Ex-servicemen participate in a state-level meeting in Jalandhar Cantonment on Wednesday. Photo: Sarabjit Singh

Jalandhar, August 2

The Guardians of Governance (GoG), a project of the state government, has been combined with ‘Friends of Punjab’ scheme, which is for NRIs. This was announced by Major General SPS Grewal, vice-chairman of the GoG, here today.He said, “Punjab De Mittar (NRIs) and Khushhali De Raakhe (GOG) will work together.”Grewal said, “NRIs want to send money for upgrading their villages but are reluctant to give it to sarpanches fearing it might not be utilised accordingly. From now, the GoG will help such NRIs. They want to help widows in villages who don’t have any kind of support. GOGs will now prepare a list of such women and get their bank account numbers, which will facilitate NRIs to transfer money directly into the women’s accounts.”The GOG vice-chairman said the government had to start the GoG scheme from July 1 but deferred it for want of funds. The scheme was now likely to start in October but the final decision would be taken on August 7 during a meeting with the CM, he added.The GOGs will monitor 20 schemes of the Union and state governments. — TNS 

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 2

Six years after an Army Major posted in North Glacier died due to “thunderstorm and lightening”, his wife still does not know whether the mortal remains shown to her are that of her husband.The “kara” on the wrist of the deceased was not of Major GS Cheema, his wife Sarabjeet Kaur claims. Her efforts to obtain a DNA report from the Army authorities too have proved futile, compelling her to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court.Taking up the petition against the Union of India and other respondents filed in 2013, Justice Rajan Gupta asserted it was inexplicable why the widow of a deceased Major had to knock the High Court doors merely to find out whether the mortal remains sent by the Army authorities were that of her husband. He also questioned the undue delay in furnishing the DNA reportCounsel for the Union of India submitted that the original record would be placed before the Bench on the next date of hearing in August.Granting an opportunity for the purpose, Justice Gupta asserted the Chief of the Army Staff may depute a responsible officer to remain present in court on the next hearing for enabling him to assist the counsel representing the Union of India.“This court shall also be apprised of procedure for identifying mortal remains in case a soldier dies in remote, inaccessible and hostile terrain, whether immediate steps are undertaken for DNA profiling for identifying bodies of such soldiers in case they die in combat, disease, natural calamity or any other reason,” Justice Gupta added.The Bench was earlier told that Major Cheema was stated to have died while he was posted at Ashoka Post in North Glacier. Serving in the 6th Armoured Regiment, he was sent on attachment to 13 Mahar for a year with effect from May, 2011, and thereafter deputed to Ashoka Post in 2011. Justice Gupta said records indicated that a fire had broken out at Ashoka Post on July 20, 2011. The Army’s stand was that Major Cheema had died in a thunderstorm. The mortal remains of the deceased were shown to his wife, but she did not accept these for lack of proof.

Confusion over death

• Major GS Cheema was stated to have died while he was posted at Ashoka Post in North Glacier
• The Army claims he died in a thunderstorm/lightening
• But records indicate that a fire had broken out at the post in the evening of July 20, 2011

Beijing, July 31

Chinese language should be taught in Africa to ward off cut-throat competition from Indian and Japanese businessmen who have in the recent past shown huge appetite for investment and trade with the countries in the region, an article in a Chinese daily said.”One of the toughest challenges the Chinese face as they push for investment in African countries has been the cultural barrier, especially coping with language challenges,” the article in the state-run Global Times said.The article said the efforts by Chinese to learn about and adopt African countries’ different cultures will significantly close the gap between them and local people, boost the working relationship and kill the misunderstandings that have existed between the two for ages.”There is little doubt that when Chinese Africanise themselves, they will increase their bargaining power with local people, in addition to beating emerging cut-throat competition for opportunities, especially from Japanese and Indian businessmen who have in the recent past shown huge appetite for investment and trade with African countries,” it said.Faced with language problems in African countries since their arrival almost a decade ago, the Chinese are also fast learning local languages such as Swahili, which is widely spoken in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Mozambique and Uganda, it said.”The biggest challenge ahead now is for the Chinese to take a step and start teaching Africans their language. Today, most Africans speak languages such as French, German and English, thanks to the colonialists. It is time, too, for the Chinese language to be inculcated in African countries’ education system,” it said.”It is already being done through Confucius Institutes, but the scale is not large enough for the millions of Africans who yearn to learn the “strange” language. More institutions need to be set up, or collaborations with colleges established, so that the Chinese language can be taught as early as when students are at the primary level”, it said. — PTI

