Monthly Archives: August 2018

George Fernandes took to the job of the defence minister with gusto and a purpose that left a lasting impact. 

As India’s defence minister, George Fernandes was hosting his counterpart from a newly independent Central Asian Republic in 1999.

Suddenly, the visiting defence minister walked around the banquet table carrying a wrinkled plastic duty free bag for George Fernandes. He then pulled out a beautifully crafted horse whip. And in a rather dramatic fashion, he said something in Russian. It even made his translator’s cheeks go red.

I was the only journalist at the banquet. George Fernandes had a penchant for taking select journalists to events that would have a policy impact rather than be an immediate breaking news story. But even if I wanted, what he said in Russian was unprintable back then.

Everyone at the banquet was surprised when the translator said, still blushing: ‘we use this whip on the steppes, and this is for India to use in its neighbourhood’.

George Fernandes thanked him with a smirk. Because he had been doing just that in the recent past.

Also read: George Fernandes wouldn’t fix his broken gate, washed his clothes & was a teetotaller

Fernandes had ordered the Army to conduct a top-secret raid across the Line of Control that till today remains the only one that completely achieved its political-military objectives. It was never reported in the Indian media. There were reports in the Pakistani media, but those have now been taken down.

At that time, nobody called them surgical strikes, and they weren’t tom-tommed either, for they were a fairly common occurrence. That raid remains the most devastating in terms of lives taken, and the only one, which had the greatest impact on Pakistani activities. Rawalpindi ceased doing what it had been up to, and hasn’t repeated them since then.

With his crumpled look and trade union baggage, George Fernandes made for an unlikely choice as defence minister. But he took to the job with gusto and a purpose that left a lasting impact.

Also read: How a ‘viral’ image helped Mangalore’s George Fernandes win Bihar poll in absentia

At a breakfast interview, where I had gone to do a profile for The Indian Express, he said that his readings over the years had included various international defence journals. He added that this knowledge had never found an outlet in his political activities. It was soon evident when he began to take decisions that were sharp and without remorse.

Throughout his tenure as defence minister, George Fernandes’ main obsession was Siachen. At the Base Camp where he met me before undertaking yet another visit to a post, he remarked that this was his 16th tour. He had undertaken enough visits to qualify for a Siachen ribbon.

His empathy for the soldier was such that nothing else mattered. He even ordered a couple of Ministry of Defence bureaucrats to be sent to Siachen. This was because they had been delaying the purchase of snow scooters for troops deployed there. The officials wanted to know how was the procurement financially justified. He made them find the answer by sending them, without remorse. Just as he did by being the only defence minister to have sacked a service chief.

Also read: George Fernandes, firebrand socialist leader who rose above identity politics

The author is a Congress leader and a former Editor-in-Chief of Defence & Security Alert

Women will be inducted in a graded manner to eventually comprise 20 per cent of total Corps of Military Police, the official handle of the defence minister tweeted.

Union Minister of Defence Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the government has taken a “historic” decision to induct women in the military police with an aim to enhance their representation in the armed forces.

Women will be inducted in a graded manner to eventually comprise 20 per cent of total Corps of Military Police, the official handle of the defence minister tweeted. Their role would range from probing rape and molestation cases to assisting the Army wherever required.

“To improve the representation of women in our armed forces Smt @nsitharaman takes a historic decision to induct women for the first time in PBOR (Personnel Below Officer Rank) role in Corps of Military Police. The women will be inducted in a graded manner to eventually comprise 20% of total Corps of Military Police,” the handle tweeted.

In 2018, Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat said the process to allow women in a combat role, currently, an exclusive domain of men was moving fast and initially, women will be recruited for positions in the military police.
Accordingly, the Army chalked out induction of approximately 800 women in military police with a yearly intake of 52 personnel per year.

Currently, women are allowed in select areas such as medical, legal, educational, signals and engineering wings of the Army.
The role of the military police includes policing cantonments and Army establishments, preventing a breach of rules and regulations by soldiers, maintaining movement of soldiers as well as logistics during peace and war, handling prisoners of war and extending aid to civil police whenever required.
Earlier this month, in a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State in the Defence Ministry Subhash Bhamre the Army has 3.80 per cent of its workforce as women, the Air Force has 13.09 per cent and the Navy six per cent.

