Sanjha Morcha

Navy on high alert, strict vigil in TN after intel inputs about LeT

Navy on high alert, strict vigil in TN after intel inputs about LeT

Commando force personnel conduct checking at a railway station in Coimbatore, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. PTI

Coimbatore/Kochi, August 24

The Indian Navy has sounded a high-alert at sea following intelligence inputs that six members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba have intruded into Tamil Nadu, as strict surveillance continued in various parts of the State for the second day on Saturday.

Following intelligence inputs, “the Indian Navy continues to maintain its high alert situation at seas and in coastal areas,” a defence spokesman told PTI at Kochi in Kerala.

Security was tightened in Tamil Nadu on Friday following reports that six members of the terror outfit LeT had infiltrated the state by sea from Sri Lanka and moved to different cities.

Coimbatore Police Commissioner Sumit Sharan had on Friday said the city was under a high alert following information that the terrorists were heading there.

Police said on Saturday that vehicle-checks were intensified on arterial roads and highways connecting Coimbatore city with neighbouring states, and baggage thoroughly checked by armed police personnel.

Similarly checks were on in railway stations, bus-stands and the airport, they said.

The Tamil Nadu commando force carried out a flag march at Mettupalayam, 35 km from Coimbatore, to instil confidence in people about security.

Armed forces were deployed at temples, mosques and churches, which were normally targeted by terrorists as was done in Sri Lanka recently, police sources said.

Kerala DGP Loknath Behera had on Friday also directed district police chiefs to keep utmost vigil across the state. — PTI

 


Remembering Major Kaustubh Rane

On this day last year, thousands of fellow countrymen had paid their last respects to Major Kaustubh Rane, a gallant army officer serving in the Indian Army’s 36 Rashtriya Rifles. Major Rane was a leader of men, a warrior who gave his all in service of the country, but more importantly, he was a son to two ageing parents, a loving husband to a young wife, a proud father to a two-year-old son and a friend to his brothers in arms.

Major Rane
Major Kaustubh Rane of The 36 RR was Posthumously awarded the Sena Medal

Growing up in the Sheetal Nagar area of Mira Road, he spent his days reading about war heroes, and soon joining the Army and serving in front line combat became his childhood dream! Given his undying passion for serving, It was only natural that he applied for the Army at the first opportunity he got.

A young Kaustubh had applied for the National Defence Academy Examination (NDA) fresh after his 12th but was unsuccessful in his attempt to join the Tri-Services institution. Undeterred and with a single-minded focus soon to be commissioned officer had trained rigorously, clearing the Combined Defence Services Examination (CDSE) after completing his graduation. He was recommended by the selection board and received the call letter to train at the prestigious Officers Training Academy in Chennai. For Maj. Rane, this was the first step towards seizing his destiny!

After 9 months of rigorous training, Kaustubh was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Garwhal Rifles, one of the Indian Army’s most decorated fighting units, He was Deployed to his first posting in Kupwara very soon transformed into a battle-hardened Infantryman! Maj. Rane was promoted to the rank of Captain in 2011 and was given a peace posting to Kolkata after serving in the insurgency prone valley.

Following his Kolkata posting Maj. Rane was deployed back to field areas and was eventually deputed to the Rashtriya Rifles, the Army’s premier counter-insurgency force, serving in 36 RR. It was during his stint in 36 RR that major Rane along with for of his men lost their lives in the line of duty in a bid to foil an infiltration attempt by terrorists trying to enter from the Gurez sector of North Kashmir.

Gurez Sector Operation:

During 2018, Maj Kaustubh Rane’s 36 RR battalion was deployed in the Gurez sector in J&K and was engaged in counter-insurgency operations. The Gurez sector is one of the remote parts of the valley located in Bandipora district around 125 km from Srinagar. The industry is heavily militarised, and soldiers are stationed on mountaintop posts to guard the Line of Control and prevent infiltration of militants. The Gurez sector is snow-covered even in summers and militants do not have long tracts of forest cover either to use as escape routes or to sneak inside LOC.