new heroes: Promoting Deen Dayal Upadhyaya as an icon is part of the President’s brief.

S Nihal Singh

AN attempt to denigrate Jawaharlal Nehru, the maker of modern democratic India, has been put in high gear with the installation of the new President of the ruling BJP’s choice, Mr Ram Nath Kovind. In his inaugural address, he pointedly omitted Nehru in recalling the good and the great of the Independence movement while elevating the Sangh Parivar ideologue, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, to rub shoulders with Mahatma GandhiThe Sangh Parivar’s problem with Nehru is an old one because everything he stood for — a cosmopolitan mind open to ideas and ideals, whatever their source, and a nationalism rooted in secularism — is anathema to the Parivar. That the Congress he led fell short of these ideals is another matter.Starting with the young, the BJP-led government would rather make Nehru a non-person in common with the practice of traditional Communist regimes which made persons not in favour disappear from history’s pages. But since Nehru played such a key role in modern Indian history, the BJP is indoctrinating the very young unfamiliar with the Independence struggle that he did not exist.The Sangh Parivar’s dilemma is that since its own movements played such a peripheral part in the freedom movement with its ambivalent postures towards a free India — the RSS was in the doghouse for a time in newly-independent India — it has no Independence icons. Apart from appropriating Mahatma Gandhi and Sadar Vallabhbhai Patel, the number two to Nehru, among others, it is hoping that the makers of the Parivar’s ideology, such as it is, will serve the purpose of markers in the New India it wants to create.The BJP’s victory in the 2014 general election, thanks largely to RSS cadres and Mr Narendra Modi’s effective campaigning and planning, was for the RSS manna from heaven. It had come to power at the Centre for the first time under its own steam. The leader chosen by the BJP was cradled in the RSS and the road thus opened was too tempting not to move towards realising its dream of a Hindu India.The contours of the RSS ideology as it is shaping up is becoming clearer even if Mr Modi has to trim it at the edges to rule over a diverse country. RSS ideologues start on a defensive note in the face of historical evidence that in recent centuries, India has been ruled by a succession of Muslim rulers, despite stubborn pockets of heroic resistance. Then came the British who ruled over India for two centuries forming their own Indian army and giving what Napolean called toys — titles big and small — to those who would help the imperial power.One lesson the RSS has drawn from this history is to pretend that the Mughal period did not exist. The other was to imbibe a culture of physical fitness employed figuratively by the obligatory morning drill wearing khaki shorts (now changed to trousers) and using staves for guns.The RSS’s second defence mechanism was to create history of a golden age of renaissance in ancient India, with planes flying, operations being performed for head transplants and various forms of modern technology already prevalent in the blessed land of old India.These sentiments underpin the RSS philosophy that India has to teach the world, not learn from it. It follows therefore that the narrow form of nationalism it espouses is the best in the world. And since all these virtues spring from the sagacity and penance of Hindus, they should lay down the law. After all, in their view, all minorities are converts from Hinduism.To rule a country as ethnically and religiously diverse as India on the basis of this foundation of beliefs he largely shares is Mr Modi’s problem. His difficulties mount as cow vigilantes murder and run riot behaving as if the Hindu rashtra had already arrived. No wonder that Muslims in particular are feeling insecure, as retiring Vice-President Hamid Ansari took pains to point out distressing BJP supporters, including his successor.The anti-Nehru campaign gathers force in the meantime. The Nehru memorial is to house representations of all former Prime Ministers. Cultural and social research organisations have acquired pro-BJP heads contributing their might to embellishing the myths of the glories of India.India is not singular in this “retro” movement. US President Donald Trump is one example and two European countries have also shown the way. Hungary under the leadership of Mr Viktor Orban is a believer in an “illiberal democracy”. Poland with its new conservative party in power is making short work of its impartial judicial system. They are both members of the EU, which is seeking to discipline them, to little effect thus far.In India, preparations for the 2019 election will decide the pace at which the Hindutva movement will spread. The BJP’s singular fixation is to win the remaining states. Witness the extraordinary step by Mr Modi in seeking to bring Tamil Nadu’s two AIADMK factions together even as rival Sasikala is cocking a snook at the process from her Karnataka jail cell. Mr Nitish Kumar is already in the net at the expense of the Bihar grand coalition and is now being asked formally to join the National Democratic Alliance.The Sangh Parivar believes that the momentum is with it as the date for the next general election approaches. Removing Nehru from the pedestal he rightly occupies as the key maker of modern India has to be demolished, BJP president Amit Shah recently damning him for borrowing Western ideas. The danger for the BJP is that Nehru’s legacy still lives and is part of national consciousness.The stance of President Kovind in prioritising Sangh Parivar philosophy, despite his disavowal of party loyalties, will be determined by his future moves. Promoting Deen Dayal Upadhyaya as a national icon is in his brief. If the Sangh Parivar is allergic to Nehru, he should not lend his voice to a partisan agenda.

