The general perception in the Indian public’s mind is that the abrogation of Articles 35A and 370 had led to a situation where the J&K issue is done and dusted. That is furthest from the truth although I believe it is currently advantage India, at least temporarily. While India has for the first time after 25 years aggressively opted to change the existing status quo, the triggers that it has caused have given rise to a series of fresh threats which it needs to take stock of. It was last on February 22, 1994, India messaged the world that all territories of J&K including those not under its direct control belonged to India and it would aspire to regain them. That was a unique case of political consensus when all parties came together in a Joint Parliamentary Resolution to stake India’s claims in the wake of aggressive diplomacy by US Assistant Secretary of State Robin Raphael against India. Pakistan took advantage of that situation to press allegations of human rights violations and attempted to internationally take India to the cleaners; something which never ceased since then.

In 25 years since 1994, India has attempted to change the strategy of dealing with J&K in any domain only twice. First was in 1996 with the return to democracy. The second was the secret backroom dialogue on the ‘four point formula’, from 2004 to 2007, with intent to territorially resolve J&K; it failed. Since 2008, there have been ups and downs but a policy resolve towards the adoption of fresh strategy has been elusive, until now.  The decision to adopt proactive military response without a Pakistani military initiative was taken in 2002; it did then and has continued to keep Pakistan under pressure. Why the status quo ruled the roost was due to there being governments in New Delhi and Srinagar which remained happy at that as long as the security situation remained under control. The Separatist leadership led their lives with full government support. The government had the fond hope that it could one day do a ‘Mizoram’ with them; militants coming over ground, fighting elections and forming the government. To be frank, the one time both Article 370 and 35A could have been done away with and the people of J&K brought on board towards full integration was after the victory of 1971. Kashmir may have reacted with turbulence for some time but with Pakistan cut to size and 93,000 prisoners of war in India, there could have been nothing better.

The Government of India is hopefully aware of the fact that the major issue due to which an impasse has existed this long in J&K, has been the absence of strategic policy which has forced the security forces too to follow a policy of summer and winter strategies without ever looking at the larger picture and having a strategic aim. The recent statements by the Raksha Mantri, Shri Rajnath Singh, on PoK and No First Use in the nuclear domain may not be policy statements but do indicate a change in mindset towards a clearer strategy. However, for the short term, India has to cater to increased Pakistani efforts towards internationalisation and upping the ante through high-profile terror acts. The feasibility of street turbulence at high pitch appears comparatively low. The efforts to control the latter many times compromise the pace and effectiveness of counter-terrorist operations.

As the government readies itself for what could be a temporary phase of violence through enhanced attempted infiltration and street turbulence, it needs to continue to build a long-term strategy.  This should aim at emasculating Pakistani capability of calibration and neutralise the efforts at internationalisation through high levels of diplomatic and intellectual engagement. Second, it must equally focus on PoK, Gilgit and Baltistan taking a cue from the Raksha Mantri; these cannot remain one-off personal utterances. Third, of which the first portents seem to be emerging, remains the necessity of getting the civil administration to have a self-belief that this proxy war is not just the business of the Army, JK Police and CAPFs; it’s a hybrid proxy war which needs to be addressed comprehensively. Seeing the J&K Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary Home giving media briefs appears to spell for me a change in tack. That is the way forward.

There are four other things which fall in the strategic domain. First is human rights (HR). Peaceful protest is very much a right but vicious stone-throwing does not fall in that category. There is going to be a manipulated assault on India in the domain of HR internationally. I sense it and can only recall the strategy of political consensus as the best response; who can forget the face of Atal Bihari Vajpayee leading the Indian delegation to the first ever UNHRC conference at Geneva in Jun 1994.

The second is the dire necessity to continue with even greater vigour  the targeting of the ecosystem or nexus which has come to dictate terms in Kashmir. Especially finances, media, separatist rabble-rousers and radical members of the clergy require a separate campaign under the aegis of people who understand the nuances.