On 6 Aug, around 1 am about eight-odd heavily armed terrorists tried to infiltrate into the Indian territory near Govind Nullah in Bakhtor area taking advantage of darkness. The alert soldiers noticed the unusual movement and challenged the infiltrators moving from the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). Maj Kaustubh Rane along with his troops, swung into action and engaged the militants trying to infiltrate. A fierce gun battle ensued after that in which two militants were killed. However, during the heavy exchange of fire Maj Kaustubh Rane and three other soldiers Rifleman Mandeep Singh Rawat, Rifleman Hameer Singh and Gunner Vikram Jeet Singh got severely injured. They were shifted to the 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar but latter they succumbed to their injuries and were martyred.

Maj Kaustubh Rane had been given the gallantry award, “Sena Medal” on 26 Jan 2018 and was to be felicitated by Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation in the later part of 2018. Maj Kaustubh Rane was a gallant and committed soldier who led from the front like a true military leader and laid down his life in the service of the nation.

Fond Memories:

Maj. Rane has been described by his friend and family as, a kind and soft-spoken who had regularly kept in touch with his civilian friends, even when deployed. His Course mates remember him fondly as a true leader and friend, They talk about how he inspired and pushed them all so much that had he not been there, their josh runs would have been flat and unmemorable! They vividly remember how he would crack jokes, he would smile, laugh and push them all saying “Chal yaar! Chal yaar!” he makes sure the others around him thrived!

Maj Rane was an ordinary man who lived to do extraordinary things

Legacy:

A lot has happened since the martyrdom of the brave warrior, a lot that he would have been proud of, his parents received his Sena Medal from the President of India, The Gaurav Puruskar from the Maharastra Government, a letter from Jitendra Singh, a security guard from Surat, conveying his gratitude for their sons service! Pictures and cards from school students and the respect of the thousands who bid him a tearful goodbye.

His grieving widow,  rose up from the ashes to become an inspiration, following his footsteps to join the very organisation he dedicated his life to and starting her journey at the same institution he began his own, His two-year-old son is now a year older, with new memories made and many more to make in the days to come!

The country can never repay Major. Kaustubh Rane for what he gave and people he left behind, however, the gallant hero will never be forgotten.


Pak partially closes airspace; India issues security alert at 19 airports

Keep off India’s internal matters, Pak told after Islamabad expels envoy Bisaria

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Sandeep Dikshit
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 7

India has shrugged off a series of measures announced by Pakistan on Wednesday, including being asked to withdraw its High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, as a fallout of Parliament approving the reorganisation of Jammu & Kashmir into two Union Territories. Pakistan has also for now decided not to send its new High Commissioner to take up his India posting.

Late in the evening, Pakistan ordered some changes in Indian flights going through its airspace. India, on its part, issued security alert at 19 airports and deployed additional security personnel apart from regular deployment at airports.

READ MORE: Suspension of trade ties with India will hit Pak more badly, say experts

Pak decision to downgrade diplomatic ties very short-sighted: Khurshid

Pakistan asked, after the second meeting in a week of the National Security Committee comprising top Cabinet Ministers and Pakistan Army officers, to withdraw Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, suspended all bilateral trade and step up diplomatic outreach, including approaching the UN and UN Security Council over the lockdown in Kashmir and disturbing the status quo in the composition of Jammu & Kashmir.

While the detailed response is still awaited, sources informally said Pakistan was off the mark in this respect and India will respond with retaliatory measures. Pakistan had no locus standi to interfere in what is entirely an internal matter. No other nation had the locus standi to interfere in the internal affairs of another country, they reiterated.

The sources said India was preparing a detailed riposte to each of the five points mentioned by Pakistan. Reacting to reports of UN-blacklisted terrorist Hafiz Saeed’s conviction, the sources said they were still trying to ascertain details. “We have to know if he was really convicted and on what charges. We also have to find out the appeals process and whether he will be let off during the pendency of the appeal. It is too early right now to be satisfied or dissatisfied,” they said.

