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Battle over, but martyrs’ families wage war in life

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Parents remember their children who sacrificed their lives for the nation at an event dedicated

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 26

Their eyes were fixed on the projector showcasing a documentary made on the war heroes, who sacrificed their lives for the country. They did not want to blink their eyes as they did not want to miss even a single scene. The emotions could not be controlled and the pain of losing their young children got out through their eyes. They were the parents of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation.Families of the martyrs were present at a function, which was dedicated to war heroes. A special wall containing pictures of martyrs attracted the attention of the families.Jalandhar Tribune Talked to the families and found that they have been fighting their own battle for the past 18 years.Father of martyr waiting to dieMohan Lal, a lean looking elderly man, was sitting alone on a chair. He was looking sad. While talking to Jalandhar Tribune, he said, “I attend the function every year to remember my son who got martyred in 1999 in Bandipora district in Jammu and Kashmir.”“I feel this is the only day when my son gets importance otherwise who talks about me or my son’s sacrifice. Nobody knows what I have seen or faced through these 18 years,” the father said in a quivering voice.His son Mohinder Lal was posted as Deputy Commandant with the Border Security Force (BSF) and got martyred at the age of 30. “Not even a day passes when I don’t miss my son,” he said while getting emotional.“I don’t know why he joined the force. He was doing well here as a lecturer at a college but he had a wish to serve the nation. He told me after joining the force,” he said and wiped off his tears.“And see now, a father of a martyr himself wants to die. I have no source of income and my elder daughter who is married helps me in everything. Even my wife is not well and I am not able to provide her proper treatment due to lack of money,” Mohal added.“I have also sought help from the governments, pr koi kuch nahee krta, kaun parvaah krta hai ki kisne kis k lie jaan di. Ab main isi intzar mein hu ki mar jaau (Nobody does anything, who cares if someone sacrificed his life for the nation. Now, I am waiting for the day when I will die).”After sharing his grudge, Lal moved forward and again sat on the chair.He fights to get boards bearing his son’s name reinstalledKirpal Singh, 70, was listening to the announcers, who were praising the sacrifices of the martyrs. Kirpal, who is a granthi, said these words always make him proud.His son Daljit Singh got martyred in Dras, a town in Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir, in 1999. His wife Kanwaljit Kaur, who had accompanied him, could not utter a word. Her eyes were filled with tears while remembering her son, who joined the Army.  She, along with her family, never wanted to see her son joining the Army. They are now fighting a battle to get boards bearing his son’s photos reinstalled at Rama Mandi Chowk and Johal Chowk.  He said the boards containing information of his son were installed at these chowks but these were removed due to some project. Thereafter, nobody bothered to reinstall the boards, he added.

In Iraq, VK Singh on rescue mission

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In Iraq, VK Singh on rescue mission
VK Singh

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 10

India today said it is making efforts to secure the release of 39 Indians, mostly from Punjab, who have been in IS captivity in Mosul since 2014. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj spoke to Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and assured him of making all efforts to secure their release.Punjab page: Iraq action rekindles their hopesWith Iraqi forces freeing Mosul from Islamic State control, India has stepped up efforts to locate and facilitate the return of its nationals. Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh (retd) is flying to Iraq’s Erbil to coordinate with the government there for the return of stranded Indians.The Ministry of External Affairs said Air India officials had been instructed to assist with their return, and that the government had activated all channels to locate the missing nationals. The MEA added that the Iraqi government has promised all help in locating the 39 Indians.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The official spokesperson for the MEA said: “As soon as the announcement of liberation of Mosul was made by the Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Abadi, the government activated various channels to locate those Indians. Iraqi authorities have conveyed that all cooperation would be extended in this regard and instructions have been issued by them to all relevant Iraqi agencies for the same.”The 39 Indians were taken hostage by the IS on June 11, 2014, in Mosul. However, confusion prevails over the fate of the abducted Indians. Harjit Masih, a Punjab resident who escaped from IS captivity in June 2014, had claimed that the 39 had been killed. However, the MEA has maintained that it has no information confirming that the Indians are dead.

