Monthly Archives: August 2018

Senior Army officials conversant with the military law said that action has been initiated in many cases against complainants based on rules and regulations mentioned in the Defence Services Rules. – Senior Army officials conversant with the military law said that action has been initiated in many cases against complainants based on rules and regulations mentioned in the Defence Services Rules. (source: PTI)

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar rapped the headquarters of the three services — Army, Navy and Air Force — for taking action against personnel who make representations to him and whose complaints he forwards to the services for inquiry.

In a letter written to the Vice Chief of Army Staff, Vice Chief of Naval Staff and the Vice Chief of Air Staff, the Ministry of Defence has conveyed the strong reservations of the Defence Minister that instead of informing him about the inquiry held into the complaints, the respective services have been initiating action against the complainants.

The MoD letter, accessed by The Indian Express, says the minister receives representations and complaints from various persons including serving armed forces personnel. Based on the nature and gravity of the complaints, directions of the Defence Minister are communicated to service headquarters for looking into or inquiring into the allegations made in these complaints. “Of late it has been observed that on certain occasions instead of apprising the ministry/RM of the findings of the inquiry conducted, action has been taken against the complaining officials including attachment at other formations/establishments,” the letter states.It goes on to say that, “RM has taken a serious note of the matter and has directed that henceforth service headquarters shall restrain from taking action against complaining officials. If any action needs to be taken as per procedure, the same shall be furnished to the Ministry for seeking approval of the RM when the complaint is addressed to RM and inquiry has been ordered by him”. Compliance of these instructions have been ordered at all levels of the three services. Speaking to The Indian Express, a senior official of the MoD said that Parrikar has also directed that all inquiries in complaints which have been marked by him should be conducted in a time bound manner. The minister has not been satisfied by the slow response to the complaints and the inordinately long time taken by the chain of command to respond to him. Senior Army officials conversant with the military law said that action has been initiated in many cases against complainants based on rules and regulations mentioned in the Defence Services Rules (DSR) which forbid the breaking of chain of command while communicating. “However, many officers as well as jawans have been writing directly to the Defence Minister after finding that their complaints are not being addressed at lower levels,” he said. Recently, an Army officer of the rank of Colonel even met the Defence Minister personally, after seeking time from him, to air his grievance after his repeated complaints to even the Chief of Army Staff did not receive the attention that they deserved.

Srinagar, April 19

Municipal authorities in violence-hit Handwara town in north Kashmir today removed three security force bunkers from the main market, fulfilling one of the long pending demands of local residents.

“Three bunkers, which were constructed on top of shops in Handwara main market, have been removed by municipal authorities,” a police official said.

He said the main bunker, located in the round-about of the main market, has also been vacated and taken over by municipal authorities.

“This bunker will also be demolished and the task will be completed by 2 PM today,” the official said.

The municipal authorities also erected a board on the premises of the bunker, marking the place for conversion into a public park.

The locals had been demanding removal of the bunkers for quite sometime but the Army had put its foot down, saying it was strategically important for the troops.

However, the demand for removal of these bunkers intensified after last week’s violence triggered by alleged molestation of a girl by an army soldier.

Three persons were killed in security forces firing while dealing with the protestors.—PTI

Beijing: China has for the first time landed a military plane on one of its artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, upping the ante amidst a raging territorial row with countries like Vietnam and the Philippines. The state media said an air force landed on the Fiery Cross Reef on Sunday and evacuated three injured workers. China turned Fiery Cross Reef into an artificial island through a massive dredging operation, and constructed buildings and an air strip in the strategically vital sea. PTIJoin talks or face consequences, Pak warns TalibanIslamabad: Embarrassed by Taliban’s refusal to join the fledgling peace process with the Afghan government, Pakistan has warned the insurgents to call-off their recently-proclaimed ‘spring offensive’ or face consequences, a media report said on Monday. The Taliban earlier this month announced the start of “Operation Omari”, named after the late Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, pledging to launch large-scale offensives to oust the West-backed Afghan government from power. PTI

THE SELECTION PROCESS OF FIRST BATCH OF 80 ASPIRANTS TO JOIN ARMED FORCES HAS COMMENCED ON 01 APR 16, AT THE NEWLY RAISED SELECTION CENTRE NORTH (SCN), KAPURTHALA, PUNJAB‬

The selection process of first batch of 80 aspirants to join Armed Forces has commenced on 01 Apr 16, at the newly raised Selection Centre North (SCN), Kapurthala, Punjab . It was inaugurated by Lt Gen KJ Singh, Army Commander ‪#‎WesternComd‬ in presence of military and civil dignitaries. The team of officers worked relentlessly and put the centre into operation four months before the target date of 01 Sep 2016. The selection centre consists of two Services Selection Boards which will cater to the candidates from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and even Jammu and Kashmir.

 

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 15

After the Pakistani army shelled Poonch villages on the Line of Control (LoC) on the intervening night of April 9 and 10, Pakistan Rangers today fired four rounds of small arms on an Indian forward post along the 198-km-long international border in Samba district.“Last night around 2.15 am Pakistan fired four rounds of small arms on the Regal forward post in the Samba sector of the Jammu region,” said an Intelligence official.Senior Superintendent of Police, Samba, Joginder Singh informed that around 2.15 am, the Pakistan Rangers fired three or four rounds of small arms from their Chak Pura post.The BSF didn’t retaliate and there were no reports of any loss, he added.The Pakistan army had on April 9 and 10 had resorted to mortar shelling and firing in the Poonch sector after a lull of nearly seven months, following which the two sides held a battalion commander-level flag meeting at Chakanda Bagh to discuss the situation on April 12.However, the BSF that guards the international border stated that Rangers fired four rounds of small arms in the air to scare away a leopard, who had been roaming in the area for the past few days.“They didn’t target our post and it (firing) was not intentional,” said a senior BSF officer.With the onset of summer and suspension of Indo-Pak dialogue, intelligence agencies anticipate a spurt in truce violations and intrusion bids on the frontiers of Jammu and Kashmir.India and Pakistan had a inked truce deal on November 26, 2003.

