Sanjha Morcha

Revise biased promotion policy for Maj Gens: AFT

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 19

Terming the Army’s policy for promotion of Major Generals to the rank of Lieutenant General as “highly discriminatory and devoid of logic”, the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has ruled that present ‘Two Stream’ policy should be reviewed with an aim to open more promotional avenues at the top echelon.Directing the Defence Ministry to complete the exercise within four months and implement the revised policy preferably before the next Special Selection Board due in October 2017, the AFT observed that the present policy denied Major Generals of the Staff stream a chance to be promoted as Lieutenant Generals in the same stream, thereby creating a class within a class.Under the present system, when Brigadiers are promoted to the rank of Major General, and when Major Generals are promoted to Lieutenant General, they are placed in either ‘Command and Staff’ stream or ‘Staff Only’ stream, depending upon their merit.Those in the Command stream get to hold appointments where they can command field formations comprising combat elements, whereas those in the Staff stream are placed at administrative posts in headquarters or static establishments. The Bench also observed that a third category of Major Generals, Non General Cadre, also existed in some support arms and services.Maj Gen KA Muthanna, an infantry officer of 1978 seniority, had moved the AFT contending that Major Generals from the Staff stream were not considered for promotion to Lieutenant General in the staff stream.The two-stream policy was reintroduced by the Army in 2009 after a gap of 16 years, ostensibly to cater to additional vacancies arising out of the implementation of the AV Singh Committee recommendations on cadre review. It was earlier in vogue from 1986 to 1992.The AFT observed that the Defence Ministry had disagreed with Army Headquarters’ recommendations that Major Generals in the staff stream be made eligible for promotion to Lieutenant General in the same stream on the grounds that lack of command experience would result in dilution of the standards.“We strongly feel that re-introduction of the two-stream policy without taking into consideration the view of the Army who are the main stakeholders and the fact of accrual of 55 additional vacancies from 39 to 94 in the rank of Lt Gen, and not opening the avenues for promotion to one category of Major Generals, is beyond comprehension and appears arbitrary and devoid of logic,” the Bench said.“The time is absolutely ripe to have a fresh look at the impugned policy and open avenues for competent Staff Only Major Generals, who are otherwise being wasted out and de-motivated by totally closing their promotional avenues. Their morale is sapped and if they are not to be considered for promotion, a feeling of indifference and disincentive would set in, which is admittedly not good for the organisation,” the Bench observed.The AFT also ruled that though the petitioner has superannuated he will be given consideration in consonance with new policy and if found fit, will be given consequential benefits.

Centre gets 4 months

  • The AFT has told Defence Ministry to implement revised policy within 4 months
  • It observed the ‘Two Stream’ policy was “highly discriminatory and devoid of logic”
  • The aim, it says, should be to open more promotional avenues at the top echelon

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Manali-Leh road opens for traffic

Manali-Leh road opens for traffic
Ladakh lifeline: The Leh-Sarchu-Manali national highway had remained closed for over five months. A file photo

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 16

After remaining closed for over five months, the Leh-Sarchu-Manali national highway has been reopened for traffic. The road serves as a lifeline for the people of Ladakh region ensuring essential supplies as well as stocking for winters when the region remains cut off from the rest of the country.Due to disturbance in Kashmir Valley, this route is used by most civilians and military convoys to reach Ladakh. The 474-km-long highway is maintained by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).In Himachal, BRO’s Project Deepak is responsible for maintaining the 222-km Manali-Sarchu stretch, which include Rohtang and Barlacha passes, while the 252-km stretch in J&K from Sarchu to Leh through the Tanglang, Lachung and Nakki passes is looked after under Project Himank. Around four lakh cubic metres of snow was cleared and alternative routes were cut to avoid sinking of road portions due to heavy accumulation of snow before opening the road for traffic.


