Page 184 - Leadership in the Indian Army

During this period, India was going through a difficult time and the
problems facing her seemed insurmountable. In neighbouring Pakistan, the
Army had seized power and there was speculation that India may go the

same way. Once, a visiting American diplomat asked Sam when he was
going to take over. Sam retorted, ‘As soon as General Westmoreland takes
over in your country.’ The American Ambassador, Kenneth Keating, was
present and he had a good laugh.
One day, Sam was summoned by the Prime Minister to her office in
Parliament House. When he entered, he found Indira Gandhi in very low
spirits. She was sitting at her table, with her head in her hands. On being

asked what was troubling her, she replied that she had problems. Sam asked
her what the problem was and was surprised when she told him that he was
the problem. When Sam asked her to elaborate, the Prime Minister said that
she had heard that he was going to take over. Sam was shocked. He assured
her that he did not harbour any political ambitions. He knew that military
coups had not succeeded in any country in the world. India was a

democratic country and would always remain so. He was quite happy
commanding the Indian Army, and as long as he was allowed to do that, she
could run the country the way she wanted. Indira Gandhi seemed to be
relieved and thanked Sam profusely.
The most well known anecdote about Sam is the one he often relates
himself. In 1971, when refugees from East Pakistan began to cross over into
India, Sam was the Army Chief, Indira Gandhi the Prime Minister and

Babu Jagjiwan Ram the Minister for Defence or Raksha Mantri. There was
a meeting of the Cabinet on 27 April 1971, to which Sam was invited as the
Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. The Prime Minister appeared to
be distraught and angry. Refugees from East Pakistan were pouring into
West Bengal, Assam and other parts of Eastern India. Waving a telegram
from the Chief Minister of one of the eastern states, she asked Sam,

‘Can’t you do something?’
‘What do you want me to do?’ asked Sam.
‘Go into East Pakistan.’
‘This would mean war,’ said Sam.
‘I know,’ said Indira Gandhi. ‘We don’t mind a war.’
‘Have you read the Bible’ asked Sam.
‘What has the Bible to do with this?’ asked Swaran Singh, the Minister for

External Affairs.