Yet another soldier killed in LoC firing

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Yet another soldier killed in LoC firing
File photo

Jammu, July 21

A jawan was killed after the Pakistan army opened unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in the Sunderbani sector around 6.05 pm today.Rifleman Jayadrath Singh, 28, was grievously injured in the firing and later succumbed to his injuries. The Army retaliated strongly and effectively to the Pakistan firing.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The rifleman belonged to Bhagwanpur village in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. He is survived by his wife Mamta Devi.“Rifleman Jayadrath Singh was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty,” an Army spokesman said. Meanwhile, there were reports of ceasefire violations in the Naugam sector as well as Kupwara’s Keran sector. Eleven persons, including nine soldiers, have been killed in 18 ceasefire violations by Pakistan this month. — TNS

Separatism stays a step ahead on social media

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ONLINE WAR Viral videos that capture militants at leisure, videos of alleged rights excesses by forces and frequent gags on internet are bringing a paradigm shift in the narrative of the Valley’s conflict

The PDP­BJP government is the most unpopular government Kashmir has seen in the last decade. So even if the government tries to reach out to people through social media, it won’t make much of a difference for its public relations …. IRFAN MEHRAJ, an activist with the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society

A few days after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8 last year, a video surfaced on social media showing Wani and an accomplice tapping their rifles and humming a Kashmiri folk song playing in the background. The lyrics of the song in the video went: “You will miss me, o mother, when I will be buried under the earth…”

That video touched a chord with many in Kashmir where militants enjoy wide public support. “Any Kashmiri will cry, the video touches you,” a 40-year-old woman from old Srinagar said.

Viral videos that capture militants at play and leisure, shocking videos of alleged rights excesses committed by security forces on Kashmiri civilians, the alleged use of instant messaging platforms to mobilise stone pelters and recruit foot soldiers for militants and the frequent gags on internet are bringing a paradigm shift in the narrative of the Valley’s conflict. But the government seems to be losing the online war, with the militants and separatists seemingly always a step ahead. The week-long protest calendar by separatists to mark Wani’s first death anniversary calls for a “Kashmir Awareness” campaign on social media.

“The PDP-BJP government is the most unpopular government Kashmir has seen in the last decade. So even if the government tries to reach out to people through social media, it won’t make much of a difference for its public relations because I think it will face similar kind of criticism on social media to the one it faces on ground,” says Irfan Mehraj, an activist with the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and editor of e-magazine Wande.

Militants are no longer faceless. They wear military fatigues, strap ammunition across their chests and smile at you from forests. Given how successfully Wani struck a chord with people through social media and attracted youngsters, newer militants are trying out the same.

Police sources say although they check and analyse all latest militant videos, they are not dependant on them for gathering information on insurgents who are already profiled by police intelligence. But Kashmir watchers, like senior journalist and former Kashmir bureau chief of Reuters Sheikh Mushtaq, point out that militant videos play a “huge role” in humanising the insurgents to the common population and putting forward their viewpoint. “You see them and get to know them through these videos. They penetrate your computers and mobile phones. This is quite different from the militancy of the 1990s, when there were no such technologies.”

Stone-pelting protesters now shoot videos of clashes and upload them onto social media almost in real time. Many such videos were shared widely after a clash near an encounter site in Kulgam in February. With commentary on how forces were allegedly shooting at protesters and “killing Kashmiris”, the videos captured disturbing visuals from the clashes.

Director general of state police, SP Vaid, says police is successfully putting a check on all sorts of militancy propaganda on social media, but videos capturing atrocities and human rights violations of Kashmiris have dominated the narrative this year and proved to be a major headache for the administration.

In April, a video emerged of a group of Kashmiri youth heckling CRPF jawans returning from duty on the day of Srinagar bypolls on April 9 and resulted in a national outrage. What followed, however, was a torrent of videos showing security forces committing atrocities and human rights excesses on civilians, including using a “human shield” by the army and the targeted shooting of a teenage stone pelter on the day of the bypoll.

