Tribune News Service
Sangrur, October 28
An Army aspirant allegedly committed suicide by jumping before a train near his village, Uppli, last night.The Government Railway Police (GRP) handed over Vikramjit Singh’s body to his relatives after a post-mortem examination.Sangrur GRP munshi Karnail Singh said Vikramjit, 22, was depressed for the past month after he failed to clear the medical test for Army recruitment.
Two major inputs regarding the case in the Supreme Court on the non-functional upgradation (NFU), granted to all other central services, except the military, are doing the rounds on social media.
The first is a report in the press highlighting the ministry of defence (MoD) and the armed forces headquarters (AFHQ) locking horns over the draft equivalence committee report. The second is a statement made by army chief Gen Bipin Rawat while addressing officers in Srinagar that the NFU case may be lost because the government considers the armed forces neither as a group-A nor a group-B service, but distinct altogether.
The case is scheduled to come up for its final hearing on October 26.
The MoD has taken it upon itself to work out the equivalence between the AFHQ civilian and the military cadre, ignoring the warrant of precedence (WoP) issued by the ministry of home, which is responsible for setting the order of seniority between services and ranks. The army member disagreed with the draft report, which has been supported by the service chiefs. The MoD has basically adopted its own calculations to adjust the additional vacancies allocated to it by the cabinet. Their claim that this seniority adjustment is solely to coordinate functioning at the service headquarters and MoD level is adding insult to injury, as it would make service officers subservient to those junior in service, experience and age.
India is possibly the only country among top military powers with a completely civilian-run MoD, seeking to downgrade those whom it controls, rather than working together to resolve pending issues. It spends more time delaying military demands and requests, battling for supremacy over the uniformed, enjoying the perks of the military, without any responsibility and accountability. Downgrading of seniority levels would give more decision-making powers to those who have no understanding of defence and security issues, other than that obtained from perusing files.
Repeated demands for amalgamating the service HQs and the MoD for greater transparency, better understanding, speedy decision-making and cohesive working have only run into stone walls. The military brass has realised, knowing the working of the government, that if it accepts this insult even once then it would remain for eternity. MoD’s downgrading would be adopted almost immediately by the ministry of home, resulting in a fresh and degraded new WoP.
Are photo-ops by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with troops only for elections and he has no genuine concern?
Downgrading the military would adversely impact its morale at every level. Hence, it would be fought tooth and nail and rejected at the service HQs.
The bureaucracy, supported by the government, having lost all avenues in the NFU battle in the courts attempted to establish additional roadblocks. It first sought to degrade the armed forces from a grade-A service to a grade-B service through the equivalence commission. If the armed forces would have accepted it, the decision would have been in their favour. When it realised that this is likely to be prolonged and the service chiefs are unlikely to give in, despite pressures, mainly due to internal ramblings and morale, it adopted a different approach.
The new approach is to classify the armed forces as neither grade-A nor grade-B service. The logic flows from the fact that only armed forces officers are commissioned with the commissioning certificate signed by the President of India, while all other services are not. Hence, it does not come in either category and should thus be denied a benefit announced for grade-A services alone.
Where was logic when the armed forces were let down in every pay commission? Where was it when the armed forces and civilian services were equated based on Grade Pay through the decades and multiple pay commissions? Where was it when privileges including travel benefits were announced based on grade pay? Why has it come up now, when every other argument has failed? Is this solely the handiwork of the bureaucracy or are the politicians a part of the game to intentionally lower the morale of the armed forces?
If the government considers inter-service seniority based on salaries, then why should the military be considered separate, when it comes to the NFU? If the WoP does not consider it as a separate entity, then why should it be changed now? Has the tacit approval of the Department of Personnel and Training, which is directly under the PMO, been obtained.
Are photo-ops by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman with troops only for elections and they have no genuine concern? The morale is already being affected within the service, which is not an ideal state for the nation.
Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman with defence personnel.
The inputs on the above issues are being moved rapidly through social media in all service groups. Questions are being raised on whether the government is truly concerned about the welfare of the serving officers or is the bureaucracy leading it by the nose. The veterans are aghast at this attitude of the government. They are aware of inter-service rivalry and jealousy, especially since the armed forces are more respected in the society, but the government allowing the bureaucracy a free run to hurt the uniformed, is crossing tolerable levels.
The veterans are likely to attend the final hearing in strength and have also planned a mega rally in support of the serving at the end of this month. This is one battle which the armed forces cannot afford to lose, despite government inaction. It can only be won, if the service HQs puts its weight behind the battle. A few stalwarts have taken the government to court, reached the final stage, in a battle which would immensely benefit present and future generations of those serving. They must be applauded and supported for their efforts. This is a battle for rights which must be fought to the end.