A ceremonial border personnel meet on the occasion of harvest festival in eastern Ladakh. a tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 14

Ahead of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s four-day visit to China to discuss a host of issues, including maintaining peace on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the armies of the two countries today held ceremonial border personnel meetings (BPMs) in the Chushul and Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sectors in the Ladakh region to mark harvest festival.Parrikar is scheduled to visit China from April 17 and it will be followed by National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval’s visit, probably on April 20.“Ceremonial border personal meetings (BPMs) on the occasion of harvest festival were conducted today at Indian BPM Hut in Chushul and Indian Meeting Point Hut at Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) in eastern Ladakh,” said Northern Command’s Defence spokesperson Col SD Goswami.“The delegations were led by Brig Rajender Rai in Chushul and by Col BS Uppal in DBO. The Chinese delegations were led by Senior Col Wang Jun Xian in Chushul and by Lt Col Duan Yu Gangin,” added Col Goswami.The ceremonial border personal meetings were marked by saluting the national flags by both the delegations members.This was followed by the ceremonial address by both delegation leaders, which was composed of exchange of greetings and wishes and reflected the mutual desire of maintaining and improving relations at the functional level at the border.Thereafter a culture programme showcasing Indian culture and traditional grandeur was organised.Both the delegations interacted in a free, congenial and cordial environment. The delegation parted amidst feeling of friendship and commitment towards enhancing the existing cordial relations and maintaining peace along the LAC. Both sides also sought to uphold the treaties and agreement signed between the governments of the two sides to maintain peace and tranquility along the LAC.

Islamabad, April 14

Upping the ante against India, Pakistan has claimed that spy agency RAW is running a “special cell” to sabotage the multi-billion-dollar China-backed CPEC project.

Defence Secretary Lt Gen (retd) Alam Khattak told the Senate Standing Committee on Defence yesterday that the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) had set up a ‘special cell’ to sabotage the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Khattak said this during an in-camera briefing to the committee on RAW’s alleged involvement in subversive activities in Pakistan.

His statement came a day after Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif accused India of openly challenging the CPEC and blamed the country for “destabilising” Pakistan.

A member of the committee said the Defence Secretary told the meeting that Indian consulates in Afghanistan were providing money, weapons, training and other logistic support to RAW agents for carrying out subversive activities in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan and the tribal areas.

The senate panel was also informed that RAW was closely coordinating with Afghan intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) for “anti-Pakistan activities”.

Sharif had said RAW was “blatantly” involved in destabilising the country, adding that Pakistan will not allow “hostile intelligence agencies” to create unrest.

Pakistan recently claimed to have arrested an Indian spy, Kulbhushan Yadav, in Balochistan near the border with Iran.

Yadav, who is an Indian naval officer, “confessed” to have been working for the RAW to create instability in Balochistan as well as in Karachi.

New Delhi has said that Yadav was a former navy officer but insisted that he had no connection with the Indian government or RAW. — PTI

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 11

The Indian Air Force (IAF), which is currently battling its lowest strength of fighter jets in a decade, today started its bi-annual “commanders conference” to enhance its operational capability.The five-day conference will be discussing various means and methods to improve operational capability, including the induction of new fighter jets. Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh inaugurated the conference this morning.IAF Chief Marshal Arup Raha updated the minister on operational status of the IAF, security measures in vogue and the progress on infrastructure development, including upgrade of airfields.The IAF showed how it has increased the aircraft serviceability and the corresponding increase in flying tasks of the IAF.The IAF chief explained the focus areas and the future roadmap. Defence Secretary Mohan Kumar and Secretary (Defence Production) AK Gupta were also present at the meeting.During this conference, senior leadership of the IAF would deliberate on issues pertaining to air operations, maintenance, human resources and administration. Aspects of support provided by the Defence public sector undertakings through indigenised production of prime equipment would also be discussed in a daylong session on April 13.The IAF will be discussing the light combat aircraft, the Tejas, with high-level delegation from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

5-day bi-annual event

• The Indian Air Force started its bi-annual ‘commanders conference’ on Monday
• The five-day conference will be discussing various means and methods to improve operational capability, including the induction of new fighter jets
• Senior officials will deliberate on issues pertaining to air operations, maintenance, human resources and administration

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 29

Brig KG Behl (retd), patron of the Dehradun Ex-Services League, here today expressed surprise at the scheduled laying of the foundation stone of the Uttarakhand State War Memorial at Chir Bagh by the Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar, tomorrow. The authorities had not intimated ex-servicemen associations on the issue, he said.“How it has been named Saurya Sthal instead of war memorial is not known. The design of the memorial has not been approved by any retired or serving defence official,” he said.Brig Behl added it was surprising that the ex-servicemen, who were involved in locating and designing the war memorial right from its inception, were purposely ignored.He said earlier the project was required to be taken up under the auspices of the Directorate of Sainik Kalyan Punarvas and Uttarakhand Sub-Area, but now it was being constructed under the Cantonment Board.He added that one acre had been allotted for the war memorial. The authorities should ensure that the war memorial should be appropriate and should function properly.