Clash of Civilizations was a book written by Samuel Huntington way back in 1996, who explains how clashes between civilizations are the greatest threat to world peace. This thesis is on a world-wide canvas and analyses the friction and then subsequent wars/clashes between civilizations basis their religion and beliefs. It looks at all major and minor religions- as per population and geographical spread. Though study is detailed and rigorous it boils down to Christianity and Islam and does look at Hinduism too. Clash of cultures- long and short of it.


Cultures and ethos define the culture and attitude of a group of people. It is very pronounced in organizations, especially those who don unform and work under strict and well-defined rules. Especially rules of engagement. Armed forces comprising Army, Navy and Airforce across the world follow the principle of ‘service before self’ and nation first.

Out of the three services, Army is always the largest in number and is taken as the saviour of the nation from external aggression in conjunction with and support of Navy and Airforce where required.

Indian army is one of the finest and a very professional organization and is looked up to by the entire nation of almost 1.5 billion Indians. Not only it guards the borders, it is the last bastion of our very existence. Very disciplined and working in a democracy as large and chaotic as ours, it has always delivered when ever the nation required it to. To assist the civil administration during major calamities like, floods, earth quakes, major fires or riots it is taken as the last resort. A flag march by the army is enough to get things back in order in conditions which seem to go out of control. IS duties or Internal Security duties being a part of their mandate where they assist local administration/police to get things under control. Therefore police, other para military forces and army work together on many occasions and are familiar with each other’s rank structure.

For maintaining internal day to day law and order, state police force operates under the state governments. Their role is to keep the people of the state safe and secure. That is why they have tag lines like "Shanti, Seva, Nyaya" (Peace, Service, Justice), for Delhi Police. The motto of Punjab Police is "Shubh Karman te Kabahun Na Tarun" which translates to "May I never ever shirk from doing good deeds".

The motto of the Indian Army is "Seva Parmo Dharma", which translates to "Service Before Self" in English. The Indian Army's values include discipline, integrity, valour, and selfless sacrifice.

These mottos and tag lines are supposed to be the beacons or in a way moral compass of anyone belonging to that fraternity. Unfortunately, the men in ‘khakee’ that is the police force in our country has always been on the wrong side of the public perception. A common man would rather avoid going to a policeman for help unless it is inescapable.

On the other hand, the police are always on a high because of power they wield. They feel they are ‘untouchables’ by any one and are law unto themselves. Usually when they push around, public complies to avoid any trouble. ‘policewale se dushmanee lena theek nahi hota’ is the public perception.

Middle of this month the Punjab police had an ugly incidence with a serving senior army officer at Patiala.

The incident took place on the intervening night of March 13 and 14, when Colonel Bath and his son were at a roadside eatery near Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. The family claimed that when the two were standing outside their car and having food, some police officers in civilian clothes approached and asked the colonel to move his vehicle so they could park theirs.

As one understands neither the army officer nor the police personnel were in uniform. The colonel objected to their rude behaviour and the things went out of control and soon it is claimed by the family that a dozen policemen- in civies – brutally assaulted them with base ball bats and such objects. Colonel had a fractured arm and his son got cut on his head. Had to be taken to a hospital for treatment.

Only a detailed enquiry would reveal about what lead to the ‘flashpoint’, yet more maturity and restrain should have been exercised by the police once the colonel told them that he was an army officer- serving army officer. Yet, the video shows that there was brutality on the part of Punjab police.

One cannot rule out the role of liquor which is common place in Punjab, especially in the evenings. ‘Dutch courage’ gets the better of every and any common man and one can imagine the ‘extra high spirit’ the spirits can give to the men in khakee who are always riding a high horse because of the uniform they don.

One thing is clear that the police hit out at ‘unarmed’ or ‘nihaththa’ civilians- who are weak or kamzor. A lathi or the butt of a rifle is enough to get an unarmed man or woman on his knees. They hit when they outnumber their target. In this particular case it was two pitted against a dozen. They will tuck their tail between their legs if outnumbered.
I have myself witnessed a huge mob chasing police guys who found themselves outnumbered way back in 1973 on a railway station in Hanumangarh where I was deployed for IS duties.

Another important point which is surprising is that army is highly respected in Punjab, especially by the police. You see, every village, if not every home in Punjab has a soldier in the army. This is a sad state of affairs and police and army both need to look at it in the larger perspective so that a local skirmish should not become a ‘clash of uniforms’ and snowball into a perpetual friction between the two organisations.

You cannot even imagine the fire power imbalance between an infantry battalion and police battalion.it would be comparing a grape with a watermelon! But army uses it against the enemy who belongs to enemy country and not your own countrymen.

What happened in Patiala should have never happened. Such incidences have happened in the past- may be one could count them on fingertips. Mostly these were resolved amicably. On one odd occasion in the past army did react at local level and thrashed the hell out of the miscreants- regardless of who they were.