In the first of a two part series on ammunition shortages in the army, Gautam Moorthy and Syed Ata Hasain write that governments in the past appeared to believe the threat of conventional war to be negligible enough not to warrant even making up of deficiencies, let alone a sustained build-up. Read the second part. 

Gautam Moorthy & Syed Ata Hasnain

Two major heart-warming decisions by the government: the first came before the Doklam standoff and the second even as the Chinese continue to blow hot and hot with intimidation, threats and rhetoric.

The Army has been delegated special financial powers by the government to make up its critical deficiencies in ammunition and spares. This was received with much satisfaction among those whose responsibility it is to ensure that the fighting troops get the wherewithal to implement the military goals set out for them.

Setting a figure of Rs 40,000 crores for this is not a small sum even though making up critical deficiencies may need much more.  Then the Ministry of Defence (MoD) demanded an additional of Rs 20,000 crores, presumably for the current annual defence budget  for the purpose of once again making up deficiencies in ammunition and spares. The latter presumption is a fair one considering that acquiring weapon systems at this stage to meet the Chinese threat may be too little, too late.

Some have even put a number on it: about Rs 98,000 crores if we wish to make up ammunition for the 40 day-reserves by 2019.

Governments in the past appeared to believe the threat of conventional war to be either non-existent or negligible enough not to warrant even making up of deficiencies, let alone a sustained build-up. Or perhaps the view was that we have lived with the deficiency for many years and could do so for some more, in the absence of ‘real threats’. The real threat seems to be upon us now and the procedure to release and delegate additional funds has been in progress for the last few months.

The current government has fathomed the seriousness of the issue and has moved to empower the Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) to move ahead without the Army having to look over its shoulder. It is a critical decision for the Army whose current holdings of major war fighting equipment cannot be effectively brought to bear on the enemy and would be rendered ineffective in the absence of critical spares and ammunition.

So what has actually been done? First of all, and perhaps a case of better late than never, the government has finally accepted the inability of the ordnance factories to meet the annual targets set by the army, targets that the factories themselves agree to. Ten separate contracts in respect of various ammunition items have been signed under the delegated financial powers of the VCOAS.