Along with downgrading of diplomatic relations and suspending trade, Pakistan has also decided to review the bilateral arrangements and observe its Independence Day on August 14 in solidarity with the “brave Kashmiris and their just struggle for their right of self-determination”. India’s Independence Day on August 15 will be observed as a Black Day, resolved the Pakistan National Security Committee.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan has asked the armed forces to maintain vigilance on the Indo-Pak border and directed that all diplomatic channels should be activated to launch a broadside against India.

Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Council has expressed apprehension of the latest restrictions in Jammu & Kashmir exacerbating the human rights situation in the region. “The fact that hardly any information at all is currently coming out is of great concern in itself,” said the UNHRC spokesperson based in Geneva.

The US National Security Council denied that the Indian Government had consulted or informed US National Security Advisor John Bolton or Secretary of State Mike Pompeo before moving to revoke J&K’s special status. The US called for calm and restraint on all sides, “noting the history of violence and conflict in the region”.


Punjab Government assures Kashmiri students of full security

Punjab Government assures Kashmiri students of full security

The Kharar SDM interacts with students at Chandigarh University in Gharuan on Monday. tribune photo

Our Correspondent

Kharar, August 5

Keeping in view recent developments in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) a team of local officials from the administration visited Chandigarh University, Gharuan, and Rayat and Bahra University, Sahoran, and interacted with students belonging to the Valley, who are studying in these institutions.

The Kharar SDM, Vinod Kumar Bansal, and DSP Deep Kamal visited Chandigarh University and spoke to Kashmiri students studying in the institution. They assured students that they were safe here and there was no need to panic. “You don’t need not to go back to your homes in J&K,” they said.

“The government and the administration are with you. You are completely safe here,” SDM told students. The Vice-Chancellor of the university also assured full security to students from the Valley.

The Kharar tehsildar, Gurminder Singh, visited Rayat and Bahra University, Sahoran, and interacted with students from J&K. He assured them full security.

Notably, there are around 1,600 Kashmiri students, who are studying in Chandigarh University. Out of them 800 students, including 250 girls, live in hostels of the university. The remaining 800 students are staying out of the university campus.

 


TROOPS’ MOVEMENT, YATRA CANCELLATION: HOW THE TENSIONS UNFOLDED

The Centre’s move to send 100 companies of securitymen set off wild speculations in the Valley. The cancellation of Amarnath yatra in view of terror threats added fuel to the fire. Here’s how events unfolded in Kashmir over the past few days.

July 27, Saturday:

News came in that an additional 100 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces will be deployed in Jammu and Kashmir for counter-insurgency operations and to maintain law and order. The Union home ministry wrote to the state chief secretary, home secretary and the director general of police to this effect late on Thursday. Of the 100 companies, 50 will be from the CRPF, 10 from the BSF, 30 from the Sashastra Seema

Bal (SSB) and 10 from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), according to the letter.

July 28, Sunday:

The government move set off speculation in the Kashmir Valley. In a charged political atmosphere, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti warned the Centre that any attempt to tinker with the special status of the state would blow up in its face. The state is currently under President’s Rule. Over the past few days, every government order is being seen as a precursor to revoking Article 35A of the Constitution that gives special privileges to the state’s domiciled residents. The revocation of Article 35A and Article 370 (the latter gives autonomous status to Jammu & Kashmir) is one of the promises listed in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s manifesto for the April-May parliamentary elections.

July 29, Monday:

An order by the J&K Police seeking details on mosques and their management committees that went viral on social media gave an impetus to the buzz about the possibility of the Centre moving to revoke Article 35A. The order was issued on July 28 by SSP, Srinagar, Haseeb Mughal, who described it as “routine police activity.”

July 30, Tuesday:

J&K governor Satya Pal Malik asked people not to pay heed to rumours of an impending decision on the special status of the state. Malik did not mention a Railway Police Officer’s order on stockpiling rations but presumably referred to it when he said such orders were invalid. For their part, separatists in the Valley accused the Centre of deliberately vitiating the situation by issuing “daily orders”.

