkepthisdignityuptohislast
days.IndiaistheonlycountrywhereaDefenseMinisterwhobroughtdisgracebydefeatin
warwhohasastatueatDefenseMinistry,HeadquartersSenaBhavanandaroadnamed
afterhiminDelhi.MaybeitshouldbetreatedasaDailyreminderofournationalshameand
disgracesufferedoutofIndia,Chinawarof1962.ThenewGovernmentthattakesoverafter
16thMay2014shouldmakeamendsfortheinjusticerenderedtohim,(includingwithheldpay
duespaymentwhenonhissickbedandlastdaysinhospitalatWellington)byhonoringhim
withtheBHARATRATNAandanappropriatenationalannualawardinhisnamefor
whoeverhasdoneanoutstandingcontributiontotheefficiencyandfightingfitnessofthe
IndianArmedForcesasaLt.GeneralorMajorGeneralorequivalentrankinAirForceand
Navy.
RegardsProf."KARGIL"M.Subramaniam.
1

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maneckbhujwala 16daysago

WeneedmoreleaderslikeSardarPatelandFieldMarshalSamManekshaw.ThankGod,
theyprevailedagainstNehruandKrishnaMenon,orelseKashmirwouldhavegoneto
Pakistan.
LetushopethatNarendraModibecomesthenextPrimeMinisterandleadsthenationwith
honestyanddecisiveness.MaybehewillhonorthememoryofSamManekshawwhogave
IndiaitsgreatestmilitaryvictoryintheBangladeshwar,byawardinghimaposthumous
BharatRatna.CongressleadershaveshownshamefuldisrespecttoSamBahaduras
revengeforhishonestopinionsinmilitarymatters.
ManeckBhujwala
1

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DBose2 maneckbhujwala 4daysago

MaybehewillhonorthememoryofSamManekshawwhogaveIndiaitsgreatest
militaryvictoryintheBangladeshwar,

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drdprithipaul 21daysago

Thisisaremarkwhichwilldispleasealotofpeoplethereoughttobealawforbidding
Brahminsfromaccedingtothehighestpositionsofthecivilandmilitaryadministrations.Itis
averydismalcommentaryonthecareerofapacifistlikeNehruthathewouldhaveallowed
thearmytoproceedagainstChinain1962.ThisattackonChina,withdisastrous
consequences,happenedonthewatchof3BrahminsSarvapalliRadhakrishnn,Nehru,
KrishnaMenon.Brahminsdonotandcannotusepower('bala').Theyunderstandthe
meaningof'shakti',butnot'bala'.NeitherdidNarsinhRaoandhisfuzzyleadershipoverthe
Babriimbroglio.NordidaBrahminlikeNamboodripadasaCommunistleader.Even
Vajpayee,asaBrahmin,sawfittopromotemadrassastothedetrimentofIndiansociety.In
1947,especiallyafterthehorrorsofpartition,Indianeededsomeonecapableandendowed
withthewilltousepoweras'bala'.ButIndia'strystwithdestinygotNehruasitssponsor
unfortunately,despitehismanyvirtues.Brahminsshouldreturntodoingwhattheycoulddo
best:togiveexamplesofrenunciation(SoniaGandhineverwasarenouncer),nishkama
karma,restraint,andespeciallytoreteachthecountrytoreverethestatusofthevnaprastha.
ModernexamplesofthevnaprasthawereprovidedbyVinobaBhave,theMahatmahimself,
JaiPrakashNarayan.AfterretiringthePresidentoftheRepublicshouldshowwhatthe
v
naprasthashouldbeandmeanforthenation.
1

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vn drdprithipaul 20daysago

buddychanakyawassupposedtobeabrahmin...whyisthistendencytoseeevery
thingincasteisteyes...thisjustgoesontoshowthatallirrespectiveoftheircasteget

carriedawaybytheirsillyegos...
2

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DBose2 drdprithipaul 4daysago

ThenGandhi,aVaisha,shouldnothavecomeintopolitics.
SwamiVivekanandaandSriAurobindo,bothSundras,shouldnothaveentered
religion.
JagjivanRamshouldhaveonlycleanedthetoilets.
1

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PSabc drdprithipaul 17daysago

Yourremarkshowsthatyourareoffthemark.Brahminsaremadebyknowledge&
realization,notbybirth.JawaharLalNehruwasnotaBrahminbyanystretchof
imagination.
1

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DBose2 PSabc 4daysago

IfthegrandfatherofJawaharlalwasaKotwalofOldDelhi,hewasa
definiteMuslim,notaBrahmin
1

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DBose2 4daysago

M
c
andtheresultcouldbedefeat,ifIndianArmylistenedtoManekshaw,who
wantedtofightNiazi,hisChotaPegfriend,inaconventioalway Thisistheopinionlof
Lt.GenJacob.

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DBose2 4daysago

Therealculpritof1962wasMorarjiDesai,notMenonorNehru.Desairefusedtogiveany
moneyfortheDefenceMinistry.HewasagainstthepurchaseofMIGaircraftsfromthe
SovietUnion,whichcouldhavearrivedinMarch1962,butforMorarji.
Withoutproperequipmentsandairsupports,IndianArmywasaskedtofacetheChinese
Armyin1962.

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Man123 18daysago

Aguywhodoesn'tknowthedifferencebetweenguerrillaandgorilla.

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