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 9

The visitors to the holy city will soon be able to watch an almost identical Retreat ceremony performed at the Wagah border by BSF jawans in the Jallianwala Bagh complex.

It is a part of Union government’s plan to mark the centenary year of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in April.

Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik, who is also one of the trustees of the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust, said the dialogue with top officers of the BSF was underway to start “Retreat” parade at the historic site as a tribute to the martyrs.

“This parade will be held every evening at a suitable place near Amar Jyoti to pay homage to the martyrs. The Director General of the BSF has been taken in loop to work on the modalities to execute it ahead of the centenary year of the massacre. Besides this, year-long programmes, including seminars and speech contest, are on the card,” he said.

The Union government has also planned to give a major facelift to the historic site, which is most frequented by visitors after the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Keeping in view the significance of the place, a blueprint of the development plan has been passed during a meeting held at New Delhi. The meeting was chaired by Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma and attended by MP Shwait Malik, former MP Tarlochan Singh, Director of Archaeology Department Usha Sharma and Regional Head, Archeology Department, Zulfikar Ali. The upgrade and development planning has been awarded to Union Culture Ministry’s architect Vandana Raj.

The Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust runs under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.

It has been unanimously agreed to spruce up the bagh while preserving its originality. The passage through which British General Reginald Edward Dyer had entered with his troops will be made lively by painting relevant sequence of the episode on the walls of the original narrow lane and sculptures placed on the exact spot from where Gen Dyer had ordered indiscriminate firing on the innocent crowd on April 13, 1919.

Another move is that the ‘light and sound equipment’, which has been lying defunct for the past four years, will be made functional. The show will be in three languages — English, Hindi and Punjabi.

The grille-mesh-covered well, known as ‘Martyrs well’, which stands as live proof to the brutal killings when hundreds of people had jumped into it in panic, too, will see a change. Preserving its originality, a dome-shaped unbreakable glass or transparent fibre canopy will be placed over its outer area having approximately 20-ft diameter. It will offer clear glimpse of the well. The gunshot marks and the outer walls of houses surrounding the bagh will be preserved.

A 10-minute documentary 3-D show will be presented. The visiting timings, too, will be increased, at least till 9 pm. The bagh will be beautified with decorative musical fountains, plantation and lights.

NEW DELHI: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has said that its weapon systems and platforms worth over Rs 2.75 lakh crore have either been inducted into the services or would be joining them soon.

Speaking exclusively to ANI, DRDO Chief G Satheesh Reddy said their recent successes in the field of radars and missile technologies has further enhanced the trust levels of the services in his organisation and they are inducting its platforms in bigger numbers.
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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 1

India and Pakistan today exchanged lists of prisoners in each other’s jails, keeping with standard protocol.

Pakistan handed over a list of 537 Indian prisoners (54 civil and 483 fishermen) in its jails, while India handed over lists of 249 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 98 fishermen in its custody.

This is consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on May 21, 2008, under which both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year, on January 1 and July 1, respectively.

“The government has called for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats. In this context, Pakistan was asked to expedite the release and repatriation of 17 Indian civilian prisoners and 369 fishermen whose nationality has been confirmed,” said the Ministry of External Affairs in a formal statement seeking early consular access to remaining Indian prisoners.

India informed Pakistan that 80 of its prisoners who have completed their sentences await repatriation since their nationality is yet to be confirmed by Islamabad.

“To take forward the understanding reached to address humanitarian issues, especially with respect to elderly, women and mentally unsound prisoners, India has already shared details of the reconstituted joint judicial committee and that of the Indian medical experts to visit Pakistan to meet mentally unsound prisoners and asked to expedite their visit,” added the Indian statement.

Info on nuclear installations

In accordance with Article-II of the Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between Pakistan and India, signed on December 31, 1988, India and Pakistan also exchanged lists of nuclear installations and facilities with their respective missions. The practice of annually exchanging these lists started on January 1, 1992

India needs a defence board with a mix of military and civilian officials

Gen VP Malik (Retd)
former Chief of the Army staff

Major Navdeep Singh (Retd)
Advocate, Punjab & Haryana High Court

THE decision-making process of the defence establishment with its myriad complexities has always remained a vexed issue. It has been a cause of alienation for people in uniform with court cases, delays in acquisitions and procurements, lack of integration and jointness.