July 31, Wednesday:

Former CM Mehbooba Mufti launched an awareness campaign regarding the Constitution’s Article 35A. Mufti travelled to three districts of south Kashmir — Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama — and held meetings with PDP activists to promote awareness about Article 35A. For his part, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav blamed mainstream political parties for spreading fear in the Valley. Addressing a conference in Srinagar, Ram Madhav said the BJP will take a decision which will be in the interest of the people. “The movement of personnel in Kashmir is a routine affair,” he said.

August 1, Thursday:

A National Conference (NC) delegation led by party president Farooq Abdullah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and apprised him of the current situation in J&K. The NC chief reportedly told PM Modi that any move to revoke Article 35A could worsen the situation in the state. Separately, there were speculations that over 280 companies of security forces were in the process of being deployed in the Kashmir valley. The Union home ministry later denied the reports.

August 2, Friday:

The Amarnath yatra ended 14 days ahead of its scheduled close on August 15 and the counter-insurgency grid in J&K was strengthened following the recovery of a large cache of ammunition along the route of the yatra. Intelligence reports highlighted the possibility of suicide bombing attacks in the Valley. The cutting short of the yatra and an alert issued to pilgrims and tourists to return home, resulted in panic and a scramble for air tickets.

August 3, Saturday:

The army said it repelled an attempt by a mixed group of Pakistani soldiers and terrorists to attack an army post along the LoC, inflicting heavy casualties. Critically, the army said that “in the last 36 hours Pakistan has desperately tried to revive terrorism and push terrorists” into Kashmir. NC leader Omar Abdullah met governor Malik on Saturday and urged the central government to clear the air about what was going on in the Valley even as thousands of tourists and Amarnath worshippers left Kashmir. Around 1,400 non-local students from National Institute of Technology (NIT), Srinagar, left the

Valley in special buses arranged by the administration, after a notice came up on Friday evening saying that classes were being suspended till further orders.

August 4, Sunday:

Union home minister Amit Shah met senior officials in New Delhi as the security infrastructure informed the government that at least one attempt by terrorists to breach LoC was successful. Those who attended the meeting included the national security advisor Ajit Doval and Union home secretary Rajiv Gauba, among others. In Kashmir, an all-party meeting was held at the residence of Farooq Abdullah.


Forces to rescue as rains pound Maha

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, August 4

The Maharashtra Government sought the help of the Army, Navy and the Air Force to rescue people marooned in various parts of the state following heavy rains.

An Mi-17 helicopter was deployed to rescue 35 persons stranded at the Ju-Nandkhuri village at Khadavli in Thane district neighbouring Mumbai. State police control room said with water levels rising in the village, the people had to be airlifted this morning. All of them were brought to the Juhu air field at Mumbai from where the chopper had taken off earlier in the day.

Officials said all major rivers in and around Mumbai and coastal Konkan were in spate and water was being released from overflowing dams.

In Mumbai, personnel from the Indian Navy and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed inflatable boats to rescue people from low-lying areas. “We have rescued people from Bandra and Kurla in Mumbai as the Mithi River has breached its banks,” an official from the city police control room said. In all some 400 people had to be moved to safety by boats, according to the officials.

With the levels of the Ulhas River rising, residents of Thane, Kalyan and Badlapur have been moved to higher areas, according to the officials. Several parts of Pune were flooded after water from the overflowing Kadakvasla dam was released this morning. In Nashik, the authorities began evacuating people as the Godavari River showed signs of breaching its banks.

Train services on the Central Railways were hit for the second day today as the railway tracks were flooded. However, being Sunday the impact was little. In Mumbai’s suburb of Kandivli residents made rafts of plywood to transport essential items like bottled water and biscuits to people stranded in their flooded homes.

According to the weather department, heavy rains were reported in Mumbai,Thane, Palghar, Raigad and Ratnagiri since Friday with large areas in these places being severely flooded. Flights operating out of Mumbai airport were delayed by a few minutes, according to the officials.

District officials have declared a holiday on Monday in many places as the weather department warned of continued heavy rains. Schools have been ordered closed in Pune, Palghar and Thane districts, the officials said.


