The recent visit of Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi is in the spotlight in the city of Puri in Odisha. During the three-day visit (March 27 to 29), Army Chief General Dwivedi accompanied by his wife Sunita visited the famous Jagannath Temple.
While performing early morning worship at the temple, Army Chief General Dwivedi said he felt very βpeacefulβ. According to him, the Indian Army will become stronger with the blessings of Lord Jagannath. The statement quickly went viral on social media, where people are citing it as an example of Faith And Duty Balance.
However, not everyone agrees with the move. Some retired military officers, such as former lieutenant colonels, questioned whether this kind of public visit by the head of the army to a religious site could be against the Secular Army Tradition. According to him, the Indian Army has always been secular and its image must be maintained.
On the other hand, many also came out in support of Army Chief General Dwivedi. Social media users say religion and duty in India are not mutually exclusive, but reinforce each other. According to him, even an army chief can have personal faith, and that does not interfere with country service.
This incident has sparked one of the biggest debates β Faith vs Professional Duty. Some are seeing this as βnaturalβ, while others are seeing it as a βpublic image riskβ.
The real question is whether a person in a national position should publicly express his personal beliefs.
Army Chief General Dwivedi’s visit has become the focus of not only religious but also political and social debate. It is clear that every step today comes under scrutiny on social media.
Finally, whether supported or opposed, this visit by General Dwivedi has certainly sparked new discussions on the balance between the army, religion and responsibility in the country.
