Assault On Merit : The Untold Story of Civil-military Relations

In this fast-paced and highly relevant book, veteran lawyer R.K. Anand details case studies of Indian Generals decorated soldiers and men of exceptional conscience and integrity who fell prey to the whims and fancies of manipulative civilian bureaucrats intent on perverting the promotions system in order to favor a buddy or please a political master.

Stung by these injustices, and with no other recourse, these General Officers turned to the civilian courts for redressal, and to Anand to represent them. He did so, showing remarkable zeal and dexterity in taking on the Government on behalf of these officers, most of whom had no money to spare for protracted legal battles. In most cases, Anand represented them without charging a legal fee. And in this process many of them found succor and relief though some of them after retirement despite the bureaucracy's brazen attempts at misleading the various benches through subterfuge and legerdemain to cover up its own malafides.

These well-documented case histories go to the very heart of the controversy over the date of birth of General V.K. Singh, Chief of Army Staff, and are a must reading for all who wish to understand one of the main causes for the growing trust deficit between India's apolitical armed forces and the politicized bureaucracy.