To diversify the supply chain, the army is procuring ammunition from private industry as well as public sector undertakings (PSUs), a domain that was entirely of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) until now.  It is also in keeping with the Make in India philosophy. ‘Requests For Proposals’ for various types of ammunition items, 22 in all, have been issued to Indian companies for the first time in history since Independence. Invitation of
bids have been asked for supplying yearly quantities, for a contractual period of ten years under ‘Manufacture of Ammunition for Indian Army by Indian Industry’ initiative.

Full powers have to be given to the Army HQ to procure operationally critical ammunition and spare parts. Additional steps include monitoring of delivery to the Army by the manufacturers by fixing numerical targets instead of financial targets, strict budgetary controls, an eagle eye focus on quality and an increase in storage capacities.

Critical equipment, ammunition and spares have to be put in the hands of the fighting formations early enough, perhaps as early as to empower and enable our formations not to be deterred by the bellicose Chinese threats and propaganda.

Consequent to the devastating fire that took place last year in the ammunition depot at Pulgaon near Nagpur that killed 19 people, the MoD, has approved a procedure for disposal of dangerous ammunition and regularisation of losses for defective ammunition to bring in accountability in the functioning of ammunition factories that are under the OFB, which till now were not held accountable. However, much remains to be done on the major issue of quality checks during manufacturing.

Lt. Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd), a former GOC of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, is associated with the Vivekanand International Foundation and the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. Twitter: @atahasnain53

Lt Gen Gautam Moorthy, former DG Ordnance Services, is now a part of the
Armed Forces Tribunal at Kolkata. Twitter: @GautamMoorthy ‏

Dear Veterans,

Sanjha Morcha team has decided to collect donations from all segments of society including Veterans for upkeep of Martyrs Statues in all States.

Today we know that Defence forces are loosing its respectability and dignity due to our own elected representatives either at state level or at National Level.

The basic reason is that our commanders are more prone to maintain discipline and wait for orders from the Politicians who are clueless about the role and functioning of the Armed forces.

The Defence forces are compared with the Para Military forces and picture is painted by our political leaders in favour of Police forces not defence Forces. The police forces has started getting gallantry awards primarily meany for defence forces.This has further brought down the status of Defence forces in the eyes of citizens.

Nothing can be done or undone till we get a full time and pro Defence Minister and our commanders take collective stand to stop  degradation of the Status of Defence forces .

Further the erosion of respectability has been done and is still deteriorating due to continuous Agitation at Jantar Mantar as veterans are being projected as Labour Union leaders fighting for their demands.

Its high time that The Battalion Commander of Jantar Mantar Regiment Maj Gen Satbir Singh along with his s second-in-command Brig JS Sandu and troops must call off JM agitation and get in to some constructive work in the welfare of ESM widows,Martyrs Families instead of seeking Votes to become Chairman of IESM and keep collecting donation by misguiding Veterans especially JCO/OR. Must forget to claim for Rajiya Sabha seat for  Maj Gen Satbir as was demanded by Brig JS Sandhu at a GOG briefing at Jallandhar for Punjab ESM

 Earlier Sanjha Morcha got lot of Donations for Nepal Disaster to the tune of Rs 4 Lakhs for the Prime Minister Relief Fund in the form of cheques but same were returned to the Donates as PM did not abide by his promise for Grant of OROP as per Rewari promise made to ESM before elections.

Now Sanjha Morcha has taken a vow to maintain the Martyrs Statues in all states by forming team of ESM where ever Statues are Installed.

It is a wastage of time and high expectations even from the Station Commanders what to expect from  civil Administration. Though  DC over looks all problems of ESM through  Deputy Director Sainik  welfare Officer of every state .

The DDSW are the last ones to look into maintenance of the Martyrs Statues to ensure that they are kept Neat and Clean at least once in a Month . If we as Veterans fail to provide due respectability to our own brothern  Statues what can you expect from any civilian organisations. 

