Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh addressing industrialists in Chandigarh on Tuesday. — Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 23

Promising early waiver of farm debt, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday assured farmers that his government would not backtrack on its promise, and urged them not to resort to suicide as the higher-powered committee set up to work out the waiver modalities was on the job.Pointing out that his government had already put a stop on ‘kurki’ to fulfil a major election promise, the Chief Minister said there was no question of going back on any of the commitments.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Addressing captains of industry at an interactive session organised here by PHDCCI, the Chief Minister lamented that agriculture, despite being of critical importance, was not resulting in economic growth. Water was becoming a major problem for the entire country, he noted, stressing the need to resolve the issue at the national-level through collective efforts.

Captain Amarinder cited the examples of Japan and Germany to express the optimism that Punjab would also get out of its current mess to again become India’s topmost state. Revival of industry, he said, was critical for the restoration of the state’s growth, as that would also act as an impetus to attract new industry.Promising his government’s full support in cutting red-tapism and addressing the woes of the industry, the Chief Minister said while he could not promise financial support in view of Punjab’s dire straits he would ensure ease of doing business, backed by affordable power, as promised in the Congress poll manifesto.The government was still trying to ascertain the extent of the financial mess prevailing in the state and would soon bring out a white paper to expose the real status, he said.

The Chief Minister agreed that the truck unions, with their monopoly, were a big problem for the industry and assured early resolution. The PHDCCI has demanded a legislation to regulate the operations of such unions, which it said were indulging in massive extortion and intimidation.It has also demanded that all illegal activities of these unions be made punishable to ensure that they operate as any other service providing company.

Captain Amarinder also promised to look into other issues raised by the industry during the interactive session, including delay in VAT refund and environmental clearances, and support in reviving the closed cotton ginning mills in Malwa belt.Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh made it clear that the government was committed to implementing its promise of power at Rs 5/KVAH, which the PHDCCI said should be frozen for the next five years.

Rasoolan Bi, wife of Param Vir Chakra awardee Abdul Hamid at Amritsar railway station on Sunday. Photo: Sunil Kumar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 21

The battle of Asal Uttar has long been over but its famed martyr Abdul Hameed remains unforgotten. Today, the wife of the Param Vir Chakra awardee, Rasoolan Bi, was in the city to visit her husband’s memorial at Asal Uttar village in Tarn Taran district.Rasoolan Bi (94) had come to pay tributes to Abdul Hamid as she had not been able to visit the memorial on the death anniversary of the martyr.She remembered the supreme sacrifice of her husband, at the age of 32, who helped destroy the famed Pakistani Patton tanks in the 1965 war. The Patton tanks were thought of as invincible and it was the valour of Abdul Hameed, who through his sacrifice, showed the Achilles heel of the Pakistani tank and turned the battle in India’s favour.Rasoolan Bai was accompanied by Abdul Hameed Jameel Alam, the grandson of Abdul Hamid.Speaking to Amritsar Tribune, Jameel said, “We have organised a programme to remember him on September 10, the day of his sacrifice, at our native town Hajipur. So, my grandmother may not be able to visit Punjab on that day. She expressed her desire to visit the memorial and we came here. We will pay tributes to the martyr tomorrow and return.”Meanwhile, Amritbir Singh Aasal, office-bearer of the Shaheed Abdul Hamid Committee at Asal Uttar village, said, “We observe the day in September and she used to visit. This time, it was her desire to visit the memorial. We have made all the arrangements to welcome Rasoolan Bi and her family members”.

“He deserves a distinguished services medal for using a human shield against stone-pelters in Kashmir”Capt Amarinder Singh

Tough situations warrant tough reactions, and dangerous situations often, if not always, merit daring actions. When Major Nitin Gogoi decided (and, mind you, it could not have been anything other than a split-second decision) to use a civilian as a “human shield” to protect his men from a stone-pelting mob, he was simply reacting to a tough situation in a dangerous environment.

That our jawans are exposed to these kind of dangers every day, not only at the precarious borders, but also within the so-called protected confines of the country, is something we all know. Unfortunately, however, most of us fail to appreciate the gravity of such a situation, or deliberately choose to ignore the perils associated with it, for the army personnel, of course, but, and perhaps even more importantly, for the nation at large. And when someone does try to understand the complexities of such a situation and chooses to follow a path less treaded, he or she is accused of being insensitive to the concerns of the ordinary people of the land, in gross violation of their human rights. Or condemned for taking a stand contrary to that of the majority.

Contrarian or not, my opinion on the Major Gogoi episode is clearly and unequivocally in favour of the officer, who only did what was absolutely correct, and possibly the only sane and logical course of action available to him, in the circumstances.

Unfortunately, there were not many willing to pat his back for his remarkable presence of mind and timely action that probably saved the lives of many of his men, for whom he was responsible as their officer in charge.

