Monthly Archives: August 2018

Rajesh Ramachandran

No visit is ever pleasant when Srinagar is under the shadow of the gun. This time around, after two months of the lockdown, there was an eerie normalcy in the Valley. It was indeed ‘abnormally normal’, as a senior officer put it while talking about the bustling Sunday market last week. J&K as a whole and the Valley in particular are in the throes of transformation. But unlike in the past, there are only a few visible signs of this transition. There are no protests, no restrictions on movement, at least in Srinagar city, and life appears to run its calm, serene course. But the glowing autumn sun doesn’t deceive the sense of defeat in the air.

Most Kashmiris are yet to give expression to their response to the abrogation of Article 370 and the decision to turn the state into a UT. Ordinary folks say they are still in shock, separatists want weapons to fight the Indian State, even more radical ones are looking at the possibility of an Indo-Pak war — but they all believe that there is no point in pelting stones to invite bullets. This, in a way, is a turning point in the lives of the Kashmiris. There is, probably for the first time, a feeling of futility in inviting repression and a great fear of the unknown, which has triggered the technique of protest by shopkeepers to open their shops early, shut them during the official working hours, and open them, if needed, again in the evening. A lot of shopkeepers have taken their wares to the pavements to the Sunday market, which is now almost a week-long affair in the capital city.

Is it a spontaneous shutdown by shopkeepers or are they being threatened by overground workers of militant groups? Well, the truth in the Valley is always somewhere in between. There are reports of overground militants identifying certain shops by putting a mark on them, and also a whisper campaign about the ‘advisory’ of timings to open and shut the shops. But the people are also willing to sacrifice a portion of their income to make a statement. There are orchard owners and apple farmers, even among cops, who are willing to let their apples rot to register their passive protest. There is unreserved, popular anger over the communications clampdown. When the most basic need to remain connected with the rest of the world is hit so completely, that too in the era of OTPs (one-time passwords) and mobile authentication for any kind of transaction, there is no debate on Article 370; there is only angst and anxiety over getting punished by New Delhi. That to a large extent explains the queer quietude.

The worst aspect of the lockdown is that this fear has gripped everyone, including the huge pro-India constituency. The detention of former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, the greatest champions of the Indian State, has deepened the despair among those who have fought the separatists all through — serving and retired officials and political activists. The Abdullahs’ detention has made their position untenable and uncertain. And some of the so-called grassroots workers who are now being projected as the next line of political leadership — after being picked up from the panchayats — are allegedly holed up in hotels in Srinagar, scared of returning to their villages. These panchayat-level, hand-picked novices cannot fill the political vacuum. And every passing day of detention of the top political leaders of the state is a day lost in repairing the umbilical cord and assuaging the hurt of the Kashmiris.

Thus, the greatest threat to the Indian State now is the possibility of losing its most important constituency in the Valley and it seems counterproductive to create new leaders, marginalising or attacking the legitimate ones. The very approach of slamming this leadership as corrupt or status-quoist, which has to be wholly uprooted, appears terribly misconceived. They have been the elected representatives of the Kashmiris for a very long time and their detention only discredits mainstream politics and Indian democracy.

From the security point of view, the detentions, transfer of inmates to jails outside the state, massive deployment of forces and the proactive approach on the LoC to neutralise infiltrators pushed across by Pakistan have yielded spectacular results, with this summer being one of the calmest in recent times. The security forces have done their best to ensure that violence doesn’t erupt, but this calm could be deceptive as there is widespread apprehension of escalation of violence amongst Srinagar’s residents. This thinking is partly promoted by the separatists and their handlers across the borders, but is also the result of a vacuum in political activism.

A two-year-long delimitation process without an elected government — if it happens, as people fear —will be a godsend for the Pakistan deep state and the Islamist secessionists. Every day without a legitimate, elected government is an open invitation to the militants to dominate the mindscape of the people. It further gives the Islamists an opportunity to convince the people that the entire exercise of scrapping Article 370 was to do away with Article 35-A and thereby turn Kashmir into a Muslim-minority region. The retelling of these fears will assume proportions of a new sub-national narrative, which will eat into the innards of sanity, leaving society crippled against the criminals within. Competitive, mainstream politics is the only antidote to extremist violence and the sooner it is rung in, the better for all stakeholders. Till then, the Kashmiris should not be blamed if they don’t feel they too are Indian citizens.

With Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the Fit India campaign, former Special Forces officer, doctor and renowned international athlete, Major Surendra Poonia, VSM, moved by the prime minister’s initiative has decided to use his decade’s worth of combined military, sporting and medical experience to promote a spirit of fitness throughout the country, launching his flagship initiative, FitBharat. Speaking exclusively to SSBCrack, the renowned Para Special Forces Officer, who has served in the famed President’s Bodyguard proudly says, “Being a Special Forces veteran and a medical professional, I believe it is my soldierly duty to continue to serve the country by promoting an environment of health and fitness.” Major Poonia like a dutiful soldier, is on a mission to counter the country’s most significant national threat, the silent killer known as lifestyle diseases.

The root causes of these disorders have been linked with a lack of regular exercise and today’s sleep-deprived corporate culture. Being a former military man, the Ex-Special Forces Major came to the conversation armed to the teeth, this time with facts! The officer explains that “Lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, poor nutrition and improper sleep cycles are some of the leading causes of health-related ailments in India.” Elaborating on this, he says “7.1 per cent of the adult population in India are suffering from diabetes. There were an estimated 69.1 million cases of diabetes in India in the year 2015, and it has exceeded to around 70 million as of 2019! By 2030, almost 100 million of my fellow countrymen will suffer from diabetes.” The former Special Forces Commando says this with fiery conviction!

Speaking about widespread obesity, Major Poonia says, “Obesity has become one of the leading health epidemics in the 21st century, with morbid obesity affecting approximately five per cent of the national population! This means over 6.8 million Indians suffer from morbid obesity. Being a sportsman it truly pains me to have to acknowledge that over 13.5 crore Indians are morbidly obese!” According to several research papers shared by Major Poonia to SSBCrack, it has been ascertained that obesity in the country has doubled in the past ten years. Going by the research presented by the retired officer, it has been found that the urban population and states with higher income groups have a higher rate of obesity.

While conversing with SSBCrack, Major Poonia shared his observations, splitting the anatomy of the leading causes of obesity and its implications on productivity, self-esteem, mental health and youth development. The former military medical professional spoke extensively, about the surge of junk food, appealing advertisements promoting unhealthy food choices, mobile games such as PUBG and Fortnite and their effects on the youth. “These mobile games have confined the youth in their rooms and have trapped them in a vicious cycle of unhealthy life choices”, he declares enraged! “A lack of importance given to sports and fitness in educational institutions is disheartening and a cause of grave concern,” says Major Poonia with a sense of genuine concern.

During one of SSBCrack’s in-depth conversations with the former Special Forces doctor, he stressed on the vital role educational institutions have to play in promoting a spirit of fitness, among young school-going students. Major Poonia cited his discontent towards the syllabus of physical education in Indian schools. He says “Even physical education is taught through textbooks, and is evaluated through written exams! How is this physical fitness?”, the commando asks rhetorically. “This neglect,” he says “results in a generation of academically burdened youth with no outlet to vent their burdens.” Furthermore, they “lose out on so many benefits of taking part in sporting endeavours such as problem solving, teamwork, purpose, camaraderie, overcoming obstacles. This criminal neglect at an early stage follows them throughout their lives!” says the commando with great passion.

Touching more on this, he says, “The lack of fitness being imbibed in young children at an early age haunts them when they become working professionals. The increasingly exploitative corporate work environment has resulted in significant health problems.” Putting out another chilling statistic, the former president’s bodyguard says, “63 per cent corporate professionals are overweight. This leads to heart conditions leading to death as aforementioned. It results in “lowered productivity, leading to stalled career progression, ultimately making an employee feel dejected and stressed.” This “stress,” the officer says, “results in poor sleep patterns, improper nutrition and host of mood swings affecting one’s mental and spiritual well being. It is an interconnected vicious cycle.”

