NC president Farooq Abdullah addresses party workers in Srinagar on Friday. Tribune Photo: Amin War

Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 24

National Conference leader and three-time state Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today came out openly in defence of militants, saying they have made a “promise with God” and are sacrificing their lives for freedom.Farooq’s rare pro-militant rhetoric, which came at a time when the levels of violence and sympathies for militants have significantly shot up, illustrated a stark change of heart for a political leader who had once advocated a full assault against militants and their backers.“If our children are offering sacrifices today, they do not want to become MLAs or MPs or minister. They offer sacrifices (to demand) their rights: this is our land, we are its owners,” Farooq said, addressing a gathering of his party’s workers and leaders at an event commemorating the death anniversary of his brother Sheikh Nazir.The NC leader’s new-found love for the separatist cause has a remarkable similarity to the soft-separatist politics of his party’s arch-rival PDP, which had blurred the lines between the mainstream and separatist politics during its years as the opposition party.Though Farooq did not make a clear mention of militants — instead referring to them as “they”, his speech was laden with references indicating he was eulogising the new generation of armed youth.Farooq, who has three times served as the CM, said everyone loves life and no one wants to die. “They have made a promise to God that he is the giver and taker of life, but we will give our lives for the freedom of this land,” he said.He said a “new nation has been born, which does not fear guns”. “This (new) nation strives to achieve the freedom of this country,” Farooq said.He also criticised the policy of responding to bullets with bullets. “If someone says bullets will be responded with bullets, (should know) that they are not afraid of bullets,” he said.The former CM linked the current phase of fighting to the 1931 agitation, which became the ladder to leadership for his father Sheikh Abdullah.He complained that promises made in 1948 — a reference to the implementation of UN resolutions on J&K which called for plebiscite — have been forgotten and asked India and Pakistan to do justice “with us.”

Protesters throw stones at security personnel during a search operation in Kulgam on Wednesday. Tribune Photo: Amin War

Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 22

Despite a stern warning from Army Chief General Bipin Rawat last week, protesters continue to hamper counter-insurgency operations in the Valley. In the latest such incident, a few hundred demonstrators attempted to disrupt a search operation on Wednesday in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.A police official said the security forces cordoned off a village in Kulgam district following an intelligence input about the presence of militants inside a hospital. The search operation was launched in Tarigam village at 10 am and two militants were suspected to be inside the hospital, the police official said.However, protesters from nearby villages gathered around Tarigam as soon as the cordon was established and threw stones at police and paramilitary forces manning the outer ring of the cordon, the official said. Tarigam is the native village of CPM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami.The police official said a crowd of over 200 protesters tried to disrupt the anti-militancy operation. “We had to fire tear-smoke shells to disperse the crowd,” the official said.The official said the anti-militancy operation continued and remained unaffected by theprotesting crowd. The search of the hospital and the adjoining structures ended after five hours when militants could not be traced.Another cordon and search operation was launched in Kulgam district’s Qoimoh area, the police official said. “It was based on speculative input and there was a minor law and order incident there too,” the official said, addingthat the operation was conducted smoothly and concluded after militant presence was not established in the area.Protests at encounter sites are still being held despite a stern warning from the Army Chief, who had last week said that if locals “become a problem in our operation and if that causes losses to our soldiers, we will not hesitate to use weapons”.General Rawat had further said that the security forces were facing higher casualties due to the manner in which locals were preventing them from conducting the operations.A high-profile militant, Abu Dujana, was suspected to have escaped last week when the police intercepted the car in which he was travelling in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district and protesters later clashed with the security forces, which is believed to have helped him escape from the spot.