The service HQs should join their serving cadre in this battle, rather than consider the government line or promises of subsequent release, as it is known that democratic governments, especially in India, make promises solely to break them. Granting of NFU would enhance morale, bring in equivalence between the civil cadre and the armed forces, wherever they are jointly employed and restore its standing and prestige. Losing the battle would result in just the opposite, a disgruntled force, blaming the hierarchy for lack of support and losing faith in the system.
For those who respect and have faith in the armed forces, this is your moment, spread the message, expand your reach, let the government know that they cannot play with those who have no public voice, no power to object and are always there for the nation, securing it daily, even at the cost of their lives. Let this battle have your support and blessings. The armed forces need the support of the nation now.
Majid Jahangir
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, October 2
Five militants were killed as the Army foiled two infiltration attempts in north Kashmir on Monday.Three militants were killed when an infiltration bid was foiled in Tangdhar in the frontier Kupwara district —- the sector that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited on September 29 during her two-day trip to the state.In Tangdhar, over 150 km from Srinagar, the infiltration was foiled in the wee hours when the Army noticed suspicious movement. The group opened fire when challenged, triggering a fierce gunfight. “Three terrorists have been killed in the sector,” Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said.While the search operation was being carried out in the dense forest of Tangdhar, two militants were killed in a gunfight in Rampur, Uri. The infiltration at Torna in the Rampur sector, over 110 km from Srinagar, was foiled when soldiers noticed the movement of armed militants close to the Line of Control. The militants when challenged, opened fire, leading to a gunfight.“Two terrorists were killed in the gunfight and two weapons were recovered. The search operation is still in progress,” said Colonel Kalia. The identity of the slain militants could not be established. Maj Gen RP Kalita, General Officer Commanding of the Baramulla-based 19 Infantry Division, said that 60 to 70 militants were waiting at the launch pads along the LoC from Gulmarg to Nowgam, which is being guarded by his division. He stated this on the sidelines of a function in Gulmarg.In the past eight days, four infiltration attempts, mostly in and around the Uri sector, have been foiled by the Army, leaving ten militants dead.
Cop shot dead by ultras in PulwamaA policeman was gunned down by militants in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday evening. The police said Head Constable Ashiq Hussain was shot and critically wounded at Padgampora in Awantipora when he was on his way home. Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a manhunt.
Two policemen injured in Baramulla grenade blastSrinagar: Two policemen were injured on Monday evening when militants lobbed a grenade at a joint police and Army checkpoint at Juhama in Baramulla. “Around 7 pm, militants riding a motorcycle made an about-turn while seeing a naka party. As they were challenged to stop, one of the two militants on the motorcycle hurled a grenade towards the naka party. Two policemen received minor injuries in the blast,” a police spokesman said. The area was cordoned off to trace the militants.
An Indian Army paratrooper with the 50th Independent Para Brigade examines an M4 carbine. | Source: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod)
There have been multiple attempts to attack India around the anniversary of the 2016 surgical strikes. India shouldn’t hesitate to strike back at Pakistan.
Over the last many years it is an expected phenomenon that when an important international personality, especially from the US, visits New Delhi there is an attempt by Pakistan and its proxies to grab headlines in the media through some spectacular acts of violence. The most important such event one can recall was the high profile visit of then President Bill Clinton on 19 March 2000, which saw the Chittisinghpura carnage in Anantnag district with 36 members of the minority Sikh community being gunned down.
US Defence Secretary James Mattis, a man credited with having withstood the Trump idiosyncrasies and protected the space of the US Military, came calling to New Delhi at a significant time. In the follow up after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with President Trump, the US has made some relevant noises against Pakistan and its insincerity with reference to transnational terrorism and the pursuit of peace in Afghanistan. None of that has manifested in any action against Pakistan and that country merrily continues to exercise its strategic independence and pursue its interests including further strengthening its relationship with China.
Perhaps just coincidentally the visit of the US Defence Secretary comes just around the first anniversary of India’s surgical strikes in 2016, which were in response to the Pakistan-sponsored terror attack at the Uri brigade headquarters base six kilometres inside the LoC. The LoC and Kashmir have been rife with attempts at resurgence of violence this week.