Major Poonia keeps on reinforcing passionately, the need for regular, sustained exercise and healthy eating. “Being an athlete and a soldier serving in the elite special forces, I was fortunate to be in an environment where fitness was prioritised…Soldiering is a high stress a high-risk job, however, what I experienced was that the rigorous fitness regimen we were subjected to, significantly alleviated the stress which came from such a hazardous profession!” Drawing from his personal observations, the Special Forces doctor empathises the plight of corporate professionals, saying, “Corporate professionals play a crucial part in our nation-building process. They are the ones who provide us with essential services, design the softwares and infrastructure required to make our lives easier, and put our country on the world stage. They work tirelessly in the pursuit of nation-building, yet do not get the time or encouragement to give time to their own health!”

Answering SSBCrack’s questions on what FitBharat hopes to achieve, the ex-commando says, “FitBharat, aims to imbibe a sense of physical fitness not only to our youth who are our future but even working professionals who are building our nation’s present.” Major Poonia stresses on the benefits of exercise on increased productivity at the workplace. “Focusing on personal health will undoubtedly help in enhanced mood and energy levels, resulting in better workplace productivity.” Efficient productivity, he says, “leads to superior output resulting in higher national growth!” The former army man says, “I believe that if we are physically fit as individuals, we can grow as a community, for me, fitness itself is a major national service!”

Ending the conversation with SSBCrack on a positive note, Major Poonia maintains an optimistic mindset towards the success of FitBharat. He speaks about the gradual but increasing trend towards health and fitness in the country, and how more and more people are “indeed putting efforts towards their well being.” When asked on how he aims to promote the message of FitBharat to his target audience, he replied saying “We have already started with the Soldierathon, which is a marathon organised once a year, and it has received a nationwide response. Going on further we aim to tie up with several sporting brands to highlight youth inspiring messages, in order to promote our young guns to take the first step. We shall also partner with sports regulatory bodies and organise inter-college and university sporting events.” He stresses on the reach of social media platforms and portals like SSBCrack to further the message, saying, “In today’s day and age, social media and youth-based websites are a potent tool, through which we can advocate fitness, give health and nutrition advice to bridge the knowledge gap!” FitBharat intends to come out with hashtag based challenges, creating a supportive online community dedicated to one another’s growth!

Speaking about his roadmap for the long run, the fit commando says “Over time, we shall work with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, to develop state of the art sporting facilities in schools and educational institutions to inculcate sports and fitness at a much younger age.” Major Poonia being a battle-hardened commando is hopeful but remains a pragmatist, acknowledging the challenges for the road ahead. “See it will not happen overnight, it is not simple to change attitudes and I recognise it will take time and a lot of effort however I am satisfied beyond any doubt that we shall succeed, there is now a tremendous internal drive towards fitness, and this is something that will continue to increase and can be channelised for the betterment of society and the nation at large!”

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s 51 Squadron is all set to receive a unit citation by Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria for thwarting Pakistan aerial attack and shooting down a Pakistani F-16 jet on February 27, 2019, according to ANI. The number 9 squadron whose Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft carried out the Balakot aerial strikes on February 26 will also be conferred a unit citation, added ANI.

Along with the units which carried out Balakot strike, Squadron leader Minty Agarwal’s 601 Signal Unit will also be awarded unit citation for their role in the same.

The award ceremony is scheduled for October 8 and the citation will be received by commanding officer Group Captain Satish Pawar.

Also read: Shooting down chopper on Feb 27 was ‘big mistake’, says IAF chief

The Balakot air strike was carried out by India in retaliation to Pakistan’s Pulwama attack, which killed over 40 CRPF personnel on February 14 this year.

During Pakistan’s counter-attack, in response to the Balakot air strike, Abhinandan Varthaman flew a MiG-21 Bison fighter jet into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), which was shot down by a Pakistan Air Force’s F-16. He too was caught but was released by the Pakistanis due to the pressure exerted on it by India and the international community.

He was also conferred with the third-highest wartime gallantry award, Vir Chakra on the 73rd Independence Day.

Bhuj, October 5

The Border Security Force (BSF) seized two Pakistani fishing boats abandoned in Sir Creek area near Kutch district in Gujarat on Saturday morning, an official said.

A team of BSF jawans, patrolling the area, found the boats at Lakshman Point in Sir Creek, an estuary along the Indo-Pak border, around 8.25 am, the official said.