No let-up in protests 

• February 22: Over 200 protesters attempt to disrupt a search operation in Kulgam district, restrained by tear-smoke shells
• Feb 18: Search operation launched in Newa area of Pulwama, protesters clash with security forces
• Feb 15: Army Chief Bipin Rawat warns protesters
• Feb 14: Three soldiers killed in a gun battle in Bandipora district, where protesters clashed with forces during several anti-militant operations in past month
• Feb 14: Police intercept a car in which militant commander Abu Dujana was travelling in Pulwama. Protesters clashed with the forces to distract them from the chase

Jalandhar, February 20

The 112 Infantry Battalion of Territorial Army (Dogra) will hold a recruitment rally for the category of Soldier General Duty, 20 vacancies, and tradesmen, 05 vacancies, at Jalandhar Cantt (Dogra Ground) from March 6 to 15.Candidates hailing from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh (UT) can take part in this rally.Candidates from Punjab & Chandigarh (UT) will be screened on March 6, those from Haryana and Delhi on March 7 and from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir on March 8.The age of the candidate should be between 18 and 42.Details can be had on the website www.indianarmy.nic.in. — TNS

Bags with ‘Army uniforms’ cause panic

Mohit Khanna and Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana/ Talwandi village, February 20Two abandoned bags full of army uniforms in Talwandi village near Phillaur caused panic, leading to high alert in the area on Monday. A passerby found the bag abandoned under a tree, some 100 metres from a railway track, on Sunday night and alerted police.The station house officer of Ladowal initially dismissed claims of army uniforms being found in the back as rumours.However, later in the evening, Police Commissioner Jatinder Singh confirmed it and said that the bag appeared to belong to a theatre troupe whose name they also found among its contents.Investigators said they found a slip of paper bearing the address of Tarun Talkies at Jammu Tavi, another paper with a list of costumes and sheets of coloured paper in the bag, leading them to suspect that it was stolen from a theatre troupe.DCP Investigation Bhupinder Singh Sidhu said: “We suspect that the may may have been stolen from a train from Jammu and Amritsar route that usually halts near Talwandi Village for signal. However, we are still investigating the case.”Although police claim there was nothing to worry about, some villagers remain unconvinced.Lakhbir Singh, a resident of the village, accused police of presenting an incomplete picture, which he claimed made the villagers wonder if the police was deliberately “hushing up” the incident.“They never bothered to search the houses near the spot where the bag was found. Instead, police searched 2-3 houses of Gujjars.”

Photo for representational purpose only. iStock

New Delhi, February 17

The Navy on Friday sealed a Rs 200-crore deal with Tata-backed Nova Integrated System Ltd for procurement of over two dozen surveillance radars, said to be first such contract by an armed force under the ‘Buy and Make’ category.

The procurement of surface surveillance radars (SSR) is part of the navy’s plan for modernisation of its fleet and these systems will also be installed on board ships under construction.

“A contract between Nova Integrated Systems Ltd and the Indian Navy for procurement of surface surveillance radars (SSR) has been concluded today,” a Navy statement said.

It said the deal is in line with the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Nova Integrated Systems Ltd is a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Advanced System Ltd and it will indigenously manufacture these radars in collaboration with Terma of Denmark.

“This contract marks the entry of Indian private industry in production of hi-tech sensors for Indian Navy,” the statement said.

It said the government’s drive to modernise the armed forces and build an Indian defence industrial base with participation of the private industry has got a major boost with the signing of the contract.

Under the deal, over two dozen radars will be procured at a cost of Rs 200 crore.

“This is the first contract concluded under the Buy and Make category,” it added. — PTI

Jammu, February 13

Pakistani troops targeted Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday evening using mortars and small arms, the Defence Ministry said here.The Pakistani troops initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatic weapons and also mortar bombs on Indian posts along the LoC in the Sunderbani sector at 6.05 pm, a defence spokesman said.Indian troops retaliated strongly and effectively, the spokesman said.—PTI

New Delhi, February 12

Expensive and sleek snow scooters, usually found at ice-capped tourist spots for adventure sport lovers, have for the first time been inducted for patrol by ITBP troops along the Sino-Indian frontier.The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Five of these powerful scooters, procured from a US-based firm, have been deployed at high-altitude border locations of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police in Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim to monitor the Chinese PLA deployment on the other side. Officials said the modern scooters, all costing around a crore, can seat two personnel (driver and pillion rider) with their rifle and ammunition in tow and can negotiate a 45-degree slope on the hills. They are supported by chaincase belts to help the 278-kg machine glide smooth and cut through the ice.The force, as part of bolstering its capabilities to effectively secure the 3,488-km border, had last year procured over six dozen SUVs and sent them to far-flung border areas for patrol and transport. — PTI

Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, February 7

The Himachal Pradesh Ex-Servicemen Corporation (HPESC) will train SSB (Services Selection Board) aspirants to help them join defence services as commissioned officers.Col BC Lagwal, chairman, HPSEC, said the corporation would train candidates who clear the written examination for National Defence Academy (NDA) and Combined Defence Services (CDS). He said that as many as 26 candidates trained by the HPESC were selected in the last few years. Col Lagwal said the corporation had identified land and equipments were being arranged to provide training. He said different hurdles, including crawling, rope climbing, bar walking net climbing, high and long jump, etc. would be set up.Col Lagwal said the wards of defence personnel would be trained free of cost.The Himachal Pradesh Ex-Servicemen Corporation (HPESC) would give Rs 25 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Welfare Fund during the CM’s visit to the district. Col BC Lagwal said the fund would be given from the corporation’s profit. He said the HPESC was grateful to the CM for his support and concern for the ex-servicemen.

Rs 25 lakh for CM’s fund

• The Himachal Pradesh Ex-Servicemen Corporation (HPESC) will give Rs 25 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Welfare Fund during the CM’s visit to Hamirpur. Col BC Lagwal said the fund would be given from the corporation’s profit. He said the HPESC was grateful to the CM for his support and concern for the ex-servicemen

Sidhu did not put any condition while joining the party, says Capt Amarinder. Tribune photo: Vishal Kumar

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 19

Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday said his party was aiming for two-third majority in the Assembly elections, and the incumbent SAD-BJP alliance will manage to win only 10 to 20 seats.Addressing the media along with newly-inducted member Navjot Singh Sidhu for the first time here, Amarinder said the people of Punjab were fed up with the SAD and want to dethrone the government.Former BJP MP Sidhu hinted at playing ‘second fiddle’ ‘to Capt Amarinder in his maiden innings of Assembly polls.It was also for the first time that Sidhu refrained from answering queries posed to him. When asked to comment over PM Modi’s demonetisation move, Sidhu said, “When Congress president is here who am I to speak”.Setting aside speculations of alleged cold war over the post of ‘chief minister’, Amarinder made it clear that the Sidhu couple joined the Congress unconditionally though they would play a vital role in the party, if voted to power.Unlike in 2012, the Congress has been late in announcing its CM face.Sidhu’s body language indicated that he was prepared to start his political innings under his new ‘captain’.    Amarinder volunteered to be his wicketkeeper. “As wicketkeeper I will be there to catch him in slips”, he said.When Amarinder was asked if he would accept Sidhu as the chief minister, Sidhu bounced back with his one-liner. ‘No ifs and buts…if my aunt were a man, she would have been my uncle…AAP disclosed that they offered me CM’s chair, did I accept it?”Going back in nostalgia, Amarinder said, “I knew Sidhu family since his father was Patiala district party president and Sidhu was a little boy. He is like my son and I am happy that he is now part of us,” he said.The Congress is set to face a tough electoral battle with the ruling SAD-BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party when the state goes to polls on February 4.The major focus is on Lambi where Capt Amarinder is to take on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.“I moved in Malaut and Lambi constituency and got immense support. We are getting overwhelming response from everywhere and we are confident to win with a two-third majority to flush out the SAD-BJP and form our government,” he said.Taking AAP as no threat, he said “Punjab is for Punjabis. How come ‘outsiders’ establish themselves and hold the reigns.

Azamgarh (UP): ‘Colonel’ Nizamuddin, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s driver and INA veteran, died on Monday in his native village of Dhakwa here after a prolonged illness. Born in 1901, he is survived by his wife Ajbul Nisha, three sons and two daughters. Nizamuddin, who served in the Indian National Army from 1943-45, proclaimed himself to be one of Netaji’s most trusted lieutenants. PTI