Page 74 - Leadership in the Indian Army

him about a gubernatorial appointment. However, by this time, his tiffs with
Nehru had taken their toll. Nehru was familiar with his bold and outspoken ways
and did not want to take the risk of dealing with an intractable governor who
would do what he thought was right, and not what he was told.
After his retirement, Nathu Singh continued to write to Nehru and the other
leaders on various issues. He was furious about the incident that resulted in
Thimayya’s resignation and Nehru’s subsequent statement in Parliament. Nathu
Singh felt that Thimayya had been shabbily treated and was concerned about the
growing demoralisation in the army. He wrote to Nehru, requesting him to
constitute a committee to review the current state of the army and suggest
improvements. Nehru assured him that he would do so. When this did not happen,
Nathu Singh wrote an angry letter to the Prime Minister, warning him of the
dangers of marginalising the armed forces and lulling the nation into a false sense
of security. On his own initiative, he organised a Forum of the Old Guard, which
could advise the government on key issues dealing with national security. The
forum had the backing of most of the retired generals, including Cariappa.
Unfortunately, Nehru chose to ignore these warnings at incalculable cost.
Sometime later, he was encouraged to join politics by Maharawal Laxman Singh
of Dungarpur, whom Nathu Singh respected and still regarded as his ‘Chief’. He
joined the Swatantra Party, which was led by Rajgopalachari (Rajaji), who had
been independent India’s first governor general. In 1964, he fought a bye-election
from Bhilwara in Rajasthan, but lost to the Congress candidate. Being unfamiliar
with the ways of politicians, he often shared the platform with his rival, during his
campaign speeches. He would tell the voters that if they voted for him, he would
work for the entire country and not just for his own constituency. So if they
wanted something to be done for their district, they should vote for his rival rather
then for him.
Even after his retirement, Nathu Singh continued to take an active interest in
national affairs, especially the army. He was perturbed by the gradual deterioration
in the status of army personnel and the decline of moral standards in the country.
He discussed these issues with all and sundry, and kept writing letters to
successive prime ministers and defence ministers, as well as presidents. In 1993,
the author spent two weeks in the military hospital at Jodhpur, where General
Nathu Singh was also a patient in the adjoining room. He was as mentally agile as
ever, and carried a bundle of files and books with him wherever he went. He
appeared to be extremely distressed by the corruption, sycophancy and decay of
moral standards in the country as well as in the army. What was needed, he said,
was men of character—the type missing in the current crop of leaders. Having
lived all his life by the highest standards of morality he found it difficult to
stomach the ongoing state of affairs.