Army Major Leetul Gogoi tied Kashmiri shawl weaver, Farooq Dar, to the bonnet of a jeep as a ‘human shield’ and drove him around for five hours across 17 villages over 28km on April 9. A video of the act, which surfaced a few days later and was shared by many. including former chief minister Omar Abdullah. had put the spotlight on the now infamous act. Soon after these videos went viral, the administration on April 17 snapped highspeed mobile internet services and on April 26, banned 22 social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, for a month.

INTERNET GAGS CHECK VIOLENCE OR CURB DISSENT?

The security establishment tries to keep pace through its cyber cells but the government’s main response is to snap mobile internet services, like it did after Wani was killed. Post-paid mobile internet services were restored in mid-November, while pre-paid services were restored on January 30 this year — making the blackout period the longest in Kashmir till now.

The blackout did not stop youth from mobilising in large number and organising stone pelting protests. The unrest that began after Wani’s death left over 90 people dead last year. The idea that without internet there would be no street protests was also debunked when both broadband and mobile internet services were snapped across Kashmir for the bypolls in Srinagar constituency — eight civilian protesters were gunned down by forces that day. Senior police officers, however, argue that with functioning internet, the scale of violence would have been higher.

The suspension of 3G and 4G services in April was to curb the uploading of multimedia content that could provoke violence, while letting users access the basic minimum internet on their phones.

Similarly, the April 26 order by state home secretary RK Goyal to ban 22 sites said the step was taken because the government felt that “continued misuse of social networking sites and instant messaging services is likely to be detrimental to the interests of peace and tranquility in the state”. The social media ban turned out to be a colossal failure. Most Kashmiri users switched on to Virtual Private Network (VPN) apps to overcome the ban and what came as a real surprise was that the Who’s Who of Kashmir were all leading a busy social media life throughout the ban.

This year, internet services were completely or partially snapped at least seven times in Kashmir. But activists say the administration is clueless about how to control the space, which is being increasingly used for dissent, and hence gags it.

“Kashmiris chose dissent online, because the offline real world democracy wasn’t working. Even then they were pushed to the wall. The ban on social media was the peaking of an authoritarian state that can’t tolerate dissent. The state has lost both the battles offline and online. Now it’s just brutalisation that works in reality and virtually,” says Srinagar-based blogger Muhammad Faysal, who has over 15,000 followers on Twitter.

According to data since 2012 provided by internet shutdowns.in, a project by the Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC), Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 35 instances of complete or partial internet shutdowns, the highest among states.

‘GOVT TALKS ONLY OF DEVELOPMENTAL WORK’

CM Mehbooba Mufti has a verified Twitter account with around 21 thousand followers, but is yet to write her first tweet. On the other hand, the leader of opposition, former CM Omar Abdullah, is a Twitter star with 1.88 million followers and a tweet on almost every topic relevant to Kashmiris.

The PDP’s official Twitter handle is mostly focused on promoting the developmental work of the government. Mehbooba’s verified Facebook page is a collection of videos of her public appearances and short press statements.

“The ruling dispensation’s engagement on social media is mostly related to sharing news about development work and success stories. That’s their mandate. They do not go beyond that. If they express anguish over civilian killings or injuries, they will face tough questions by social media users,” said Moazum Mohammad, a journalist with English daily Kashmir Reader.

Pentagon urges India, China to reduce tension through direct dialogue

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Pentagon urges India, China to reduce tension through direct dialogue
The standoff in the Sikkim sector is seen as part of Chinese coercive tactics to change status quo on border. File

Washington, July 22

The Pentagon has encouraged India and China to engage in a direct dialogue free of any “coercive aspects”.

“We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions and free of any coercive aspects,” Gary Ross, a Defence Department spokesman said.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Over the past week, the US State Department too have been making similar statements, but Pentagon has sought direct dialogue between India and China on reducing tension “free of any coercive aspects”.