Jawan killed in Manipur ambush

Imphal: A jawan was killed and three others were injured when suspected militants ambushed an Assam Rifles party in Ukhrul district of Manipur on Thursday. The ultras exploded an improvised explosive device (IED) at Kashung about 11.15 am, the police said. The deceased was identified as Havildar Rohit. The injured were airlifted to the Leimakhong Army Hospital in Imphal. — PTI

Mistaken for ultra, civilian killed in Army firing in Arunachal

Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, June 15

A civilian was killed by troops of Assam Rifles during a counter-insurgency operation at Kangsa Basti in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh in the wee hours today.Though the Army called it a case of mistaken identity, locals staged a protest alleging that an innocent civilian identified as Thingtu Nimu was shot dead without a reason.Kohima-based defence spokesman Colonel Chiranjeet Konwer said: “The Army had laid an ambush in Kangsa Basti of Changlang district after receiving intelligence inputs about movement of a group of hardcore terrorists in the area. A man made very suspicious movements and on being challenged he rushed towards the ambush party. This forced the Army to open controlled fire, which resulted in his death. It is a case of mistaken identity.”The Army has been engaged in counter-insurgency operations in insurgents-infested Changlang, Tirap and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Myanmar.The killing of the civilian in Changlang district comes just a couple of days after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, during an India-Myanmar border area situation review meeting at Aizawl, told the Assam Rifles, which is operating along the India-Myanmar border, to exercise restrain while dealing with people living in the bordering areas.

Army says…

  • An ambush was laid in Kangsa Basti of Changlang district after the Army received intelligence inputs about movement of a group of hardcore terrorists in the area
  • A man made ‘very suspicious’ movements and on being challenged he rushed towards the ambush party
  • This forced the Army to open controlled fire, which resulted in his death. The Army termed it a case of mistaken identity

 


Bulletproof combat vehicles stationed in border districts

Bulletproof combat vehicles stationed in border districts
Police officials inspect an armoured vehicle in Bathinda on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Pawan sharma

Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda/Faridkot, June 14

The Punjab Police have come out with 16 bulletproof combat vehicles to counter gangsters during encounters.These specially designed, light armoured vehicles based on the Mahindra Scorpio platform and branded as ‘Scorpio Rakshak Plus’ have been stationed at sensitive points in districts on the Indo-Pak border, districts bordering Haryana and Rajasthan and in the Commissionerates of Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar.The plan to purchase these was conceived by the state police after the Dinanagar terror attack when they had to requisition such vehicles from Jammu and Kashmir. But the project has seen the light of day during the incumbent Congress government.“We have got a bullet-proof ‘Scorpio Rakshak Plus’ today. It not only has bulletproof steel shells but also bulletproof glasses with holes for firing from inside the vehicle. There is an opening in the top to mount and operate a light machine gun (LMG),” said Bathinda SSP Navin Singla.MS Chhina, IG, Bathinda zone, said the vehicles would be useful in Bathinda, Mansa, Faridkot, Fazilka and Ferozepur districts, which shared borders with Haryana and Rajasthan and also for police officials deployed in districts along the Indo-Pak border where drug smugglers were active.ADGP (Law and Order) Rohit Chaudhary said these 16 ‘moving bunkers’ have been allocated to border districts and important cities like Bathinda, Jalandhar and Mohali. “Our troops will be ready with minimum response time to tackle any armed conflict with gangsters and other outlaws,” he said.


Pakistan violates truce in KG, Nowshera sectors

Pakistan violates truce in KG, Nowshera sectors
Smoke rises from the area in Nowshera shelled by Pakistan.

Jammu, June 12

The Pakistani army this morning violated ceasefire in the Krishna Ghati sector and Nowshera sector of Poonch and Rajouri district, respectively.“The Pakistani army initiated indiscriminate firing with small arms, automatics and mortars in the Krishna Ghati sector from 6.20 am today. At 8.45 am, the Pakistani army started unprovoked firing with small arms, RPGs, recoilless rifles and mortars in the Lam area of Nowshera sector. The Indian Army responded strongly and effectively,” the Jammu-based defence PRO said.“In the Krishna Ghati sector, the firing ended at 8.15 am, while in the Lam area, it ended at 10.10 am,” the PRO said.Since Saturday night, the Pakistani army has violated the mutually agreed truce on the Line of Control (LoC) six times. The Indian Army has responded in equal measure. Meanwhile, the cross-border firing has brought back fear among people living in villages along the LoC. — TNS


The olive green blood group

From serving in the British Indian Army, fighting in world wars, the India-Pakistan wars, and many others, meet the families who have sent generations to the Armed Forces, and whose history is the history of the Indian Army. What sustains their olive green (OG) fixation

Colonel Sandeep Ahlawat, in front of photos of his ancestors. Photo: Pardeep Gaur/Mint

I am not being sentimental. I’m a very practical person.” Group Captain Shahid Ali Khan Durrani, 81, issues these riders seriously before he adds: “I’ll put on my uniform for the last time before I kick the bucket when Bruno graduates from the military academy as commissioned officer Lieutenant Shahnawaz Ali Khan Durrani.” He enunciates the rank and name with a compere’s boom. When that happens, a third generation will be added to the simple red nameplate outside the house in Lucknow, under the older occupants who opted for the uniform.