Wreaking havoc

  • Inflatable boats being used to rescue people from low-lying areas
  • Central Railways hit for the second day as the railway tracks were flooded
  • District officials have declared a holiday on Monday amid warnings of continued heavy rains

Deployment in J&K on security situation’

NEW DELHI : Responding to news reports on the deployment of additional security forces in J&K, the Union home ministry issued a statement saying “deployment of paramilitary forces in Jammu and Kashmir was based on the security situation there and requirement of rotation, and such things are not discussed in the public domain.”

North Block was responding to speculation and rumors, especially in Kashmir, that the special status of residents of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) may be up for a change. The change in the special status (enshrined in Article 35A of the constitution) is also a poll promise of the BJP-led NDA government.

An official in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) who did not want to be named said: “100 companies (10,000 personnel) were ordered for deployment a week ago.” The movement of troops led to “speculation of induction of additional forces” the official said and added that “based on the assessment of the internal security situation, training requirements, the need for paramilitary troops to be rotated for rest and recuperation, induction and de-induction of central forces is a continuous and dynamic process.”

The official also underlined that “it has never been the practice to discuss in the public domain the details of deployment and movement of paramilitary forces deployed in a particular theatre, they said induction of central forces is a continuous and dynamic process.”

Interestingly, while MHA official said they were responding to speculation and rumors, the ministry did not categorically deny movement of troops beyond the 100 companies that was ordered last week.

The home ministry’s response came after reports on Thursday suggested that 28,000 additional troops are in the process of being deployed in the state, which is currently under President’s Rule.

Political parties such as the National Conference and the PDP, have, however, said it will resist any move to alter the special status to the state. On Thursday, a delegation comprising National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and a party MP met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him not to take any step which may lead to deterioration in the law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir. They also urged Modi to facilitate holding of assembly elections in the state before the end of the year.


Pak activity behind troop movement

Pak activity behind troop movement

Ajay Banerjee &  Mukesh Ranjan
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 2

The Centre’s decision of sending in additional troops of the Central armed forces to Kashmir is an outcome of several factors, including military activity in Pakistan, a renewed proactive push to hit at terrorists and intelligence inputs that the Amarnath yatra could be the target of militants.

The Army will be overstretched in case of an exigency and the Central forces will be needed for outer-cordoning during anti-terrorist operations in the hinterland.

As security intensified in Kashmir valley, panic on the streets of Srinagar

Apart from this, the political grapevine is of some ‘development’ on the long-pending Kashmir issues. This includes the Centre’s plan to do away with Article 35A of the Constitution, which gives exclusive rights to the state’s residents in government jobs and land. The speculations have dominated the discourse in Kashmir over the past few days.

Militarily, indications were visible on the night of July 31 when the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), sensing some ‘movement’ on the Indian side, flew combat air patrols — the first in the past two months. The Indian Air Force responded and did its ‘night patrolling’ in the air which officials here termed as ‘routine flying’. Three air fields in north India do this ‘routine patrolling’ or night flying. Surveillance planes of both sides have been flying.

Between July 29 and August 1, the Army, answering Pakistan’s cross-LoC firing, opened its artillery in the Uri sector. The artillery firing was after a lull of several months. Sources in the Army say firing by Pakistan in areas north of Pir Panjal was ‘unusual’ for this time of the year as firing is done to facilitate infiltration of terrorists. Around this time of the year, the Jhelum and its tributaries carry huge amounts of water and crossing these rivers would be impossible by militants.

Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) clarified and reiterated that 100 companies (10,000 troops) had been ordered for deployment in J&K about a week ago, which are in the process of reaching their destinations. “This has apparently led to speculations of induction of additional forces,” a senior official said.

The sources said based on assessment of the internal security situation and training requirements and also the need for paramilitary troops to be rotated for rest and recuperation, “induction and de-induction of Central forces is a continuous and dynamic process”.

They also insisted that it has never been the practice to discuss in public domain the details of deployment and movement of paramilitary forces deployed in a particular theatre.