Third is intense information warfare with ‘fake news’ becomes the core of the Pakistan strategy. Countering this with existing machinery is a losing battle because Pakistan has developed its propaganda machinery rather well. Ours must not be an incremental approach towards developing the counter machinery; it cannot be ad hoc anymore and needs structures more than ever before.

Fourth and last is the need for a strategic ‘hearts and minds’ campaign but not the Operation Sadbhavana variety of the Indian Army, which incidentally delivered hugely where it needed to deliver, at the tactical level. Now is the time for involvement of the state in entirety, every department and every element of the administration has to join the effort towards engagement with the populace. Town hall types of meetings to resolve pending issues, youth engagement schemes, women empowerment, intra-state contacts with Jammu division, mutual adoption of towns of the Valley with those of Jammu, seminars and meetings between like-minded professionals. The scope is only limited by our imagination and inability to inspire commitment.

A broad strategy must be evolved and tweaked as we progress because without it crisis time may loom ahead and arrive faster than we can imagine.

Coimbatore/Kochi, August 24

The Indian Navy has sounded a high-alert at sea following intelligence inputs that six members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba have intruded into Tamil Nadu, as strict surveillance continued in various parts of the State for the second day on Saturday.

Following intelligence inputs, “the Indian Navy continues to maintain its high alert situation at seas and in coastal areas,” a defence spokesman told PTI at Kochi in Kerala.

Security was tightened in Tamil Nadu on Friday following reports that six members of the terror outfit LeT had infiltrated the state by sea from Sri Lanka and moved to different cities.

Coimbatore Police Commissioner Sumit Sharan had on Friday said the city was under a high alert following information that the terrorists were heading there.

Police said on Saturday that vehicle-checks were intensified on arterial roads and highways connecting Coimbatore city with neighbouring states, and baggage thoroughly checked by armed police personnel.

Similarly checks were on in railway stations, bus-stands and the airport, they said.

The Tamil Nadu commando force carried out a flag march at Mettupalayam, 35 km from Coimbatore, to instil confidence in people about security.

Armed forces were deployed at temples, mosques and churches, which were normally targeted by terrorists as was done in Sri Lanka recently, police sources said.

Kerala DGP Loknath Behera had on Friday also directed district police chiefs to keep utmost vigil across the state. — PTI

On this day last year, thousands of fellow countrymen had paid their last respects to Major Kaustubh Rane, a gallant army officer serving in the Indian Army’s 36 Rashtriya Rifles. Major Rane was a leader of men, a warrior who gave his all in service of the country, but more importantly, he was a son to two ageing parents, a loving husband to a young wife, a proud father to a two-year-old son and a friend to his brothers in arms.

Growing up in the Sheetal Nagar area of Mira Road, he spent his days reading about war heroes, and soon joining the Army and serving in front line combat became his childhood dream! Given his undying passion for serving, It was only natural that he applied for the Army at the first opportunity he got.

A young Kaustubh had applied for the National Defence Academy Examination (NDA) fresh after his 12th but was unsuccessful in his attempt to join the Tri-Services institution. Undeterred and with a single-minded focus soon to be commissioned officer had trained rigorously, clearing the Combined Defence Services Examination (CDSE) after completing his graduation. He was recommended by the selection board and received the call letter to train at the prestigious Officers Training Academy in Chennai. For Maj. Rane, this was the first step towards seizing his destiny!

After 9 months of rigorous training, Kaustubh was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Garwhal Rifles, one of the Indian Army’s most decorated fighting units, He was Deployed to his first posting in Kupwara very soon transformed into a battle-hardened Infantryman! Maj. Rane was promoted to the rank of Captain in 2011 and was given a peace posting to Kolkata after serving in the insurgency prone valley.

Following his Kolkata posting Maj. Rane was deployed back to field areas and was eventually deputed to the Rashtriya Rifles, the Army’s premier counter-insurgency force, serving in 36 RR. It was during his stint in 36 RR that major Rane along with for of his men lost their lives in the line of duty in a bid to foil an infiltration attempt by terrorists trying to enter from the Gurez sector of North Kashmir.