As  a motivation factor the NCC training programme need to be revised and they should be taught about the war heroes who won gallantry awards and even Cadets can be made to assist in maintenance by washing it once in a month which will be motivation factor for the students and automatic respectability will be given by public too.

The donations received by Sanjha Morcha will be displayed on the Web site with Rank Name and amount along with Address and cheque photo will be uploaded without the account Number.

The donations received will be accounted separately for each State and will be uploaded as per State donations.

Sanjha Morcha will nominate or pick up Volunteer ESM who will be willingly take the responsibility. These teams can hire Labour and payment will be reimbursed  by Sanjha Morcha as per demand received and with authenticity of picture of the Statue Maintained. A normal Labour now day may cost Rs 500/- per day. We expect two labour Cost per month amounting to Rs 1000/-. Any material  purchased for painting will also be reimbursed by Sanjha Morcha.

The family/Relatives  of the Martyrs will be equally involved in the Maintenance and on every anniversary the Status would be garlanded apart from garlanding every month after the maintenance.

Further details will be worked out its just the idea to begin with.

Veterans are requested to forward their views at Sanjha Morcha email ID and the same contents of emails with suggestion by the Vetran will be uploaded on the web site along with Photographs of the donor.

In Punjab The GOG( Gurdian of Governance )  members who would be ESM may be given responsibility if approved the the Chairman Capt Amarinder Singh and Sr Vice chairman  Lt Gen TS Shergill and Vice Chairman Maj Gen SPS Grewal.

#############################

Email ID—-sanjhamorcha303@gmail.com

DONATION CHEQUES OR DIRECT RTGS 

Bank Details:
Name Of Account:
Ex-Servicemen Joint Action Front(Sanjha Morcha)

Account No: 

7386000100000193

Name of Bank:

PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK

RTGS/IFSC Code(for e transfer):

PUNB 0738600
Postal Address of Bank:

SCO145,SECTOR 40C CHANDIGARH(U.T)160036

:

File photo of the Supreme Court

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 13

Maintaining that indiscipline by Army men can’t be taken lightly, the Supreme Court has set aside an order of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) that had reinstated an Indian Air Force Corporal despite finding him guilty of unauthorised absence from duty for one-and-a-half years.A Bench of Justices Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy and AM Khanvilkar said such serious misconduct amounted to indiscipline and cannot be countenanced. It came down heavily on Nallam Shiva for overstaying his casual leave period without informing his seniors. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The SC, however, modified the order of dismissal from service to one of discharge from service after Shiva’s counsel submitted that an order of dismissal would come in the way of his re-employment anywhere else.Shiva had joined the IAF on March 28, 2006, and in due course of time was promoted to the rank of Corporal. While serving in that capacity, he overstayed the casual leave granted to him from October 20, 2012, till November 4, 2012, until April 11, 2014, allegedly due to his ill-health and family problems.Resultantly, he was tried before the District Court Martial in November 2014. The disciplinary authority sentenced Shiva to undergo punishment of four-month rigorous imprisonment, dismissed him from service and also reduced his rank. He challenged the order before the AFT on the ground that he overstayed because of compelling circumstances due to a matrimonial dispute and illness of his father, resulting in mental disturbance.Noting that it was Shiva’s first offence, the AFT held that the punishment was excessive and disproportionate and ordered reinstatement. It said he deserved a chance of being rehabilitated in service. It was this order of the AFT that was challenged before the SC.Justice Khanwilkar said, “He did not bother to intimate his whereabouts either to his superiors or to the nearest military station. If he was suffering from any illness or for that matter if his father suffered a paralytic attack, he ought to have gone to the Military Hospital. However, he did not choose to go to the hospital but to a quack.”

