BE A ROLE MODEL NOT A ROGUE MODEL

I was deployed in Jammu and Kashmir and given the task to search and flush suspected Pakistani armed intruders, if any; from the villages located on the base of the Pir Panjal Ranges in J&K. The task required my moving outside the safe confines of the well fortified defensive positions and camp into the open mountain plains and jungles of J&K. The atmosphere fortunately during those days was still friendly and serene, and therefore moving outside of our safe defenses and to camp in open was not difficult .My camp was established near the road head, and I got on to my task straightaway. It was not an easy assignment, every house of villages in the near vicinity was required to be thoroughly searched for militants, weapons, explosives or any war like material; meaning entering their privacy. Therefore, there was all the danger of creating disturbance to their woman folks with full scope of antagonism towards our action. It was one evening, a total surprise awaited me, a group of approximately fifty women, children and men, after being off loaded from the bus, straightaway came to my camp. Fearing the worse, apprehensive of trouble, presuming, that my combat troops, during the house searches; inadvertently, must have got into some kind of problem with this crowd and therefore this force approach to my camp by the villagers.
"Janab"! "We are late now to reach our village, and it is unsafe for our woman folks to travel along with us, at this time of the day, can we therefore leave our women folks, children and these two old men in safety of your camp tonight, before rest of us proceed to our village without worry". "Kindly do not refuse Saab, because we know you are a very good man and a thorough gentleman; during your daily search operations, your soldier have been found, to be highly disciplined, respectful and never seen or found to touch, harass and intrude or disturb the privacy of the women folks nor did they ever disrespect the old. It has never happened earlier. You are our role model Saab", he said! Expressing, that in his style.
The Sri Lanka military combat operations were very difficult, even for the most hardened and seasoned combat soldiers. The Indian Army was operating in an alien land, for a cause which the normal citizens of India were not aligning with and the right decision of the Indian Government was being questioned. In spite of all these odds, the Indian Army’s Infantry combat soldier was making the supreme sacrifice, unabated. I was a very important member of this team, we fought bravely regardless of safety to our life, being the combat soldiers of the elite Indian Army. In my pursuit for victory, I must have inadvertently; though I was always careful, must have caused pain to many en route. LTTE was ruthless, it warned and gave threat to many Indian Army officers;they were meticulous, cunning, cleaver and therefore always executed their threats smoothly and successfully. It was on one such occasion, the LTTE ambush party in a crowded market place, threw a grenade inside my jeep. The grenade did not explode, fortunately; we manage to catch the LTTE cadre. On checking it was found that the grenade was without its fuse. Why,we wondered? On interrogation, the cadre revealed, that in spite of LTTE dictate, the cadre which comes from the general population did not want to kill me, he further disclosed, that in view of that he had removed the fuse from the grenade. He also confessed that they respected Maj Rakesh Dubey,Vir Chakra as the perfect Combat Soldier, he and his combat troops, never in any military operations showed disrespect to any women folk, girls or harass anyone old or weak. The captured LTTE cadre also disclosed, that it was a well known fact amongst the LTTE, that Maj Rakesh Dubey,Vir Chakra and his combat troops never adopted or used any kind of third degree method during interrogation of their captured cadre. Information traveled very fast in military operations, was evidently clear. It was further disclosed by the captured LTTE cadre that the LTTE would never kill, Maj Rakesh Dubey, Vir Chakra, by deceit, because he was brave, strong and fought like a true brave combat soldier with rules of engagement I was their "Role Model" I presume and believe?
In Jhansi, I was regular in attending a well equipped gymnasium, in civil area. My driver, due to my daily visit had selected an exclusive spot, for the vehicle parking. None would take liberty to park their vehicle at that designated place.
But, one fine evening, when I came to the gym, it was seen that two motor bikes were parked on that particular spot. I knew my driver would get it vacated by the strength of military force and authority, but I never wanted that to happen. I therefore, instructed him to park the vehicle at some other place. Few youth standing a little distance away were observing the entire incident, rather heard the conversation between me and the driver. The moment I got down and was walking towards the gymnasium, all of them approached me. "Sir"! They said, "We are proud to meet you and talk, anyone else in your place and authority, would have thrown our motor bikes out from that place and spot. You are a different man, Sir! Different from the rest. You are, A ROLE MODEL, to all of us. And they took my autograph.
All the above incidents are normal, a duty and conduct, all responsible man in authority are supposed to perform. If we are conscious of this simple fact, "WE BECOME A ROLE MODEL" to people around us, and if we are casual in our thinking and approach, we are "A ROGUE MODEL TO THE SOCIETY". Everyone can become "A ROLE MODEL" to people around. Pick up that "NATIONAL FLAG", thrown by the reveler on the road, after the "REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATION". Help that old man cross the road, the one who blocks your car, rather than keep sitting in your car cribbing. "BE A ROLE MODEL", by saying "NO TO DOWRY" and "NO TO PORNOGRAPHY" because you can prevent someone’s mother, sister and daughter from exploitation somewhere . There are thousands of reasons and ways, which can make you "A ROLE MODEL", therefore go ahead and be one for the society.
ALL THE INCIDENTS ARE TRUE. DO GIVE YOUR COMMENTS