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In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's directions, the Indian Army led by General Manoj Pande has initiated the process to do away with the legacy practices like using horse-driven buggies in functions, pulling out ceremonies on retirement and using pipe bands during dinners.
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. The English names of some units, renaming the name of buildings, establishments, roads, parks, an institutions like Auchinleck or Kitchener House are also under review and action has already been taken in this regard in many cases. The 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. Officials said the pipe bands are also only available with some of the infantry units and 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 the Prime Minister has asked people to follow. (ANI)
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