The Grapevine

The political grapevine is of some ‘development’ on the long-pending Kashmir issues. This includes the Centre’s plan to do away with Article 35A of the Constitution, which gives exclusive rights to the state’s residents in government jobs and land. The speculations have dominated the discourse in Kashmir over the past few days.


Views from valley

The responsibility of protecting Article 35A and Article 370 is on the mainstream political parties. — Mehbooba Mufti, former CM

The unprecedented order will do nothing to dampen the sense of fear and foreboding that prevails in the Kashmir valley at the moment. — Omar Abdullah, NC Vice-President

The provision was negotiated by the regional parties and is an Article of faith, which should not be breached. — Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Separatist leader


India summons US envoy on military aid to Pak

India summons US envoy on military aid to Pak

US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster. — File photo

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 1

The Ministry of External Affairs had called the US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster to lodge its “grave concern” over US military assistance to Pakistan. India had also lodged its misgivings about resumption of US military aid to Pakistan in Washington as well.

“We have taken up the matter with the US Ambassador in Delhi, as well as with the US Government in Washington through our Ambassador.  We have expressed grave concern over US military assistance to Pakistan.  The US side has told us that the proposed sale does not indicate any change in the US policy of maintaining a freeze in military assistance to Pakistan,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Ravish Kumar told newspersons here today.

The Pentagon had said last month that the State Department had approved a $125 million deal for “24/7 end-use monitoring” of F-16 fighter jets it had earlier supplied to Pakistan. The US had reasoned that its  military aid, a nominal amount in military transactions which run into billions of dollars, is meant to continue technical and logistics support services for monitoring Pakistan’s operations of F-16 aircraft.

The announcement came after a meeting between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and US President Donald Trump but India feels  this should not be the thin edge of the wedge before America begins full-fledged military aid in order to coax Islamabad into fully backing its plans for a wind-down in Afghanistan.

 


History of Struggle for Abrogation of Article 370 By Brig Anil Gupta

The political movement headed by Sheikh Abdullah that originated in Kashmir in 1931 (as part of a British conspiracy against the Maharaja) remained to some extent unsuccessful to gain the support of Jammu especially the Hindu dominated areas. Its genesis, growth and ideological moorings made it a suspect in the eyes of the Dogra Nationalists of Jammu who looked upon it as something alien and unacceptable. Pt Prem Nath Dogra led the All Jammu & Kashmir Rajya Hindu Sabha as the main opposition party. It merged with Praja Parishad which was formed in Jammu immediately after the tribal invasion in November 1947. The genesis of the history of struggle for total integration of the state with India began with the birth of All Jammu & Kashmir Praja Parishad popularly known as Praja Parishad. The existence of Praja Parishad as a protest movement opposed the Sheikh’s major policy planks such as abolition of land-lords, anti-Dogra drive, attempts at framing a separate constitution for the Jammu and Kashmir state and a separate flag, emblem etc.

Sheikh Abdullah became the Prime Minister of J&K in March 1948. He abhorred opposition. He wanted to become de facto ruler of J&K and replace monarchy with a dynastic rule. He was an advocate of “One Party State”. He forced Nehru to introduce Article 370 in the Constitution of India to ensure Kashmiri Muslim Domination over Jammu & Ladakh. He was successful in his endeavour and went ahead with his plan of annihilation of the opposition. His cronies chanted slogans like, ‘ek Rehnama, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, ek Tanzeem National Conference, ek Jhanda, Halwala, ek Manshoor (manifesto) Naya Kashmir’ which created an intriguing situation in Jammu and Kashmir ringing the bells of imminent danger among the pro-integration Dogras of Jammu.

