Kuki and Meitei communities from Manipur operate in the same unit with great harmony, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi said, and added that the Indian Army enhances the camaraderie and diminishes the fault lines.
His comments at a lecture, organised by the Department of Defence & Strategic Studies (DDSS) of the Savitribai Phule Pune University, come even as ethnic clashes between Meitei and Kuki communities continue to rock Manipur.
The Army is an apolitical force that draws human capital from all over the country, General Dwivedi said. He asserted that the socio-cultural values of the Army are very strong and the force plays a pivotal role as a melting pot. "If one listens to the dialogues in movies based on the valour of the Indian Army, right from 'Haqeeqat' to Vicky Kaushal-starrer Uri, one will come to know it plays a pivotal role as a melting pot."
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"We are an apolitical and 'areligious' Army, drawing its human capital from all districts of the nation. Despite that, Hindi serves as a binding language. Siachen Baba at the Siachen base is one example where all religious gods are under one roof," he said.
Further speaking on how the Army is playing the role of a melting pot, he said recently, in Manipur veterans from the warring Kuki and Meitei communities took on the mantle to allay fears and restore trust amongst the two ethnic groups.
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As far as the Army's role is concerned in the organisation of the Olympic Games in 2036, for which India is aggressively bidding, the force is looking at 'Mission 2032' (in terms of preparations), General Dwivedi noted.
"The Indian Army will play a pivotal role in conducting the Olympics 2036 and for that we will have to prepare adequate manpower and that is why the year 2032 is important."