The boats were carrying fishing equipment, but nobody was found on board, the official added.

Following the seizure, the BSF launched a search operation along the border area, he said, adding that nothing suspicious was found.

In a release, the BSF said, “A thorough search operation of the area has been launched. It is still under way, but so far nothing suspicious has been recovered from the area.”

Security agencies have reported several cases of Pakistani fishing boats lying abandoned in the area in the past couple of months. PTI

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Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 4

Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria on Thursday laid out a major indigenous plan to include quick induction of more versions of Tejas and backed a  fifth generation fighter jet of the DRDO, ruling out its import.

The new IAF Chief, who took over on September 30, said, “We are putting in all efforts on AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft)”.

The AMCA is a fifth generation jet which the DRDO is making.

On whether the option of fifth generation jets like those with Russia or other countries was being explored, he said “no”.

He was addressing a media conference ahead of the Air Force Day on October 8.

The new IAF Chief, who was a Tejas test pilot during the days of sanctions imposed by the US in 1998, said the order for the 83 Tejas Mark 1A jets will be placed soon. These will carry a more powerful engine along with better weaponry than the Tejas Mark 1.

The cost negotiation committee will soon give its report, he said, adding that if the Tejas Mark 2, also known as the medium weight fighter, is ready in a few years, IAF will induct that.  The process for 114 fighter jets is on, he said while dismissing questions on 36 more Rafale being purchased.

“Indigenisation and modernisation will be the key pillars”, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said.

“We have to ensure that indigenous products remain the focus and we will work to reduce dependency on foreign equipment,” he said, adding the new air-to-air missile Astra and BrahMos on the list.

On the fighter fleet, he said steps have been initiated to add 21 more MiG 29.

The Sukhoi 30 will be upgraded as the IAF has initiated the process. The Mi17 and Mi17-IV class of helicopters is being upgraded.

On being asked about the Mi17 crash at Budgam on February 27, he said the court of inquiry has been completed.

Two officers will face disciplinary action. The victims will be treated as battle casualty. “It was big mistake. Necessary steps taken to ensure that it’s not repeated,” he said. The copter had been shot by own missile.

On the threat of drones dropping arms in Punjab, the IAF Chief said, “It’s a new threat and it’s serious. We have some procurement in pipeline to will deal with such drones”.

File photo of Imran Khan.

New Delhi, October 4

India on Friday condemned the “provocative and irresponsible” statements against it by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan over abrogation of provisions of Article 370 and said he is unaware of how international relations are conducted.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the comments made by Khan do not behove the post he holds.

Kumar was responding to a question on the call for a march from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to the Line of Control, which has been backed by Pakistan’s military, to protest India’s move.

Also read: India criticises Malaysia, Turkey for statements on Kashmir

Entire neighbourhood, minus one, has been a good story: Jaishankar

At a rally held last month, Khan said he knew that majority of the youth in PoK wanted to stage the march to the LoC. However, he asked them to defer it until he fought the case at the UN General Assembly.

“This is not the first time that such statements have come from Pakistan. Pakistan’s Prime Minister holds a high constitutional office. He has given such statements even before. You have heard his statements even in the UNGA… such provocative and irresponsible language he has used. We condemn this,” Kumar said.

In his maiden speech at the UNGA last month, Khan raised the Kashmir issue and demanded that India must lift the “inhuman curfew” in Kashmir and release all “political prisoners”.

Khan devoted half of his address to the Kashmir issue, warning that if there’s face-off between two nuclear-armed neighbours, the consequences would be far beyond their borders.

“I think he is not unaware of how international relations are conducted. On that basis, he gives such statements. He had given an open call for jihad against India. This is not a normal behaviour,” Kumar said.

“We have been saying that Pakistan and its leaders should behave like a normal neighbouring country. They usually do not do that. We don’t expect that but sometimes we do that since we are neighbours. As far as their call of violating some other country’s territorial integrity is concerned, it does not behove the office he holds,” he said.

On Pakistan’s claim of 58 nations backing it on Kashmir, Kumar said it has not been able to produce the list of the nations.