Visionary Pt. Prem Nath Dogra and his colleagues felt this rat-race was dangerous for the growth of democracy as this sentiment of “ek” would lead Sheikh Abdullah to fulfil his ambition of a “Single Party State” leading to totalitarianism. For democracy to prosper in the state and for establishment of true Lok Raj, existence of a strong opposition party was essential. Praja Parishad was expected to foot the bill. Moreover, the policies of Sheikh Abdullah were exclusive confined to the welfare of Kashmiri Muslims and ignored the sentiments and interests of the people of Jammu and Ladakh region. He could not think beyond Kashmiri speaking Muslims of the Valley. His animosity with the Maharaja transformed into hatred for the Dogras of Jammu which was unjust and unfair. Unfortunately, he enjoyed the backing of the ruling party in the Centre and the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Though Jammu and Kashmir comprised of three distinct culturally and geographically exclusive regions namely Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh yet the central leadership did not look beyond Kashmir and Sheikh Abdullah. The Kashmir centric inclination of the central government was a major cause of concern for the people of Jammu. The main task to which Praja Parishad was committed was the full integration of Jammu and Kashmir State with the Indian union, like other acceding states and safeguard the legitimate democratic rights of the people of Jammu from the anti-Dogra stance of Sheikh Abdullah government.

Sheikh’s continued discriminatory policies helped in Praja Parishad becoming popular in Jammu region among all sections including the Muslims. This growing popularity of Praja Parishad created panic in the Abdullah camp and he resorted to strong arm tactics to supress the growth of Praja Parishad since it posed a strong challenge to his political ambitions. Several activists were expelled from the State including the author’s grandfather Advocate Bishan Das Mahajan of RS Pura along with his family.
The leaders of Praja Parishad , considered a threat by Sheikh Abdullah, were put behind the bar in February 1949. Section 3 of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), which is known as ‘Daffa Tun’ i.e. put in lockup without any trial, was slapped on Pt. Dogra and his colleagues. They were shifted to Srinagar jail to face severe winter cold. The extent of the NC rulers pique towards Praja Parishad could be gauged from the fact that on the jail’s account board the activists were listed as “Enemy Agent”.

By mid – 1949 Sheikh imprisoned as many as 294 Parishad workers. In May 1949, Praja Parishad started ‘Satyagrah’ for ensuring the release of Pt. Dogra. Though Abdullah wanted to crush this movement but he could not do so and finally he yielded to the pressure of the ‘Sataygrah’ and was forced to release Pt. Dogra from Jail on 8th October 1949 with the intervention of some nationalist leaders in Delhi. The atrocities of Sheikh on ‘Satyagrahis’ were such that incapacitated many of them including Pt. Dogra.

But this was not an end of the persecution and high handedness of Abdullah government. His hatred against the nationalists was aggravated by the fact that Parishad’s demand for full integration clashed directly with the demand of National Conference for complete autonomy of the state. As many as 15 youths were shot dead and some others injured at various places for hoisting the Indian Tricolour. The agitation launched by Parishad also included the demand for abolishing of permit system for entering or leaving the state.

Many may argue the timing of this article and need for it being written now under the changed circumstances. A reference to the beautifully worded poem of the famous poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow will not be out of place. “Heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.” Now that the full integration has been achieved and Art 370 has lost its relevance, it is imperative for the present generation to know many sacrifices made and struggles launched by their predecessors which acted as the enabler of present landmark achievement.

The party tirelessly tried to unite the people of Jammu with a view to foil the attempts of those who either favoured autonomy or tried to separate the state from Indian Union. By 1951 the Party had become a power to reckon in the areas of Jammu and the only one which was in any real sense the opposition party. Praja Parishad always opposed the setting up of a separate Constituent Assembly for the state. It favoured the application of Indian Constitution.

Despite being opposed to a separate constitution for the state, a special session of the party held on May 8, 1951, decided to contest the elections to the constituent Assembly of the State. Because of the large scale rejection of nomination papers of its candidates and nefarious manipulation of the elections by Sheikh Abdullah, party decided to boycott the elections in protest. The party in spite of its strong support base did not have a single member in the constituent assembly which under Sheikh’s leadership went ahead with framing a constitution that promoted the concept of ‘State within a State.’

National Conference (NC) and its leader Sheikh did everything to ensure that all the members of NC would be there in Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly. Sheikh dubbed the members of Praja Parishad as communal ignoring the fact that many Muslims were also contesting on the ticket of Praja Parishad. Praja Parishad turned into a mass movement and it played a key role in opposing separatist and communal politics in Jammu and Kashmir. Parishad always favoured the complete and total integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India and was opposed to Article 370.