Shahnawaz’s grandfather has always called him Bruno after heavyweight boxing champion Frank Bruno and a European gun by that name. Our homegrown Bruno is a good shot and not worried about completing the Services Selection Board (SSB), including the obstacle course (never hesitate before you fling yourself from the platform to grab the rope hanging 5ft away in the Tiger Leap challenge, is standard advice). His main worry is that he is overweight.

(standing, from left) Savit Khanna, Ajay Shah, Bobby Rizvi and Shehzada Kohli with their fathers—all of them served or are serving with 14 Guards.

(standing, from left) Savit Khanna, Ajay Shah, Bobby Rizvi and Shehzada Kohli with their fathers—all of them served or are serving with 14 Guards.

He’s down from 98kg to 73kg when we meet a few weeks before the qualifier exam for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), courtesy a strict 3-hour cardio, weights and functional training regime. He has been on a diet for so long he can’t remember the last time he ate pizza. There is one thing he’s allowed to consume in unlimited quantities: green tea.

Bruno will do whatever it takes to join the army. Ever since he was asked what he wanted to become when he grew up, his response has been unwavering: “I want to be like my father.” He even tried to persuade his best buddy to sign up with him, but Kamran has his own set of clear goals: Get married and go abroad for a master’s in business administration.

I first heard of Shahnawaz’s father, (Retd) Lieutenant Colonel Salim Durrani, in a TEDxGateway talk by former army officer Captain Raghu Raman titled “Our Stereotypes Will Kill Us”. “For over three years, Salim lived in hiding in the Kashmir Valley. He seldom stayed in the same place for more than a couple of nights. He disguised himself to live undetected among the local population and even worked on his dialect to pass off as a local. He is a devout Muslim who prays five times and like a true warrior he is never ever away from his AK-47…”

Three generations of 6 Sikh, (Retd) Colonel Aklesh Kumar Singh, Captain Akshay Kumar Singh, and (Retd) Lieutenant Colonel Avadesh Kumar Singh.

Three generations of 6 Sikh, (Retd) Colonel Aklesh Kumar Singh, Captain Akshay Kumar Singh, and (Retd) Lieutenant Colonel Avadesh Kumar Singh.

Raman was making the point that when we hear a Muslim name, an AK-47 and Kashmir in the same sentence, we jump to a wrong conclusion.

“Salim Durrani is my coursemate…his family has three generations of more than eight officers who have served in the forces, amassing six gallantry medals amongst them. Salim’s son is joining the Indian Military Academy this year to continue the family tradition,” he added.

I picked the Durranis to tell this story, but you probably know a family that has been wedded to the Armed Forces even longer, where generation after generation unhesitatingly opts for the uniform. All the current chiefs of the army, air force and navy have a family connection in the forces. General Bipin Rawat is the son of Lieutenant General L.S. Rawat, Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa’s grandfather was in the army and Admiral Sunil Lanba is the son of Commander Rajendra Singh Lanba.

British officers and Indian sepoys of Hodson’s Horse, a regiment which was raised in response to the 1857 Revolt.

British officers and Indian sepoys of Hodson’s Horse, a regiment which was raised in response to the 1857 Revolt.

The father of Major Som Nath Sharma, the first soldier to be awarded a Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military decoration, was Major General Aman Nath Sharma. Som Nath’s two brothers rose to become generals in the army. The youngest retired as chief of army staff. One of their sisters was a major, the highest rank for a woman then. Both sisters married army men. Two of the 13 children of these five siblings joined the army. “This is just one small piece of my family history,” says one of them, (Retd) Colonel Gautam Shaunik. His wife’s father and grandfather were in the army too. His maternal grandmother, of Hungarian-Russian origin, designed all the gallantry awards. His family’s military history is so deep and intricate that his son Sagat maintains a blog about it.

In 2015, when 26-year-old Lieutenant Arjun Singh Chauhan graduated from the IMA, he became the seventh-generation army officer in his family. His forefathers have fought every big Indian war, beginning with the Battle of Plassey in 1757. His father, (Retd) Colonel Anoop Singh, told The New Indian Express: “A long family tradition has changed the colour of our blood to olive green (OG).”

