Indian Army to End Colonial Practices of Using Horse-driven Buggies, Pipe Bands During Dinners

Indian Army is set to do away with colonial practices like using horse-driven buggies in functions, pulling out ceremonies on retirement and using pipe bands during dinners.

Army chief General Manoj Pande has  initiated the process to end these legacy practices in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directions.

The following shall cease or be discontinued from now on including the use of buggies, pulling out ceremony and using pipers during dinner nights, a formation of the Indian Army issued instructions to the units under it in this regard.

The Indian Army, as per the directions of the government, is reviewing legacy practices like customs and traditions from the colonial and pre-colonial era, uniforms and accoutrement, regulations, laws, rules, policies, unit establishment, institutes of colonial past, a news agency ANI report mentioned.

As part of efforts to end colonial traces, English names of some units, renaming some buildings, establishments, roads, parks, and institutions like Auchinleck or Kitchener House are also under review and action has already been taken in this regard in many cases, the report said.

A document said that the use of buggies in the units or formations for ceremonial functions will be seized, and the horses used for these functions would be made available for training purposes to other formations.

The pulling-out ceremony which is done in some formations involves the vehicle of the commanding officer or a senior officer getting pulled by the officers and troops in the unit on their posting or retirement.

Army officials said that this practice was not very widely observed as when officers retire or get posted out from Delhi, their vehicles are not pulled out.

Even pipe bands are only available with some of the infantry units, officials said, adding that this practice of using them during dinner nights is also very limited as there are not many units that have them.

Indian Army is reviewing these legacy practices to align with the national sentiment in consonance with the five vows that PM Modi has urged people to follow.

(with ANI inputs)

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