Some feel I have gone too far in actually demanding a distinguished services medal for the daring officer. Is that so? Does an army officer not deserve a reward for saving lives? Or is it the destiny of all army personnel to sacrifice their lives, if not to the enemy at the border, then at the hands of the very civilians they are designated to protect? Quite frankly, I am unable to understand the logic-defying argument of the proponents of the school of thinking which treats a jawan’s life with a pinch of salt — as a dispensable commodity.

Nor can I support the view that an army officer should behave like a gentleman, come what may, and whatever the provocation. There is a time and place to be polite and courteous, and a time and place for aggression and retaliation. After all, who can remain unaffected and unprovoked by the sight of the badly mutilated body of an army jawan, and that too during peace time?

Or, for that matter, by reports of the cowardly abduction and killing of a young army officer attending a family wedding on a holiday?

I cannot, and will not accept the argument that reacting or retaliating to such acts is detrimental to peace, and we should, hence, maintain a stoic brave front in the face of such atrocities. Peace, in my opinion, is only possible if the government writ runs large, which, naturally, also means that the Indian Army should have an upper hand to be able to negotiate peace on terms that are favourable to the country and in the interest of its people, including our brave jawans.

This holds good for a volatile state like Jammu and Kashmir, and also for dealing with border conflicts, such as the Indo-Pak border situation. The vulnerability of Indian soldiers in both these environments necessitates some bold steps, including giving a free hand to the Indian army, which cannot possibly fight with its hands tied behind its back. It also requires looking at things through a different lens from the one we have been using all these years. A tooth for a tooth and a nail for a nail may sound a crude way of putting it, but the fact is that brutality and barbarism need to be tackled with an iron fist, which our armed forces can do only if they are freed of the “gentleman’s army” label they have been perforce carrying all these years.

Let me clarify here that what I am advocating is not all-out war. All I am proposing is a tougher national policy for dealing with inimical forces, operating from both within and outside Indian borders. This, and this alone, can lead to the establishment of permanent peace in the long-term. As the chief minister of Punjab, a sensitive state bordering Pakistan, I am fully aware of the dangers of conflict of any kind and do not propound violence as a means for settling issues. At the same time, however, I strongly believe that negotiations for peace can be possible only when both sides are dealing with each other from a position of equal strength. And eventually, peace is what we need if we are to progress as powerful nations, ready to lead the world into a brighter future.

So, whether it is a matter of tackling the Kashmir strife or the issue of mending ties with Pakistan, the key lies in taking a few tough decisions to address tough situations. It is not an easy task, of course. It could not have been easy for Major Gogoi to take that difficult decision which earned him the wrath of human rights activists, but, at the same time, helped save many innocent lives.

Nor will it be easy for the Indian army to shed the gentleman’s tag and adopt a more aggressive role vis-a-vis the enemy. But then, the road to peace is never easy. One just needs to find an easy way to follow a tough course.

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 12

Pakistan Rangers today resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in the Arnia sector of Jammu on the International Border by targeting a Borer Security Force (BSF) team on Friday morning.The BSF retaliated to the firing appropriately and there was no loss of life on the Indian side. However, aBSF man suffered minor bullet injury on his leg.Giving details, the BSF PRO said Pakistan Rangers targeted the BSF domination party in the Arnia sector. “Today, at about 6.30 am, when a BSF operational and area maintenance party was dominating our area ahead of the border fencing in the Arnia area, Pakistan Rangers without any reason, fired at the BSF team. A bullet hit the tractor being used by the BSF in a field and a minor scratch was sustained by the driver,” the PRO said.The BSF gave swift and befitting reply to Pakistani troops, he said. “However, Pak Rangers further tried to vitiate the situation by targeting our duty points with mortar fire, which was also responded in controlled and accurate manner by the alert BSF troops. Intermittent fire continued from the both sides till 8.40 am,” he added.The BSF said soon a strong protest would be lodged with Rangers. “The BSF is on high alert and fully committed to ensure sanctity of the International Border. It will not allow any activities under garb of such misadventure,” the PRO added.BSF sources said so far they had not received information of any loss of life or injury to Pakistan Rangers but they were keeping a close watch on their movement.This year, there have been 24 ceasefire violations by Pakistan Rangers on the International Border. On the Line Control, truce violations by Pak army have become a routine affair.

