The Army’s New Complaint Policy: Is It the Right Step?

Can the decision to open a helpline number for ‘disgruntled’ soldiers actually help them or pose a security threat?

Helpline Number May Not Be a Good Idea

• The helpline will bypass armed forces’ chain of command system.
  
• It may clash with army’s own redressal mechanism.
  
• It may open doors to false reporting.
  
• Helpline may be misused to settle scores and malign senior officers.
  
• It may be a threat to the security of army personnel.
  
• Enemy agents/intelligence agencies may misuse data.
  

After the release of a video in public domain by a jawan who highlighted how many of them are pushed into non-soldierly duties, a series of actions have been taken, most likely under the directions of the Ministry of Defence.

Army’s Own Redressal Mechanism

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Rawat, in a press conference, defended the existing ‘buddy’ system. In his Army Day address, he stated that approaching social media with grievances was a criminal offence as the army already has its own redressal mechanism. He also promised to open a direct link with his office for all ranks who possess any grievances with the service or their superiors.

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Fulfilling this promise, the army last week released a mobile number on which any soldier, serving in any part of the country can send in his grievances or suggestions. The mobile on which complaints would be received, is to be in the possession of an officer, with direct link to the COAS, thus conveying the details about complaint, investigation or action taken directly to him. While this announcement has fulfilled the given promise, the question arises on whether this is a step in the right direction.

Opening Doors to False Reporting?

The army has a chain of command.

In the present system, any individual, irrespective of rank, unhappy with the response received on a complaint from his/her immediate superior, has the right to seek an appointment with his/her next superior and so on. This is in addition to the alternative of submitting a written complaint, which could be signed or anonymous.

This chain of command is essential, since at every level, the complainant and his/her superior are both heard and the decision taken is conveyed to both of them. In most cases, the decision favours the junior individual, especially if he is a soldier. However, the new system opens an avenue of projecting a one-sided complaint, which can be detrimental to the organization, as it bypasses the chain of command.

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In the existing system, a complainant needs to be certain, before levelling any charges against a superior. The investigation is swift, and action even faster, if the complaint is even remotely genuine. Levelling of false charges is an equally serious crime. However, under the new system, any individual can levy a complaint, right or wrong, directly to Delhi, where authorities may be unaware of local ground realities.

One disgruntled individual can continue sending reports, false or imagined, only to damage his superior’s reputation or against whom he bears a grudge. It may not always be easy to identify the complainant by mobile number or name; hence the system could open the doors to false reporting.

‘Misuse’ of the Number

The numbers are in public domain, open to everyone, including enemy agents and provocateurs who can flood the system with false reports or propaganda.

In many cases, complaints would originate from family members, whom a disgruntled soldier may rope in. Such actions would most likely occur when an individual is summarily punished for wrong doings. When the system gets flooded, which is most likely the case, genuine complaints, if any, are overlooked and ignored. Hence, the system, in due course is bound to lose the impact, for which it was created. Since the number is open to monitoring, enemy intelligence agencies could asses the nature of complaints.

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It would also enable them to obtain numbers of complainants, who could then be lured for anti-national activities. Further, it would provide them with a database of mobile numbers of serving soldiers, which they could monitor for espionage activities.

A Decision in Haste?

It does have an upside too. Individuals, who have genuine complaints or are under psychological pressure for any reason, have an avenue to seek redressal or relief. While such individuals may be few and far, yet it serves an ideal platform for them. Logically, the system should have been implemented at levels well below army headquarters at initial stages. This would confirm its effectiveness, following which, it could then be brought to its present levels.

The decision of putting a helpline number in place seems to have been taken in haste to avoid media bashing and public anger. It has been done without detailed analysis of its implications and repercussions. Time would dictate if the new system remains or vanishes into the wilderness. It is likely to prevent army personnel from employing social media as a platform for airing grievances and to that extent it may achieve its aim.

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(The author is a retired army officer based in Lucknow. He can be reached @kakar_harsha. This is a personal blog and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)