What draws this family to the Armed Forces? “Frankly speaking, what I value is the friendship more than anything else,” Singh tells me. “You’re part of a very large, well-knit family.” In the age of instant messaging, it’s a family that never wanders too far.

It’s also a bond that extends beyond soldiers. A daughter left alone after her father’s unexpected death is likely to be the catalyst for coursemates to come together online—and in the real world—in a show of family strength.

Three generations of the Durrani family, Shahnawaz, (Retd) Group Captain Shahid Ali Khan and (Retd) Lieutenant Colonel Salim Durrani; Photo: Priyanka Parashar/Mint

Three generations of the Durrani family, Shahnawaz, (Retd) Group Captain Shahid Ali Khan and (Retd) Lieutenant Colonel Salim Durrani; Photo: Priyanka Parashar/Mint

Four generations of Colonel Sandeep Ahlawat’s family have served with Skinner’s Horse, a historic cavalry regiment of thoroughbred horses and charging lancers that is now an armoured regiment of battle tanks and mobile field guns. Something like this is possible because a son is allowed to opt for the same unit as the one in which his father served.

Ahlawat always wanted to join the civil services—his brother was the one who was supposed to join the army—but life’s GPS can often prove unreliable. After his brother cleared the SSB, they discovered he was colour blind. Their father insisted that one of his sons sign up. Now Ahlawat is determined that one of his sons, Shivam, 19, or Shivraj, 15, join the regiment.

“Once a family tradition sets in, it’s a question of the next generation trying to fulfil something the family has ordained for them,” says Salim. Adds his father: “I did influence him, he’s my only son. I spent 25 years in the forces and saw three wars. I had seen the dignity and honour in the forces.”

This tradition is most widespread in army families because it has a longer history than the air force or navy; Indians made up the colonial army too. Often, like in the case of the Durranis, the uniforms can vary from khaki (Salim’s grandfather Nadir Ali Khan was in the police service from 1912-48) to blue (Shahid, as you know, was in the air force) to OG.

In this world of families who opt for the Armed Forces unblinkingly, concepts like respect, valour, honour weigh more than money or the corner office; it’s no wonder that recent controversies over the salaries and pensions of the Armed Forces have upset most men in uniform.

Captain (later General, and Chief of Army Staff) Vishwa Nath Sharma receiving an oil painting of his brother Major Som Nath, Param Vir Chakra (posthumous), from the army; Courtesy Sagat Shaunik

Captain (later General, and Chief of Army Staff) Vishwa Nath Sharma receiving an oil painting of his brother Major Som Nath, Param Vir Chakra (posthumous), from the army; Courtesy Sagat Shaunik

Their homes are museums of medals, citations and a lifetime of adventure. Their walls are festooned with images of their paltans, spouse visits to faraway postings, and handshakes with famous people. Their children grow up across cities, moving frequently and often without their fathers. In these homes, the shoes are spit-polished, women are ma’am-ed and guests always overfed. The manners and hospitality are always impeccable though you might struggle to keep track of the conversation if you’re not familiar with acronyms such as PC, HEPTR, OSL and CI (parental claim, helicopter, overstayed his leave and counter-insurgency, respectively).

Also, the stories are something else.

Like the time Salim and his buddy, Havildar Jagdish, a double gallantry awardee who died last year, had a close call. Back then—between 1998 and 2002—Salim and his paltan were operating undercover in Kashmir, armed with AK-47s that had been captured from militants. The CI expert looked the part with his long beard, shoulder-length hair and Pathan suit. It helped that he’s a real Pathan.

That one time the two men were climbing up a narrow mountain trail, their weapons slung across their shoulders, not expecting trouble. That’s when they saw a man on the rooftop of a dhok, a mountain hut constructed by Bhakkarwal shepherds. He was pointing his gun at them.

“Stop. Who are you?” he said

“Mujahid,” Salim replied.

“Which branch?”

“Lashkar.”

What’s your name?”

“Abu Inzamam” (back then Inzamam-ul-Haq was Durrani’s favourite cricket player.)

“There’s no Abu Inzamam in Lashkar,” the man said, tightening his finger around the trigger.

“I’ve been here two-and-a-half months. Where are you from?” Salim replied.

