It was shocking to hear the jawans of the Assam Rifles dying of AIDS. Yet it is appalling to the extreme when the concerned authorities led by the Director General of Assam Rifles proclaimed to the nation and the world that condom is the solution.
Terming the HIV/AIDS disease as a treat to national security, the military force has ordered its personnel to carry condoms “round the clock”.
“I do not know about other forces but as far as my force is concerned all jawans are supposed to carry condoms, whether on duty in remote places or on a leave,” said the Director General Bhopinder Singh in the interview with UNI on October 5.
Apparently the jawans are afflicted with this terrible disease not because they are intravenous drug addicts but simply because of their promiscuity. The truth is when the authorities are making condoms compulsory for every jawan, they are endorsing immorality.
How would the wives of the jawans feel or react when their husbands go out with condoms in search of other women? The question needs to be pondered not only by the wife of the Director General but also by the wives of the colonels and constables.
And since the Assam Rifles has made mandatory for all its personnel to carry a packet of condoms wherever they go in any part of northeast region, they are obliged by law to use them the way they think fit. After all they are not meant to carry in their pockets forever.
It would be well to remind the custodian for the security of the country that to ensure good morality and to instill the fear of God among the ranks, the government recruited religious teachers of different faiths. These religious teachers are not just to conduct funerals and some vain rituals but to inculcate high moral principles and social responsibility to show exemplary character for all citizens.
Under the present situation, all the captains, majors, colonels and generals should be teaching and practicing chastity. All the lower rungs should adhere strictly to moral principles. Any jawan who violate the rules should be terminated immediately regardless of his rank.
The cause of the disease is illicit physical relationship and abstinence is the only right way for total prevention. Again most of the acts are committed under the influence of liquor.
What is the bottom line? The Assam Rifles are now a demoralised lot and the nation will pay dearly unless the jawans excercises strict sobriety wherever they are.
Instead of making a compulsory rule about using condoms, the clear message should be: Stop drunkenness and sexual immorality.Are we aware that this news of shame has caused ripple even in Malaysia?
A.S. David, Happy Valley, Shillong
