Congress President Rahul Gandhi has stroked yet another controversy after posting an insensitive tweet about the Indian Army and BSF dog units performing yoga with their companions during the International Yoga Day. They matched their companion’s Asans showing that they can match them in flexibility and prowess.
It was widely appreciated as a laudable gesture on the part of the BSF and the Indian Army, as we often tend to overlook the contribution of the dog units towards the nation. These dog units often risk their lives during operations that include patrolling and explosives detection. Several such videos were posted on Twitter which were highly appreciated by the Twitter users.
However, Congress President Rahul Gandhi who can’t look above petty politics posted a distasteful tweet about the Army dogs unit and the Indian Army. He posted a snap of the Army dogs performing Yoga with their companies and tried making a sarcastic comment, “New India.” Rahul Gandhi, being the clueless politician that he is, probably did not know about the role and contribution of the dog units in the Indian Army and other security forces. He probably does not even know anything about the long association of the Indian Army with canines.
Army dogs were first pressed into service in 1959. A war dog school was raised in the year 1960. Therefore, the association of army dogs is as old as 6 decades. In fact, the Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC), is one of the oldest services of the Indian Army. It started in the year 1779 and carries the motto, ‘Pashu Seva Asmakam Dharm’ i.e. ‘Service to Animals is Our Duty.’ This is just an example of the high standards maintained by the Indian Army that narrow-minded politicians like Rahul Gandhi can never really understand.
New India. pic.twitter.com/10yDJJVAHD
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 21, 2019
The official website of the National Training Centre of Dogs functioning under the Border Security Force (BSF), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) gives valuable insight into how rigorously these dogs are trained. The training period differs according to the nature of duty and can extend up to a maximum of 36 weeks training. The Indian Army dogs have been an integral part of the Indian Army and their silent service was showcased during the 2016 Republic Day Parade. There is a reason why the Indian Army and other security forces value the service dogs so highly. These dogs have often given a display of their extraordinary abilities, a case in point being, Zanjeer. The dog who detected 3329 kg RDX, 600 detonators, 249 grenades & 6000 rounds of ammunition in Mar’93. Imagine how many lives did he save? 1000, 10000 more? A service dog is not an average canine. It’s a soldier.
There was a dog. His name was Zanjeer. He detected 3329 kg RDX, 600 detonators, 249 grenades & 6000 rounds of ammunition in Mar'93. Imagine how many lives did he save? 1000, 10000 more?
A service dog is not an average canine. It's a soldier. You disrespected soldiers today! https://t.co/nuXCkWTwzP
— Atul Kumar Mishra (@TheAtulMishra) June 21, 2019
Rahul Gandhi might be thinking that he scored a political point by mocking a few dogs but he probably does not know that he has insulted the Indian Army dog unit, the handlers and trainers who put in a great deal of effort and the entire institution of the Indian Army itself. Rahul Gandhi is either clueless or just plain insensitive. Either way, he has once again shown why he is unfit to be a national leader and why the Congress has been fading into oblivion ever since he took over the leadership of the grand old party.
