Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, former chief of Air Staff, recently made headlines by joining the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In 2014, former Army Chief, General VK Singh, had also joined the party before the Lok Sabha elections. He had cited the BJP as the "only party" in India embodying nationalism, and not only did he join the party but he also clinched a ministerial role.

In this episode, host Dev Goswami and defence expert Shiv Aroor discuss the trend of ex-military chiefs entering politics.
What's the deal with the intersection of military and politics? Is it concerning? Shiv brings up a crucial point: While many retired military figures, such as ex-chief of army staff Dalbir Singh Suhag, have landed government roles after retirement, joining a political party is a whole different ball game.

India is a democracy, and individuals are entitled to exercise their constitutional rights. Yet, does this trend hint at a bias? What happens when military and politics overlap? Does political influence cloud military judgment?

These are weighty questions that Dev and Shiv delve into, recounting Gen VK Singh's Singh's court case against the UPA government. What was it? Tune in to know!

Produced by Anna Priyadarshini
Sound mix by Sachin Dwivedi