The Rules for Allocation and Transaction of Business, 1961, have no role or powers ascribed to the defence forces. The Defence Secretary is responsible for “Defence of India” and ancillary facets during war with the armed forces and the three Service Headquarters subordinately designated as “Attached Offices of the Department of Defence”.

The professional heads of the three services neither have been accorded a status nor granted any powers in the edifice of the Government.

The obvious reason is that for many years after independence, there was deep-rooted suspicion, fuelled by happenings in the neighbourhood, as to whether the military in India would continue to remain in barracks or would take to adventurism. Although the defence services have remained staunchly loyal to the Constitution, certain vested interests have not allowed obliteration of that suspicion. As a result, the military has been kept in a box, not allowed to participate in policy or decision-making. 

Our political establishment, hence, despite the vastly changed strategic environment and the imperative need to consult defence chiefs directly, has been deprived of this facilitation. Some Defence Ministers like Jaswant Singh and Pranab Mukherjee, and PMs like Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, met the service chiefs more often than others but an institutionalised system and decision-making processes were never resolved.

Over a period of time, cosmetic changes such as limited financial powers and minimally altered file movement system were made. Some nomenclatures changed but within the Ministry, the old terminology and processes continue. Despite ruling party manifesto calling for “greater participation of Armed Forces in the decision-making process”, not much has happened.

While the inherent suspicion towards the military waned with time, the pretext of ‘checks and balances’ gained momentum for keeping the defence services out of actual decision-making. But whether a counter-balance as at present, wherein decisions of the Chiefs of Staff Committee are allowed to be commented upon by junior non-specialist civilians should continue, or whether a collegiate system be instituted can be taken subject to the approval of the political executive.

The system currently followed, besides causing suspicion and distrust, often results in delays and sometimes imbalanced decisions. While the decisions of the military should not be allowed to prevail without question, the conclusions should be based upon collation of proper views of all stakeholders on an equal footing before they are put up to the political authority for sanction.

It is also a matter of concern that in some spheres where powers have been delegated, the system is being rendered infructuous with too much leeway being displayed by military authorities. To take an example, powers to determine disability benefits of officers have been conferred upon military authorities and appellate committees. However, such proposals, though in consonance with procedure, are abandoned by senior military authorities based upon objections by junior finance officers.

One solution is instituting a format such as the “Defence Board”. Within that, a judicious mix of senior military and civil officers could debate proposals and then reach a consensus which can then be put up for approval of the Minister. The Defence Board is not an alien concept among democracies. The UK has a Chief of Defence Staff for its strategic and operational needs as a single point military consultant. It also follows a Board system chaired by the Defence Minister with members from civil and defence services and also non-executive board members.

Closer home, the Railway Board is headed by the Railways Minister and comprises a healthy mix of members from different cadres and technical streams.

India has a large strength of defence services involved not only in external defence but also in internal security and aid to civil authorities. In these days of rapid socio-political changes, we cannot have a system where affected parties or end-users are not consulted adequately, or where decisions are taken based on faulty inputs by non-experts through one-way file notes. The correct system would require a face-to-face real time collegiate discussion before decisions are made. “Defence of India” involves not just the military but almost all other institutions; even the citizenry.

The Constitution requires the military to work under political, not bureaucratic control. As in all democracies, it has an important role to play. Being treated as a redundant appendage militates against the basic grain of a democracy and also hampers execution of its modern day role.

The political class should find a juste milieu ensuring an equal voice for all stakeholders with the ultimate decision-making power vested with the political executive as laid down in our Constitution.

My wife is particularly fond of the ‘intellectual’ game called tambola. I presume, the affinity started during the routine weekly tambola at our Army club, which we patronised rather religiously. It was an effective way to unwind after a hectic fauji routine, and we looked forward to it  —‘memsaab’ to tickle her grey cells, and ‘saab’ to get an opportunity to indulge at the bar without getting the trademark dirty looks.

