whiplash

The coup that never took place. The coup that got lost in the fog. The
waters have been muddied to such an extent between the Army and the
Executive that a story of this magnitude was bound to pop out of the
cupboard. And it did because this rumour was doing the rounds for
close to a fortnight. A well known website ran a story as far back as
March 13 saying that India’s top para outfit 50 Paras based in Agra
ran two major exercises – one scenario was akin to the Maldives coup
and the other of the recent attempt at a Mutiny in Bangladesh. The 50
Para brigade lost its way in the fog en route to Delhi. A three hour
run between Agra and Hindon where they were to lift off in C 130s took
an estimated four and a half hours.

This has now reverberated across the length and breadth of the
country as an attempt to seize the palace. An unwanted colour and hue
has been given to these Army exercises. These manoeuvres are now being
seen as an attempted coup, given the breakdown in civil-military
dialogue due to the General’s obstinate ways. So, what is the real
story behind the attempt at a bloodless coup? It is unprecedented that
for the first time in independent India a whiff of a coup has been
felt and heard. In the continuing saga of smoke and mirrors, a brand
new dimension has been added. A sinister new dimension at that.

The C word has never cropped up in this country. The dreaded C word
may be omnipresent around the sub continent, but its shadow has
hitherto never been seen here. Media’s job is to report and tell the
truth. A leading daily may have unintentionally extrapolated on the
rediff report and sensationalized the story. Or it may have got it
right because as they tell us the event is dated January 16 this year?
But to run a story of this magnitude may well be a disservice to media
and to national interest. An alert media may have miscalculated
because now it is not just the Army chief, but the Armed Forces which
will be viewed with suspicion. Something that is unthinkable in this
country for our proud and vigilant servicemen have defended our
frontiers with selfless gallantry. A travesty?