Four terrorists appear to have infiltrated through the South Jhelum defensive line in Uri sector with the aim of probably targeting the artillery gun positions near village Kalgai on the Uri – Kaman Post – Muzaffarabad road. The aim appeared to have been a repeat of the Uri attack with a possible intent of sending a message of capability to hit an even more important military asset than just an administrative base. In such situations psychological messaging is usually attempted, but Pakistan probably attempted to bite more than it could chew.
I recall, as a former Commander of the Uri Brigade, that we had sightings of terrorists near Kalgai on more than one occasion even 15 years ago. The Indian Army’s active patrolling and intelligence system is effective as has been proven this time; the sighting of terrorists in army uniforms and a quick response saved the day with the killing of all four terrorists.
However, South Jhelum is getting increasingly more vulnerable. The LoC between Kaman Post (Aman Setu) and Salamabad where the transit facility for the Muzaffarabad bus service exists, is a stretch which was extremely active and very prone to infiltration through the Nineties. The Commander of the Uri Brigade, late Brigadier Sridhar was killed in an IED attack on his vehicle placed probably by infiltrators in the mid-Nineties. However, for the last few years this has been a quiet area compared to the activities in the North Jhelum sector from where routes go directly along the mountainous jungle tracts to Baramula.
It is in North Jhelum that the other operation was almost simultaneously undertaken which resulted in the killing of the notorious Qayoom Najjar of Hizbul Mujahideen at a village called Lachhipura on the north bank. Najjar became well known after his feud with Hurriyat leader SAS Geelani and the targeting of mobile towers two years ago. He apparently had made up with the Hizbul Mujahideen leadership after exfiltration last year.
In a probable act of desperation, Hizbul Mujahideen was trying to infiltrate him from a difficult route over a 12,000 feet high pass when he met his doom down below in Lachhipura. The obvious deduction is that there is a lack of leadership within the Hizbul Mujahideen and Zakir Moosa’s (leader of the al Qaeda sponsored Ghazwat ul-Hind) presence is causing some ripples, hence the desperation to get Qayoom Najjar back. Operation All Out of the Indian security forces has definitely had its impact. Sustaining that through winter will be the key.
There is also a report of an attempted action by a small Border Action Team of the Pakistan Army, which usually combines with a few highly trained terrorists, against one of our deployments in Keran sector. This was expected around the anniversary of the surgical strikes. The BAT action has been beaten back, but more can be expected in some of the remote parts of the LoC where response takes time. Parts of Gurez and Gulmarg sector remain vulnerable to this.
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat’s warning that his troops could execute another surgical strike is a timely one at a time when much of the analytical strategic literature is alluding to the surgical strikes being something which cannot be easily repeated. It is good to see this notion being laid to rest by the Army Chief.
The successful action by Indian Special Forces against the NSCN (K) in the Mon sector of Nagaland also could not have come at a better time. It adds to the required confidence.
A reverse action against a Pakistan post on the LoC will very much be in order without the usual garb of having to target terror launch pads. When we have the fullest evidence of Pakistani troops being involved in operations against our soldiers there needs to be no remorse at striking back.
click to open the article of Economic Times
NEW DELHI: The first three women fighter pilots of the country are set to script history next month when they will fly military jets after completing a strenuous training in the coming three weeks.
Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singhwere commissioned as flying officers in July last year, less than a year after the government decided to open the fighter stream for women on an experimental basis.
“You will be glad to know that their performance has been on par with other pilots despite the streneous and demanding nature of flying,” Chief of Air Staff B S Dhanoa said addressing a press conference.A senior IAF official involved in training of the three women pilots said they will steer the combat jets next month.Currently, the three women pilots are flying Hawk advanced jet trainersThe IAF chief said the next batch of three women trainee pilots has been selected for the fighter stream in July and is presently undergoing stage-2 of fighter pilot training.
“On successful completion of training, the three women fighter pilots will be commissioned into the fighter stream in December this year,” Dhanoa said.
AMBALA: To mark ‘infantry day’, Kharga Corps Commander General JS Negi on Friday laid wreath at the war memorial in cantonment and paid tributes to the martyrs who had laid their lives in the service of the nation.
An army release said the infantry is the largest component of the Indian Army and has been manning the most difficult borders ranging from Arunachal Pradesh to Jammu and Kashmir, by braving the most extreme weather and eating dehydrated rations.
The release said on infantry day, a battalion of 1 SIKH had landed in Srinagar in 1947 to protect the valley from Pakistani Raiders. Kashmir was won by the Indian Army by pushing back the Pakistanis across the most difficult terrains in the world. The line where the winning streak of the Indian Army was stopped due to a UN-declared ceasefire is what we call as the ‘Line-of-Control’ (LOC), the released said.