Gurez Sector Operation:

During 2018, Maj Kaustubh Rane’s 36 RR battalion was deployed in the Gurez sector in J&K and was engaged in counter-insurgency operations. The Gurez sector is one of the remote parts of the valley located in Bandipora district around 125 km from Srinagar. The industry is heavily militarised, and soldiers are stationed on mountaintop posts to guard the Line of Control and prevent infiltration of militants. The Gurez sector is snow-covered even in summers and militants do not have long tracts of forest cover either to use as escape routes or to sneak inside LOC.

On 6 Aug, around 1 am about eight-odd heavily armed terrorists tried to infiltrate into the Indian territory near Govind Nullah in Bakhtor area taking advantage of darkness. The alert soldiers noticed the unusual movement and challenged the infiltrators moving from the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). Maj Kaustubh Rane along with his troops, swung into action and engaged the militants trying to infiltrate. A fierce gun battle ensued after that in which two militants were killed. However, during the heavy exchange of fire Maj Kaustubh Rane and three other soldiers Rifleman Mandeep Singh Rawat, Rifleman Hameer Singh and Gunner Vikram Jeet Singh got severely injured. They were shifted to the 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar but latter they succumbed to their injuries and were martyred.

Maj Kaustubh Rane had been given the gallantry award, “Sena Medal” on 26 Jan 2018 and was to be felicitated by Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation in the later part of 2018. Maj Kaustubh Rane was a gallant and committed soldier who led from the front like a true military leader and laid down his life in the service of the nation.

Fond Memories:

Maj. Rane has been described by his friend and family as, a kind and soft-spoken who had regularly kept in touch with his civilian friends, even when deployed. His Course mates remember him fondly as a true leader and friend, They talk about how he inspired and pushed them all so much that had he not been there, their josh runs would have been flat and unmemorable! They vividly remember how he would crack jokes, he would smile, laugh and push them all saying “Chal yaar! Chal yaar!” he makes sure the others around him thrived!

Maj Rane was an ordinary man who lived to do extraordinary things

Legacy:

A lot has happened since the martyrdom of the brave warrior, a lot that he would have been proud of, his parents received his Sena Medal from the President of India, The Gaurav Puruskar from the Maharastra Government, a letter from Jitendra Singh, a security guard from Surat, conveying his gratitude for their sons service! Pictures and cards from school students and the respect of the thousands who bid him a tearful goodbye.

His grieving widow,  rose up from the ashes to become an inspiration, following his footsteps to join the very organisation he dedicated his life to and starting her journey at the same institution he began his own, His two-year-old son is now a year older, with new memories made and many more to make in the days to come!

The country can never repay Major. Kaustubh Rane for what he gave and people he left behind, however, the gallant hero will never be forgotten.

Keep off India’s internal matters, Pak told after Islamabad expels envoy Bisaria

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Sandeep Dikshit
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 7

India has shrugged off a series of measures announced by Pakistan on Wednesday, including being asked to withdraw its High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, as a fallout of Parliament approving the reorganisation of Jammu & Kashmir into two Union Territories. Pakistan has also for now decided not to send its new High Commissioner to take up his India posting.

Late in the evening, Pakistan ordered some changes in Indian flights going through its airspace. India, on its part, issued security alert at 19 airports and deployed additional security personnel apart from regular deployment at airports.

READ MORE: Suspension of trade ties with India will hit Pak more badly, say experts

Pak decision to downgrade diplomatic ties very short-sighted: Khurshid

Pakistan asked, after the second meeting in a week of the National Security Committee comprising top Cabinet Ministers and Pakistan Army officers, to withdraw Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, suspended all bilateral trade and step up diplomatic outreach, including approaching the UN and UN Security Council over the lockdown in Kashmir and disturbing the status quo in the composition of Jammu & Kashmir.

While the detailed response is still awaited, sources informally said Pakistan was off the mark in this respect and India will respond with retaliatory measures. Pakistan had no locus standi to interfere in what is entirely an internal matter. No other nation had the locus standi to interfere in the internal affairs of another country, they reiterated.