The remarks in the Chinese daily came after Gen Bipin Rawat last week said India must have close ties with Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan considering the security matrix. File photo

Beijing, May 8

India should not “overly interpret” Beijing’s military development or exaggerate concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a state-run Chinese daily said on Monday, days after the Indian Army chief suggested New Delhi carry out counter-encirclement of its “future adversaries”.    The article in Global Times, a publication of the ruling Communist Party, said India worries that China was intentionally meddling in India-Pakistan disputes, “utilising the CPEC (which runs through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) to grant legitimacy to Islamabad’s control over the disputed region.”      “India is viewing Beijing and Islamabad as potential threats and is suspicious of Beijing’s One Belt and One Road initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),” it said, adding that “India is exaggerating the situation”.“Beijing respects New Delhi’s sovereignty concerns, and is willing to mediate in India-Pakistan disputes, on the condition that it accords to the wishes of both India and Pakistan,” it said.The remarks in the Chinese daily came after Gen Bipin Rawat last week said India must have close ties with Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan considering the security matrix.He said such a strategy will create a two-pronged dilemma for Pakistan, and also help tackle issues with the other difficult neighbour China, suggesting New Delhi should “carry out counter-encirclement for our future adversaries.”Referring to his remarks, the article said China advocates peaceful development and it has and will “never seek hegemony in the region.”China’s defence budget will rise by about 7 per cent this year, the lowest since 2010 and Beijing’s military development is “part of its national construction, and New Delhi should not overly interpret it,” it said.The Indian media suggests that China’s military expenditure for 2017, about 1.3 per cent of the GDP, is three times higher than that of India.“Frankly speaking, even if New Delhi’s military spending is boosted to the same level, India still lags behind its northern neighbour in its military capability. For instance, India’s development of aircraft carrier is very slow despite its early start,” it said.China has one refurbished aircraft carrier and recently launched a homemade carrier, which was expected to take a few years to operationalise. A third carrier is reportedly under construction. — PTI

Chandigarh: Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday cleared the name of Maj Gen SPS Grewal (retd) as the chairman-cum-managing director of the Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corporation (PESCO). A formal order is expected soon. Maj Gen Grewal is from the Corps of Signals. In his last appointment as Chief Signals Officer, Western Command, Chandimandir, he oversaw the Army’s mobile and static communication network in the region. He is also the vice-chairman of the Guardians of Governance scheme, Capt Amarinder’s initiative to involve ex-servicemen in keeping a watch on the implementation of government schemes. The post had been lying vacant since February when the term of the then chairman, Lt Gen Kulip Singh (retd), had finished. PESCO’s mandate is to make efforts for the welfare and economic uplift of the ex-servicemen. TNS

An Indian army soldier patrols near the Line of Control in Poonch district after a ceasefire violation by Pakistan on Monday. PTI

Jammu/New Delhi, May 1The Indian Army-BSF patrol, whose two members were beheaded by Pakistani special forces on Monday, might just have walked into a death trap laid by the enemy, official sources said.The incident in Krishna Ghati sector along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir occurred when a joint team of the army and BSF had gone to check the veracity of an intelligence report that landmines had been planted by Pakistani troops on the Indian side.

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As they were looking for landmines, the patrol was taken by surprise by Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT) which had laid an ambush over 250 metre deep inside the Indian territory.While the Pakistani troops attacked two forward posts with rockets and mortar bombs, the BAT personnel lay in wait for their targets. The Indian army patrol, too, came under fusillade of gunfire, resulting in the death of two soldiers.The BAT personnel quickly moved in and beheaded two fallen soldiers, official sources said in New Delhi.It was still not known if landmines had indeed been planted in the area.K K Sharma, the Director General of BSF, one of whose personnel was killed in the attack and decapitated, met Union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and briefed him on the incident.”It was a pre-planned operation by Pakistan army. They had pushed in the Border Action Team over 250 metre deep inside Indian territory and set up the ambush for a long period to carry out the attack,” a senior officer said in Jammu.”Their target was a patrol party of 7-8 members, which had come out of a post,” the officer said, adding that as the posts were engaged, the patrol team members ran for cover.Two troopers — one of the army and another of BSF — were targeted by the BAT.Head Constable Prem Sagar of 200th Battalion of the BSF and Naib Subedar Paramjeet Singh of 22 Sikh Regiment of the army were killed and their bodies mutilated.The BAT is specifically employed for trans-LoC action.In Pakistan, the SSG (special services group) forms the core of BAT. Its primary task is to dominate the LoC by carrying out disruptive actions in the form of surreptitious raids.BAT attacks in the pastThere have been several BAT attacks in the past in which jawans have been beheaded or their bodies mutilated.On October 28, 2016, militants attacked a post and killed an Indian army soldier and mutilated his body close to the Line of Control (LoC) in the Machil sector.In January 2013, Lance Naik Hemraj was killed and his body mutilated by BAT. It also beheaded Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh. Constable Rajinder Singh of the BSF suffered injuries in the attack.In June 2008, a soldier of the 2/8 Gorkha Rifles lost his way and was captured by BAT in Kel sector. His body was found beheaded after a few days.During the 1999 Kargil conflict, Captain Saurabh Kalia was tortured by his Pakistani captors who later handed over his mutilated body to India. In February, 2000, terrorist Ilyas Kashmiri had led a raid on the Indian army’s ‘Ashok Listening Post’ in the Nowshera sector and killed seven Indian soldiers.Even then, Kashmiri had taken back to Pakistan the head of a 24-year-old Indian jawan Bhausaheb Maruti Talekar of the 17 Maratha Light Infantry. — PTI