Notably, in recent past few years, almost all the Chinese neighbours have been accusing Beijing of coercive tactics to settle border disputes.

Read: China justifies construction of road in Sikkim sector

China trying to change status quo on border, says India

The month-long India-China border standoff in the Sikkim sector is seen as part of same Chinese coercive tactics to change the status quo. India has taken a strong stand against such a Chinese move.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval heads to Beijing to attend a meeting of BRICS later this month. During his visit, Doval is expected to talk with his Chinese counterpart on this issue.

Responding to questions, the Pentagon refused to take sides on the issue.

“We refer you to the Governments of India and China for further information. We encourage India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions. We are not going to speculate on such matters,” Ross said when asked if the Pentagon fears escalation of tension between India and China.

Early this week, a top Pentagon Commander told lawmakers that China is exploiting its economic leverage as a way to its regional political objectives.

“The Chinese have shown their willingness to exploit their economic leverage as a way to advance their regional political objectives. As China’s military modernisation continues, the United States and its allies and partners will continue to be challenged to balance China’s influence,” General Paul Selva, USAF, said in written response to questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee for his nominee for reconfirmation as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Selva said deterring war is an exercise in influencing China’s decision calculus, making diplomacy preferable to conflict and managing crises in such a manner that they do not unintentionally escalate.

“To do this, the Joint Force will engage with the Chinese military within Congressionally mandated limits, build alliance capacity through close cooperation, and uphold international law through appropriate operations,” he said in written response to the questions. PTI

Chinese warships, subs on the prowl in Indian Ocean

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NEW DELHI: Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean has recorded a significant increase ahead of the Malabar naval exercise involving India, the United States and Japan.

The Indian Navy has sighted more than a dozen Chinese warships, including submarines, destroyers and intelligence-gathering vessels, in the Indian Ocean during the last two months, government sources said.

The 10-day naval drills will begin in north Indian Ocean on July 10. More than 20 warships will take part in the exercise, including US Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, Indian carrier INS Vikramaditya and Japanese Izumo-class helicopter carrier.

The naval drill will be bigger and more complex than all previous editions. China has been suspicious of the trilateral engagement and has even lodged protests over Japan’s participation in the past.

A Chinese intelligence gathering ship, Haiwingxing, is understood to have sailed into the ocean in June-end. Strategic experts linked the Haiwingxing’s deployment to the forthcoming naval exercise. The navy’s satellites, surveillance planes and surface warships have also sighted Luyang III class destroyers, hydrographic research vessels and tankers. The presence of a submarine in the region has been confirmed by the presence of Chongmingdao, a Chinese navy submarine support vessel, the sources said.

Anti-piracy patrols and freedom of navigation are the reasons cited by China for its increased presence in the Indian Ocean, forcing New Delhi to tighten surveillance of the strategic waters, government officials said.

The deployment is being closely monitored by the Indian Navy. “Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean has touched a new high in recent months. We are using our surveillance assets quite extensively to monitor their movement,” a navy source said.

The sightings assume significance as the two militaries are in a three-week-long standoff at an India-China-Bhutan tri-junction close to the Sikkim border.

The Chinese deployment in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden, one of the world’s most important shipping routes, accounts for four to five warships at any time.

The periodic rotation of these units gave the Chinese navy the opportunity to deploy a variety of assets in the region, officials said.

The Indian Navy has been present in the Gulf of Aden since October 2008 and so far, 64 warships have been involved in antipiracy operations. India has one warship in the area at any given time. Navy data shows that Indian warships have so far made 41 interventions and escorted 3,765 ships, including 394 Indian-flagged vessels.

