‘Nagarika Seva Chetana’ award conferred

Mysore/Mysuru: Maintaining that our post independence rulers failed to build a strong Army, Rangayana Mysuru Director Addanda C. Cariappa alleged that Jawaharlal Nehru, who became the first Prime Minister of the country, obscured the legacy of Subhash Chandra Bose, who in fact should have been the Prime Minister of the county post independence.

He was speaking at a programme organised at Aradhya Mahasabha Bhavan on JLB Road in Chamunidpuram here on Sunday in memory of Swami Vivekananda, Subhash Chandra Bose and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and for the installation of new office-bearers of Bharathiya Samskruthika Vikasa Vedike and Bhoomika Bhavaikya Balaga. The event was jointly organised by Bharathiya Samskruthika Vikasa Vedike, Sri Talacauvery Mahila Shikshana Trust, Mysuru, Akhila Karnataka Sri Shivasharana Madara Channaiah Vichara Vedike, Lions Club of Bengalore Sandalwood Celebrities, Bhoomika Bhavaikya Balaga and Department of Youth Empowerment and                                    Sports (DYES).

Contending that Nehru and Gandhi had no serious thoughts about having a strong Army, Addanda Cariappa opined that Jawaharlal Nehru’s tactical moves  thwarted  the prospects of Subash Chandra Bose becoming the first PM of independent India. 

Alleging that while Nehru ignored our Army under the shadow of industrial development, Gandhi favoured non-violence, Addanda Cariappa said that such an indifferent attitude towards our Army then, gave a chance for our hostile neighbours to have a lighter look at our country.

Recalling that Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa was forced to split the Army at the time of partition, he noted that Cariappa did the job under deep pain. 

The Rangayana Director recalled an instance when Nehru refused to make Field marshal Cariappa the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces in 1949, saying that the Britisher who held the post continue for some more time. Cariappa in a sharp reaction to Nehru, sarcastically said that the Britisher can continue in the post.

Pointing out that Field Marshal Cariappa never liked the interference of politicians in the Indian Armed Forces, he said that the Field Marshal firmly believed that the Army was not meant for safeguarding our borders alone, but also to serve the country during natural disasters and other crises. Highlighting the neglect of the Army in the post-independence years, Addanda Cariappa said that, however, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and now Narendra Modi have worked greatly for making our Armed Forces one of the strongest in the world.

Retired Army Officers Nayak  Ajjamada Thimmaya (MRC) and Nayak Subedar H.S. Shivakumar (26 Maratha Regiment), Maharaja Government Sanskrit College faculty Prof. Shivarudraiah, Environmentalist Dr. G.K. Ajaikumar Jain, Assistant Professor Dr. K.S. Jayakumar, noted Gynaecologist Dr. Appanervanda A. Sonia Mandappa and Janapara Trust President Dr. Rathnamma were conferred ‘Nagarika Seva Chetana’ award on the occasion.

Maate Basavanjali Devi of Sri Basava Jnana Mandira, Swami Shantivratanandaji of Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama-Mysuru, Dr. S.E. Mahadevappa, Bharathiya Samskruthika Vikasa Vedike State President Harshavardhan Tagadur, District President M.N. Prakash and City President S. Krishna and others were present.