The sources said India was preparing a detailed riposte to each of the five points mentioned by Pakistan. Reacting to reports of UN-blacklisted terrorist Hafiz Saeed’s conviction, the sources said they were still trying to ascertain details. “We have to know if he was really convicted and on what charges. We also have to find out the appeals process and whether he will be let off during the pendency of the appeal. It is too early right now to be satisfied or dissatisfied,” they said.

Along with downgrading of diplomatic relations and suspending trade, Pakistan has also decided to review the bilateral arrangements and observe its Independence Day on August 14 in solidarity with the “brave Kashmiris and their just struggle for their right of self-determination”. India’s Independence Day on August 15 will be observed as a Black Day, resolved the Pakistan National Security Committee.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan has asked the armed forces to maintain vigilance on the Indo-Pak border and directed that all diplomatic channels should be activated to launch a broadside against India.

Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Council has expressed apprehension of the latest restrictions in Jammu & Kashmir exacerbating the human rights situation in the region. “The fact that hardly any information at all is currently coming out is of great concern in itself,” said the UNHRC spokesperson based in Geneva.

The US National Security Council denied that the Indian Government had consulted or informed US National Security Advisor John Bolton or Secretary of State Mike Pompeo before moving to revoke J&K’s special status. The US called for calm and restraint on all sides, “noting the history of violence and conflict in the region”.

Our Correspondent

Kharar, August 5

Keeping in view recent developments in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) a team of local officials from the administration visited Chandigarh University, Gharuan, and Rayat and Bahra University, Sahoran, and interacted with students belonging to the Valley, who are studying in these institutions.

The Kharar SDM, Vinod Kumar Bansal, and DSP Deep Kamal visited Chandigarh University and spoke to Kashmiri students studying in the institution. They assured students that they were safe here and there was no need to panic. “You don’t need not to go back to your homes in J&K,” they said.

“The government and the administration are with you. You are completely safe here,” SDM told students. The Vice-Chancellor of the university also assured full security to students from the Valley.

The Kharar tehsildar, Gurminder Singh, visited Rayat and Bahra University, Sahoran, and interacted with students from J&K. He assured them full security.

Notably, there are around 1,600 Kashmiri students, who are studying in Chandigarh University. Out of them 800 students, including 250 girls, live in hostels of the university. The remaining 800 students are staying out of the university campus.

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, August 4

The Maharashtra Government sought the help of the Army, Navy and the Air Force to rescue people marooned in various parts of the state following heavy rains.

An Mi-17 helicopter was deployed to rescue 35 persons stranded at the Ju-Nandkhuri village at Khadavli in Thane district neighbouring Mumbai. State police control room said with water levels rising in the village, the people had to be airlifted this morning. All of them were brought to the Juhu air field at Mumbai from where the chopper had taken off earlier in the day.

Officials said all major rivers in and around Mumbai and coastal Konkan were in spate and water was being released from overflowing dams.

In Mumbai, personnel from the Indian Navy and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed inflatable boats to rescue people from low-lying areas. “We have rescued people from Bandra and Kurla in Mumbai as the Mithi River has breached its banks,” an official from the city police control room said. In all some 400 people had to be moved to safety by boats, according to the officials.

With the levels of the Ulhas River rising, residents of Thane, Kalyan and Badlapur have been moved to higher areas, according to the officials. Several parts of Pune were flooded after water from the overflowing Kadakvasla dam was released this morning. In Nashik, the authorities began evacuating people as the Godavari River showed signs of breaching its banks.

Train services on the Central Railways were hit for the second day today as the railway tracks were flooded. However, being Sunday the impact was little. In Mumbai’s suburb of Kandivli residents made rafts of plywood to transport essential items like bottled water and biscuits to people stranded in their flooded homes.

According to the weather department, heavy rains were reported in Mumbai,Thane, Palghar, Raigad and Ratnagiri since Friday with large areas in these places being severely flooded. Flights operating out of Mumbai airport were delayed by a few minutes, according to the officials.

District officials have declared a holiday on Monday in many places as the weather department warned of continued heavy rains. Schools have been ordered closed in Pune, Palghar and Thane districts, the officials said.