The affinity turned to addiction after the better half won a snowball (a bonanza win of accumulated money over a time — a rare achievement). In 1985, the princely sum of Rs 400 was a fourth of my take-home monthly salary. That day and today, tambola evenings are permanently reserved, notwithstanding the fact that the investment in the game has been roughly a hundred times more than the earnings. A fit case of disproportionate liabilities, one would say. Well, that much for the background.

The kids have grown up and insist to carry on with their own weekend errands and plans. That leaves us twosome and a driver who looks forward to an odd drink, unwatched, at the club, while the boss plays tambola. The party, however, turned sour when I was signalled to stop and test at the alcometer on our drive back from the club. I was politely informed by the Sub-Inspector that the alcohol content was abnormally high in my blood and that I was putting everybody’s life in jeopardy. I tried putting up a brave front of normalcy, blaming the vintage of the alcometer. But the cop assured me that the machine was a month old and a state of the art one. I was handed over a slip and the local police, in its characteristic courtesy, dropped us home in government transport!

A driving school instructor was hired post haste to impart a crash course in driving to my Himachali wife, who did not even ride a bicycle before marrying a tank man! Normally laidback, she was rather serious this time around. The driving test was passed with flying colours. Addiction can make you perform wonders, I realised that day.

Friday evenings continue to bring cheer to my better half and thoughtful apprehensions to me. The routine is undisrupted — the intellectual exercise remains patronised, with my novice wife behind the wheels and her stressed husband in the passenger seat, but a lot more sombre and sane, wondering what is safer — an intoxicated but experienced veteran, or a dedicated and committed wife! I think the latter. I am sure all you gentlemen agree!

New Delhi, January 25

It was love at first sight for Mahajabeen, wife of Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani, when the two met at a school in South Kashmir around 15 years back.

Nearly one-and-a-half months after Wani’s death in an anti-terror operation in Shopian, Mahajabeen, a teacher and mother of two, says his immense love for her and fearless persona are a source of motivation for her to encourage youngsters to become good citizens.

“I did not cry when I was told he is no more. There was an inner resolve which did not allow me to cry,” she said after the government announced the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, for Wani who hailed from Cheki Ashmuji in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Wani, a militant-turned-soldier who had joined the Army’s 162 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in 2004, will be conferred the award posthumously on Saturday by President Ram Nath Kovind.

“He loved me so much. For me, he was my guiding light. He always encouraged all of us to make people around us happy, to address people’s problems.

“As a teacher, I am dedicating myself to creating good citizens for my state. Leading the young minds in the right direction is my resolve and I am drawing inspiration for it from my beloved husband–the best in the world,” said Mahajabeen.

Refusing to share details about their school and college days, Mahajabeen said, “We met at school. It was love at first sight. He was a great husband, always fiercely protecting us.”

Recalling the fateful day of November 25, Mahajabeen said she was at her parents’ house when the shocking news came.

“He had telephoned me the previous evening and enquired about our well-being. I had told him to take care of himself. But destiny had something else for him,” said Mahajabeen in an interview to PTI.

“He always wanted to make his 162/TA Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry battalion proud. For him, duty was supreme. He was a source of inspiration for people in our area and community,” said Mahajabeen, who is in her late 30s.

On November 25, 38-year-old Wani lost his life in a counter-terror operation against six militants at Hirapur village near Batgund, in Shopian.

Under intense hail of bullets from the militants, he eliminated the ‘district commander’ of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and one foreign militant in a daring display of raw courage, officials said.

In the ensuing gunfight, he was hit multiple times, including on his head. He also injured another militant before succumbing to grievous wounds, they said.

Apart from his wife, he is survived by two sons Athar (20) and Shaid (18).

“He was a brave soldier and a hero right from the beginning. He always served for peace in his home state of Jammu and Kashmir,” said a senior Army official.

Wani was a recipient of the Sena Medal for gallantry twice in 2007 and 2018. “He always had the interest of the nation in his heart. He operated with the Rashtriya Rifles units in Kashmir. Throughout his active life he always willingly faced grave potential threats and was a source of inspiration to others,” said one of his colleagues. PTI