Emboldened by the support he enjoyed from Nehru and after signing of Delhi Agreement, Sheikh started hoisting the National Conference flag in official functions and atop government buildings. However, in keeping with his habit of double-speak he implemented the Agreement only in part to further his agenda of autonomy. On January 15, 1952, Sheikh delivered a speech in an official function at Gandhi Memorial College, Jammu and hoisted National Conference Flag alongside the National Flag asking the students to salute it but the students objected to it. This infuriated Abdullah and he ensured that the students were penalized. This was followed by 38 days of hunger strike by students in 1952. On February 8, 1952 people in Jammu came out in solidarity with the protesting students that further infuriated Sheikh and he imposed curfew and arrested Pt. Dogra. This was followed by intense public pressure that forced Delhi to act and ensure the release of Pt. Dogra and others.

It soon turned into a public movement against the despotic rule of Sheikh and his anti-national activities. The movement found support nationally in form of Bhartiya Jan Sangh which was formed in 1951.

Another mass movement was launched by Parishad in November 1952 against the separatist and communal politics of Abdullah. Jan Sangh President Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee announced in December 1952 to launch a nation-wide agitation for the abolition of Article 370. On May 8, 1953 he decided to enter J&K violating the prevalent permit system and was arrested by Sheikh as soon as he set foot on the soil of the state. Mookerjee intended to lead the ongoing full-blown public agitation in Jammu. The agitation had a powerful slogan: Ek Desh mein Do Vidhan, Ek Desh mein Do Nishaan, Ek Desh mein Do Pradhan, nahin challenegey, nahin challengey. He was jailed and tortured at Srinagar under the despotic rule of Sheikh which led to his mysterious death on 23 June 1953. An estimated 10,000 activists were imprisoned in Jammu, Punjab and Delhi, including Members of Parliament leading to an uproar in India.

Blinded by his ambition, Sheikh indulged in competitive communalism and worked towards establishment of independent Muslim majority state claiming that India was not secular enough. Parishad opposed it tooth and nail and accused that Sheikh was not Indian enough. Sheikh was finally arrested in August 1953 after he made secessionist speeches at RS Pura on April 10 and on 13 July stating in public, “Kashmir should have sympathy of both India and Pakistan…It is not necessary for our state to become an appendage of either India or Pakistan.”
Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, who succeeded Sheikh implemented all the provisions of Delhi Agreement thus facilitating greater integration with the Centre. Praja Parishad movement largely subsided after these events. Parishad finally merged with Jan Sangh in 1963 and two years later National Conference merged with Congress.

Ever since then Jan Sangh and later Bharatiya Janata Party has been struggling and agitating for ending the special status of the state which not only promoted separatism, religious militancy and was the major cause of rampant corruption and under development of the state. Re-entry of Sheikh Abdullah in state politics in 1975 under an agreement with then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and subsequent Rajiv-Farooq accord and Rahul-Omar bonhomie gave a new fillip to the demand for greater autonomy and saw rise of jihadi and radical forces in Kashmir.
The historic decision of August 5, 2019 is the result of the struggle and sacrifices of three generations of Praja Parishad, Jan Sangh & BJP workers. BJP as successor of Jan Sangh remained focussed and committed to abolition of Article 370 and full integration of the state with India. Many accused BJP of using it only as an election plank to woo voters in the Hindi heartland but all of them have been proved wrong.

J&K unit of BJP recently held a function to honour the activists and family members of those who were associated with the Praja Parishad agitation. A noble gesture to recognise the sacrifices and contributions of those great men whose dream of full integration of the State has at last been achieved.
My effort at recollecting history will be incomplete without acknowledging the hard work and dedicated effort of Kul Bhushan Mahotra, incharge Library Department of state BJP who has compiled three books which will prove as a treasure for those who want to study in detail the genesis of the Praja Parishad movement and abolition of Article 370.

(The author is a Jammu based political commentator and columnist. The article is based on personal accounts and available literature. He can be contacted at anil5457@gmail)
Brig Veteran Anil Gupta

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