Wreaking havoc

• Inflatable boats being used to rescue people from low-lying areas
• Central Railways hit for the second day as the railway tracks were flooded
• District officials have declared a holiday on Monday amid warnings of continued heavy rains

Ajay Banerjee &  Mukesh Ranjan
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 2

The Centre’s decision of sending in additional troops of the Central armed forces to Kashmir is an outcome of several factors, including military activity in Pakistan, a renewed proactive push to hit at terrorists and intelligence inputs that the Amarnath yatra could be the target of militants.

The Army will be overstretched in case of an exigency and the Central forces will be needed for outer-cordoning during anti-terrorist operations in the hinterland.

As security intensified in Kashmir valley, panic on the streets of Srinagar

Apart from this, the political grapevine is of some ‘development’ on the long-pending Kashmir issues. This includes the Centre’s plan to do away with Article 35A of the Constitution, which gives exclusive rights to the state’s residents in government jobs and land. The speculations have dominated the discourse in Kashmir over the past few days.

Militarily, indications were visible on the night of July 31 when the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), sensing some ‘movement’ on the Indian side, flew combat air patrols — the first in the past two months. The Indian Air Force responded and did its ‘night patrolling’ in the air which officials here termed as ‘routine flying’. Three air fields in north India do this ‘routine patrolling’ or night flying. Surveillance planes of both sides have been flying.

Between July 29 and August 1, the Army, answering Pakistan’s cross-LoC firing, opened its artillery in the Uri sector. The artillery firing was after a lull of several months. Sources in the Army say firing by Pakistan in areas north of Pir Panjal was ‘unusual’ for this time of the year as firing is done to facilitate infiltration of terrorists. Around this time of the year, the Jhelum and its tributaries carry huge amounts of water and crossing these rivers would be impossible by militants.

Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) clarified and reiterated that 100 companies (10,000 troops) had been ordered for deployment in J&K about a week ago, which are in the process of reaching their destinations. “This has apparently led to speculations of induction of additional forces,” a senior official said.

The sources said based on assessment of the internal security situation and training requirements and also the need for paramilitary troops to be rotated for rest and recuperation, “induction and de-induction of Central forces is a continuous and dynamic process”.

They also insisted that it has never been the practice to discuss in public domain the details of deployment and movement of paramilitary forces deployed in a particular theatre.

The Grapevine

The political grapevine is of some ‘development’ on the long-pending Kashmir issues. This includes the Centre’s plan to do away with Article 35A of the Constitution, which gives exclusive rights to the state’s residents in government jobs and land. The speculations have dominated the discourse in Kashmir over the past few days.

Views from valley

The responsibility of protecting Article 35A and Article 370 is on the mainstream political parties. — Mehbooba Mufti, former CM

The unprecedented order will do nothing to dampen the sense of fear and foreboding that prevails in the Kashmir valley at the moment. — Omar Abdullah, NC Vice-President

The provision was negotiated by the regional parties and is an Article of faith, which should not be breached. — Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Separatist leader

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 1

The Ministry of External Affairs had called the US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster to lodge its “grave concern” over US military assistance to Pakistan. India had also lodged its misgivings about resumption of US military aid to Pakistan in Washington as well.

“We have taken up the matter with the US Ambassador in Delhi, as well as with the US Government in Washington through our Ambassador.  We have expressed grave concern over US military assistance to Pakistan.  The US side has told us that the proposed sale does not indicate any change in the US policy of maintaining a freeze in military assistance to Pakistan,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Ravish Kumar told newspersons here today.

The Pentagon had said last month that the State Department had approved a $125 million deal for “24/7 end-use monitoring” of F-16 fighter jets it had earlier supplied to Pakistan. The US had reasoned that its  military aid, a nominal amount in military transactions which run into billions of dollars, is meant to continue technical and logistics support services for monitoring Pakistan’s operations of F-16 aircraft.

The announcement came after a meeting between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and US President Donald Trump but India feels  this should not be the thin edge of the wedge before America begins full-fledged military aid in order to coax Islamabad into fully backing its plans for a wind-down in Afghanistan.