The Army holds a flag march in Panchkula ahead of the sentencing of the dera chief in Rohtak on Monday. Tribune photo: Ravi Kumar

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, August 28

After witnessing violence on August 25, which resulted in over 32 deaths and injuries to more than 200, normalcy returned to Panchkula today. As no incident of clash was reported after the CBI court pronounced 20-year imprisonment to the Dera Sacha Sauda chief, schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain open tomorrow.After the CBI court verdict, the Army, paramilitary forces and the Haryana Police conducted a flag march in Panchkula to ensure law and order.Panchkula Deputy Commissioner Gauri Parashar Joshi said schools, colleges and other educational institutes would remain open tomorrow.Panchkula Police Commissioner AS Chawla said no incident of violence was reported from any part of the district. The entire district remained peaceful today. Checking at entry and exit points would continue in the coming days, he said. Today, the security forces had barricaded the entire District Court Complex and the district administrative complex in Sector 1.At the entry and exit points of Panchkula, the police were deployed and they were checking suspicious vehicles. Inside the city, the traffic movement was normal.The Deputy Commissioner said the Army was still on the “moving mode” in Panchkula district. On derequisition of the Army, she said they would take a call in this regard tomorrow.Industrial Area to be openOffice-bearers of the Panchkula Beopar Mandal and the Industries Association said shops and industries in Panchkula district would remain open and fully functional tomorrow.People not allowed to enter MDC police stationAs the fire engine and 29 luxury vehicles, which were part of the dera head’s convoy, were parked in the Mansa Devi Complex (MDC) police station, the public was not allowed to enter inside it. Paramilitary forces were deployed inside the police station to keep the public away from these vehicles.Decision on Army derequisition todayPanchkula Deputy Commissioner Gauri Parashar Joshi said the Army was still on the “moving mode” in Panchkula district. On derequisition of the Army, she said they would take a call in this regard on Tuesday.No violence reported from districtNo incident of violence was reported from any part of the district. The entire district remained peaceful on Monday. Checking at the entry and exit points will continue in the coming days. —AS Chawla, Panchkula Police Commissioner

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 24

The Cabinet today took a number of important decisions, including approval to the ‘Guardians of Governance’ (GoG) scheme, formation of a sub-committee to work out modalities for closure of two state-owned thermal plants that had exceeded 25-year lifespan, one-time settlement scheme for rice millers and extension to service providers in the Veterinary Department.Besides, the Cabinet approved formulation of the District Mineral Foundation Rules to ensure implementation of development programmes in the areas affected by mining in the state.Besides ensuring compliance with the conditions imposed in the Environment Clearance and Mining Plan, the District Mineral Foundation Rules will enable the department concerned to take preventive measures to check illegal mining.Under the ‘Guardians of Governance’ scheme, which is aimed at ensuring efficient and effective implementation of government schemes at grassroots level, a monitoring mechanism has been put in place to ensure its smooth functioning at village, cluster, tehsil and district levels.The GoG scheme would be launched in a phased manner over a period of three years.The one-time settlement policy for defaulter rice millers paves the way for recovery of Rs 2,000 crore-Rs 2,400 crore of the whopping Rs 3,500-crore outstanding payments against undelivered rice.The Cabinet approved allotment of land to six entrepreneurs who ran their business from rented old sheds of Rural Industrial Development Centre (RIDC) in Banur.The land on which their units were located had been given to the Centre for establishment of Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI).As many as 16 additional information technology assistants will be engaged for administrative secretaries/secretaries to enable them monitor, review and implement the e-governance projects effectively. The assistants will be hired on outsourcing basis.During the meeting, the Cabinet also okayed raising the paddy procurement share of rice shellers located in border areas and constituting a three-member committee to fix and ensure minimum payment to labourers working in mandis in the ensuing procurement season.

DSP post for Harmanpreet

• The Cabinet okayed appointment of cricketer and Arjuna Award recipient Harmanpreet Kaur as DSP in the state police
• It also approved government jobs to two children of martyr Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh, who was beheaded by Pakistani troops near the Line of Control in May this year