“HM (Hizbul Mujahideen). You’re a Pathan?”

“Yes.”

“Where are you from?”

Salim named the first place that came to his mind. Bagh in PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir).

“There are no Pathans in Bagh,” the armed man replied.

It was clear to the two soldiers that he was on to them.

“What sort of jihad is this when one mujahid doesn’t recognize another?” Salim said, flinging his weapon away. The terrorist was distracted for a second.

That’s when Jagdish shot him.

Shahid may not be able to compete with the testosterone levels of his son’s stories, but that doesn’t mean his are any less gripping. As the services representative on the Board of Control for Cricket in India, he went on tour as team manager to Australia in 1981. Remember that final game when Sunil Gavaskar, who was having an extremely poor run, suddenly threw a hissy fit? The umpire had called him out, Gavaskar protested but to no avail and after the Indian captain exchanged some angry words with Dennis Lillee, he began walking off the field, dragging fellow batsman Chetan Chauhan with him. “I knew that it could mean us conceding the match or being debarred from international cricket,” says Shahid.

The last family photograph of the Sharmas, with Major Som Nath (seated, left), taken at Rawalpindi in 1947. Courtesy Sagat Shaunik

The last family photograph of the Sharmas, with Major Som Nath (seated, left), taken at Rawalpindi in 1947. Courtesy Sagat Shaunik

He ran down from the terrace dressing room, taking batsman Dilip Vengsarkar with him. “Gavaskar was pushing Chauhan by his neck. Both came up to the rope, I shouted at Gavaskar to come out, told Chauhan to go back and pushed Vengsarkar in. The game carried on,” he says. India won by 59 runs.

In addition to being the person whose stories everyone is drawn to, you also end up being a de facto expert on military history. Four generations of army men, for example, would mean the family’s first military man most likely fought in World War I, its second in World War II, its third in the India-Pakistan wars and its fourth in Kargil.

In the case of the Ahlawats, for instance, the four generations have been part of operations in Kabul and Kandahar, the Boxer Rebellion in China, World War I, World War II, the Liberation of Goa, the India-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971, Operation Vijay, Operation Rhino, Operation Hifazat and Operation Parakram.

Sometimes, the OG narrative weaves through more than one family to create a sturdy quilt of friendships that can envelop the next generation.

“All our four dads were in the unit at the same time,” says Colonel Bobby Rizvi. It was the 1980s and the four boys, Savit, Ajay, Bobby and Shehzada, studied together, lived next door to each other and grew up on a staple of Commando comics. The boys played hockey and cricket and divvied up only to cheer their respective fathers when they played any sport against each other. “We came together at that moment in time,” says Bobby. Eventually, the “pappu party”, as they were nicknamed by the unit, joined 14 Guards, where their fathers had served. In an incredible coincidence, the four boys even went to the Siachen Glacier together. Now they are married and stationed in different corners of the country but their bond is intact. They continue to meet whenever they can—at the silver jubilee of their unit in Patiala, or at a unit officer’s child’s wedding.

The tradition is further reinforced when families enrol their children in a school with a strong military connection. La Martiniere College in Lucknow, the alma mater of Salim and Shahnawaz Durrani, still displays the battle honours it was awarded by the British for its role in defending the Residency during the uprising of 1857. The awkwardness of history is faced head-on here, its mementos carefully treasured. There’s the Gnat aircraft that was nicknamed “Saber-Slayer” in 1965 because it effectively brought down many of Pakistan’s F-86 Saber jets. The first one was shot down by Martinian Trevor Keelor. Trevor and his brother Denzil, also an air force pilot who graduated from this school, were both awarded Vir Chakras.

The cannon used by Lord Cornwallis against Tipu Sultan in Srirangapatna occupies pride of place in the sprawling school grounds. Brevet Major William Stephen Raikes Hodson, who raised Hodson’s Horse, the 4th Horse regiment in the Indian Army, is buried here. Nine of Salim’s classmates joined the army the year he did.

Yet all of this only partially explains why generation after generation of a family continues to pick the Armed Forces when there are so many options available to them. In the digital age, it’s almost other-worldly to encounter families that keep this tradition alive.

Major Som Nath’s nephew Shaunik, whose family history is the history of the Indian Army and whose home is a virtual military museum, now has no family members in the army. “I think if you do a little statistical check you’ll find this phenomenon is much less today than it was in the past. Times have changed, I think,” he says. I was unable to get any data from the army to confirm this. But numbers, even if available, may not show a change.