“Sometimes, they kind of make up the number, which they did. When people are asking them to show the list, they do not have it,” the spokesperson said.

Ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after New Delhi abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5 to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, and bifurcated it into two union territories.

Pakistan reacted angrily to the move and expelled the Indian envoy. Since then, Pakistan has been trying to rally international support against India on the issue.

India also launched a diplomatic outreach to apprise major countries about its decisions on Jammu and Kashmir. PTI

From being a heartthrob of millions of cricket-lovers across the Indian subcontinent, Imran Khan has overnight metamorphosed into a medieval mullah. Worse, his cry for jihad against India now puts him in the league of Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar. For, after 9/11 no head of government or serious statesman has ever used the J-word so casually and callously as Imran Khan did on Sunday, after returning from his failed mission to rake muck at the United Nations General Assembly against India over the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. Strangely, while proclaiming a religious war against India, Imran elevated his third wife Bushra Bibi to the status of his nation, thanking both in the same breath for their fervent prayers when he was away in New York.

Imran seems to have lapsed into religion after his hysterical threats of a nuclear war elicited derisive laughter in the world capitals. Even Pakistan’s greatest ally China has merely gone through the motions without adding any substance to formal posturing. Only the United Kingdom, the original Pakistan patron, seems to have extended the hospitality of its capital city to hold anti-India rallies and to break the windowpanes of the Indian High Commission. This cannot be a source of consolation for Imran or his masters — the Pakistan deep state comprising the military-intelligence network.

Yet, it is of great import to understand the reasons behind the jihad cry. Was it Imran, nervous of losing the army’s support and scared of being made a scapegoat, appealing to the religious extremists within and without the army? Or, was he merely lip-synching the army prompters as he has done so far? If the latter is the case, the world should sit up and take note. India has been at the receiving end of an interminable jihad since Jinnah’s Direct Action day on August 16, 1946, when he declared that he would have ‘either a divided India or a destroyed India’. Jinnah’s successors want to divide and destroy India over and over again. J&K is a mere ruse; it’s a jihad Pakistan wants.

Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 30

In a decision that will come as a major relief to military pensioners, the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has ruled that the pension payable to such individuals should be calculated on the basis of actual length of service rendered by them, not as per the theoretical ‘maximum terms of engagement’ prescribed for their rank.

Allowing the petition of a 96-yrear-old IAF veteran, Master Warrant Officer Chander Bhan, the AFT’s Chandigarh Bench comprising Justice Virender Singh and Vice Admiral AG Thapliyal has ruled that the master policy of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), as approved by the Cabinet, is clear on the point that pension is now to be regulated as per the rank and length of service, irrespective of the date of retirement.

Bhan, who had joined the erstwhile Royal Indian Air Force in 1944 and was released from service in 1980, had contended that while he had served for 36 years, he was being paid the pension applicable to 28 years of service under the One Rank One Pension on the pretext that though he had served longer, the maximum terms of engagement mentioned in rules for his rank was only 28 years. Hence, in accordance with the implementation instructions issued by the MoD, pension was to be restricted as per maximum terms applicable for the rank held by a person at the time of retirement.

The Bench held that the implementation instructions could not pose any additional impediment since it would amount  to dividing pensioners based upon the maximum terms of engagement applicable at different dates of retirement. The Bench also observed that the earlier accepted recommendations of pay commissions had pegged pension to a maximum term of 33 years and the same could not be reduced through administrative instructions. It added that it was also arbitrary to pay pension for a lesser length of service when he was made to serve much longer.

Incidentally, this was the last judgment by Justice Virender Singh who retired this month after having served as the AFT chairperson. The AFT is currently functioning with only two judicial members against the sanctioned strength of 17. The remaining two members are scheduled to retire in December this year. Though the MoD has advertised vacancies, the appointments would be subject to the outcome of a case challenging AFT rules that is pending before the Supreme Court.

Win for 96-year-old

• Allowing the petition of a 96-yrear-old IAF veteran, Master Warrant Officer Chander Bhan, the AFT’s Chandigarh Bench has ruled that the master policy of the Ministry of Defence is clear on the point that pension is now to be regulated as per the rank and length of service, irrespective of the date of retirement