'Men in uniform shouldn't clap hands'

Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag on Tuesday asked the men in uniform not to clap after his speech as it went against the Army decorum.

“After I finish my address please do not clap. Hereafter, we will maintain the decorum of not clapping in uniform,” he said after a round of applause at the conclusion of his speech at an event, where indigenous Aakash air defence system was handed over to the Indian Army.

Held at the Army’s Manekshaw Centre, the event was attended not only by the men in uniform but also civilians comprising officials from the defence ministry, Bharat Dynamics Limited and Defence Research and Development Organisation.

After a receiving a round of applause, the Army Chief – known to be a stickler for rules – stressed on the need to follow the “traditions and customs” of the Army. He noted that he forgot to mention it at the beginning of his speech.

Gen Suhag referred to defence minister Manohar Parrikar, who after his address at Commander’s conference last month, reportedly stated that he was under the impression that people in uniform don’t clap after an individual address.

Defence Ministry officials, however, maintained that there is no guidelines on the clapping by government officials at public events.

A senior Army official explained that practises like clapping at public events and accepting gifts and flower bouquets in public functions do not strictly correspond to the Army traditions and customs, though these norms are not in black and white, and also not taught at the National Defence College or Indian Military Academy. The exchange of mementos between regiments or officers, however, are accepted.