(Retd) Lieutenant Colonel Kundan Rawat is a fourth-generation army man whose great-grandfather was one of the first to join the Garhwal Rifles in 1891 and who rose to the rank of Subedar Major. Rawat retired early to be around for his daughters. “My father was never available to me, I remember him being there only once during my class IX admission,” he says. Rawat made all his education and career decisions himself. Back in the 1980s, he says, there was a different kind of respect for military personnel. Now, he says, most civilians don’t really know much about the forces. “Despite seeing my rank, people ask, ‘Are you from the army, navy or air force?’” Rawat’s elder daughter Shefali never considered this career, opting to become a hardware engineer instead. He is still hoping his younger daughter, Kshitija, 13, will join the army.

Fewer children of existing officers may be signing up, but the Armed Forces also tell another story of Indian change and the betterment of lives. The story of advancement with every successive generation has played out across professions and the Armed Forces are no different. There are countless examples of a jawan’s sons becoming junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and their sons, in turn, becoming officers.

Colonel Shyam Darshan Pun’s grandfather travelled from Nepal and joined 1 Gorkha Rifles (1GR) as a sepoy instead of becoming a farmer like his father before him. Many Nepalis go back to their country after serving but Asharam decided to stay on and bought a two-bedroom house for Rs500 in Dharamsala cantonment with his pension. The next two generations were born there and most joined the army.

“I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my father and grandfather. It was a matter of great pride for us,” says Shyam Darshan. Now his two sons Shalabh and Sharang both command Gorkha battalions. And Sharang’s 10-year-old son, Samridh, has already decided he will be the eighth family member to join the regiment.

For the children of officers who keep the family tradition going, the reasons are aplenty. Foremost is the love for life they saw their father had and the respect he commanded. This works both ways, for your unit also measures you against your father. “They compare you with your father. My dad was very strict and stern. He rarely smiled. I was more relaxed and cordial. They would say you are totally different,” says Bobby, who finds the army brotherhood even more fulfilling because of his childhood friends.

Then there’s the idea of giving back. “My father made sure none of his children went to Pakistan at the time of Partition,” says Shahid. “Today all of us are proud to say my country gave me much more than I deserved.” His son is a little more circumspect. “As far as the Muslim community is concerned, the Armed Forces are the best option. Your religion is the religion of your troops. That’s all there is to it. I have commanded a Rajput company all my life. I was more Rajput than they were,” says Salim.

As for Shahnawaz, the Tiger Leap went well but he didn’t qualify for the SSB. It doesn’t matter, the 20-year-old is unfazed. “I have already filled up the form,” he told me the day after he got the news.“I’m eligible for 12 more chances, ma’am. I’ll try again in summer.”


Bluestar, the shock & awe by Sandeep Sinha

Bluestar, the shock & awe
Photo for representational purpose only. Tribune file photo

IT was a relaxed morning for us on June 10. A day earlier, our exams for Intermediate in Arts (equivalent of today’s plus two) were over. I was staying in the hostel of St Columba’s College in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand — 45 km from Ramgarh where the Sikh and Punjab Regiments were located. I was making plans for an outing in town with friends before heading for Jamshedpur where my parents then lived. It was forenoon when an order was received from the hostel superintendent, Dr DPL Das, to lock all hostel gates. The word spread that there had been a revolt in the Sikh Regiment in protest against Operation Bluestar in Amritsar. Rebel soldiers had shot Brigadier Puri, the Commandant. The college, built by Irish missionaries in 1899, is located on the Ranchi-Patna highway and the order was a precautionary measure against potential trouble. Some friends rushed to the roof of the adjoining block of the hostel for a view of the highway, which was blocked by trees. We later learnt that the soldiers had taken away fruits being sold on rehris near the bus stand. They had also taken petrol forcibly for their vehicles from a petrol station located in the heart of the town, through which the highway meanders. However, there was no instance of any physical violence. My roommate, Ashutosh Indraguru, now a geologist, had sneaked out and recalled seeing the soldiers waving their guns and shouting slogans as they made their way through the town. An uneasy calm prevailed. The next day was an eventful one. The BSF arrived from Meru, 8 km away, where the paramilitary force has a training centre. Their motorbikes were seen parked near the hostel gate that led towards the highway. A helicopter hovered in the sky. Soon, the Army trucks carrying the rebels were seen making their way back towards Ramgarh. I remember sitting at my favourite Panditji’s teashop and watching the scene unfold. The trucks were not covered and as they passed, we could see the soldiers sitting quietly, their hands tied behind their back with ropes, hair tied in a bun. As we watched in stupefied silence, a sense of shock and disbelief prevailed among the bystanders. Avtar Singh, a Sikh transporter and a family friend based in Hazaribagh, said his bus was sought to be commandeered by the soldiers in Ramgarh. The bus plied on the Hazaribagh-Ramgarh-Patratu route. Showing presence of mind, his driver pulled out the ignition wire and the bus did not start. He was threatened by the soldiers but was eventually let off.When we finally got permission to leave for home, I took a bus for Jamshedpur. As we approached Ramgarh, I could see the heavy Army deployment. Stengun-wielding soldiers were everywhere, including the rocks on the banks of the river Damodar. Later that year, anti-Sikh riots broke out after Indira Gandhi’s assassination. There was trouble in Jamshedpur also. In my teens then, I recall that whenever the police approached, troublemakers would shout, ‘Indira Gandhi amar rahe’.  The police would move on. After so many years, efforts have been made to apply salve on the wounds. One only hopes collective wisdom prevails to keep social harmony intact.


