Mixed reactions to Army Day parade being moved to Bengaluru

Breaking away from tradition, the Air Force Day celebrations were held in Chandigarh this year

The decision to move the Army Day parade to Bengaluru from the national capital has been welcomed by a section, while some veterans in the State have criticised it.

Breaking away from the long-standing tradition of the holding of the Air Force Day and the Army Day celebrations in New Delhi, the government this year organised the Air Force Day in Chandigarh, and has decided to hold the upcoming Army Day parade in Bengaluru.

The Army Day is celebrated every year on January 15 to mark the taking over the reigns of the Indian Army by the first Indian Commander-in-Chief, Lieutenant General (later Field Marshal) K.M. Cariappa, in 1948. He took over from Lieutenant General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief.

Field Marshal Cariappa’s son, Air Marshal K.C. Cariappa (Retd) said that the decision to move the Army Day from Delhi has both plus as well as minus points.

“It is a good thing to showcase the Army and to tell people in Karnataka or Gujarat or Bengal or Assam or any other state what the armed forces is all about rather than seeing it on television. But there is a huge amount of expenses involved in moving troops and personalities. So it cuts both ways, and I see there are plus points and there are negative points,” said Air Marshal Cariappa.

He added that there is nothing wrong with holding the future Army Day events in different cities as planned by the government.

“It (Army Day) still commemorates the day that my father became Commander-in-Chief. So there is nothing sacrosanct in the celebrations being held in Delhi. It is for the government and Army Chief to decide. I presume this is a government decision which also suggests that the armed forces should not be confined only to the Delhi area. I feel no disrespect will be shown to my father if Army Day is held here, there, or anywhere else,” he added.