Army repulses infiltration in Uri, 5 militants killed

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 9

Stepping up its offensive against the infiltrators, the Army today killed five unidentified militants when they were trying to sneak into Kashmir from the Uri sector along the Line of Control.The fresh infiltration bid was foiled on the day Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre visited forward areas along the LoC to review the overall security situation.The latest bid was foiled near Gawalthan in Uri, some 120 km from Srinagar, when the Army intercepted a group of infiltrating militants trying to negotiate the LoC to enter into the Valley.“When the militants were challenged, they opened fire, triggering a gunfight. In the gunfight, five militants have been killed so far,” a source said. Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said the operation was still underway in the Uri sector.On Wednesday, an infiltration attempt was foiled in the same sector and in a brief gunfight two soldiers had been injured.Twelve militants have been killed in three gunfights in Nowgam and Machil in Kupwara district and Uri in Baramulla district since Wednesday. A jawan was also killed in one of these gunfights. A large quantity of arms and ammunition has been recovered from the gunfight sites.Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre also visited the forward areas along the LoC in Baramulla district to review the overall security situation.Defence spokesman said Bhamre along with Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen JS Sandhu visited forward areas along the LoC as also the hinterland where he interacted with soldiers and was briefed on the security situation.


Tributes paid to soldier Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre on Friday joined the Army in Srinagar in paying tributes to Rifleman Tara Bahadur Roka who was killed in the Nowgam sector on Thursday. Lt Gen JS Sandhu, Chinar Corps Commander, and all ranks paid homage to the soldier in a solemn ceremony at Badami Bagh Cantonment. “Laying wreath on behalf of the proud nation, the minister saluted the hero’s sacrifice and expressed his condolences to the bereaved family of the martyr who is survived by his parents,” a  defence spokesman said. TNS


Gurmehar joins drive on freedom of expression

Gurmehar joins drive on freedom of expression
Activist Gurmehar Kaur in Jalandhar on Tuesday.

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 6

Delhi University student and martyr’s daughter Gurmehar Kaur today said the country was facing tough times in view of curbs on freedom of speech and expression with regard to both press and students.She was in the city to announce her alignment with Future Talent Society – a students’ group which will hold a national conclave on “Responsible Freedom of Expression”.Asked whether she thought that the country faced an “undeclared emergency”, she said, “I agree to the statement to some extent because if a student’s questioning of violence against a 17-year-old can be blown up into such a huge issue, then we are living in a tough time.”Trolled for her video questioning the ABVP, Gurmehar has ever since been celebrated as a champion for the freedom of speech.Terming it a national students’ movement, society president Gautam Seth said, “The aim of the conclave is to make the forces, working to rob us of our freedom, aware that we are free and our freedom can’t be snatched by anyone. Over 5,000 students and youths from across the country will participate.”Gurmehar said, “What angered me initially was seeing friends with broken wrists and lathi marks. There was a whole bunch of them who returned from the campaign which I had missed due to classes. You can’t impose violence on young girls just because you believe they did something wrong. You can’t do that.”