Wait on for soldier’s body

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Wait on for soldier’s body
Martyr Shashi Sharma

Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, July 20

Hundreds of people that arrived at Galol village in Nadaun were kept waiting for the arrival of mortal remains of martyr Shashi Sharma who sacrificed his life in Jammu and Kashmir while responding to a cross-border firing on the Line of Control (LOC).It was intimated to the members of the martyr that the body would be airlifted from the Udhampur Army base to Sujanpur near here but later it was reported that the chopper could not take off due to bad weather at Udhampur.Relatives were also kept waiting at Sujanpur which was 35 kilometers away from the village. People were seen more angry for choosing a distant location for landing the chopper. The father of the martyr Prithvi Chand said the body could be brought by road as it only takes 6 hours to arrive from Udhampur.A communication from the Army confirmed that the body would be brought to the village by road tomorrow morning. The delay had harassed people, especially the wife and children of the martyr who were unable to eat and drink in the hour of grief.

Braveheart’s death mourned

Solan, July 20

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today mourned the death of rifleman Vimal Sinjali of 14 Gorkha Training Centre, Subathu, who was killed in a sniper fire from across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir on July 18.The Chief Minister said his sacrifice would not go in vain and it would always inspire the security forces to serve the motherland with valour. DC Rakesh Kanwar said the deceased soldier would be cremated with full state honours at the 14 GTC, Subathu, tomorrow, after the arrival of his family from Nepal. — TNS

Modi in Israel, redefines ties by Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much-hyped, historic visit to Israel marks an end to uncertainty and tentativeness in Indo-Israeli relations. It seems the hyphenation of Israel and Palestine is finally over even in the mind of India, one of Palestine’s major supporters.

Modi in Israel, redefines ties
ANCIENT CRY: Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall, or Western Wall as it is known in Hebrew, is one of the holiest sites in the world, today. It is the only remnant of the holy edifice that stood on the Temple Mount.

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi is in Israel for his maiden visit to that country. It is, in fact, the maiden visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Israel. Ever since the end of the Cold War, when the compulsion to support and take sides in the dispute over Palestine finally came to an end, India has steered mid-course, remaining a friend and supporter of the Palestinians,virtual strategic partner of Israel and continuing excellent ties with the Arab countries. A striking similarity of both countries was the timing of India’s Independence and Israel’s creation in 1947-48. Both countries fought wars right at their inception and the problems related to those wars continue even now, in both cases. In India’s case, Jammu and Kashmir-based separatism and terrorism  and in Israel’s domain Hamas and Hezbollah-led activities with political backing from regular nations remain the challenge. Whereas Israel’s threats have comparatively reduced over the years due to its proactive military dominance in its region, India’s have multiplied manifold. The regional dynamics are different no doubt but both nations are located in potential cauldrons of wide-ranging conflicts with unpredictable triggers.My personal take on Israel has always been one of admiration. It has given outstanding models of strategic thought, intelligence, governance and technology to punch much above its weight. Among the major reasons for its strategic confidence are the backing and support from US and its own ability to take decisions and proactive action against adversaries without much concern for international opinion. I had the good fortune of visiting Israel some years ago as part of an international study group which had access at very high levels. The visit took me through Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, West Bank and Ramallah, Nazareth, Galilee, the Lebanon border and finally Haifa. There were visits to some fascinating hi-tech research facilities and defence establishments with focus on micro drones and night-surveillance devices. Keeping a strategic overview, I absorbed everything which makes Israel what it is in terms of its strategic national security. It was obvious that constraints of real estate played on the Israeli mind   and drove much of its security thinking. It could not afford risk and therefore proactivity was the essence. Loss of territory was just not acceptable and to give itself depth Israel had taken some bold decisions in 1967. Although these decisions promoted its physical security also brought it lasting enmity. What I observed in all the briefings was the high level of clarity in thinking and virtual political consensus on matters of security. I realised this was a huge plus in planning and execution of national security. The other very noticeable aspect in Israel’s outlook towards security was the absence of rancour in the media. Having fought multiple conventional conflicts and experienced irregular threats almost from its foundation, very little social antipathy was expressed in the media although professionally there was no dilution in attitude towards anyone. It’s in the geopolitical and security domains that the major commonalties of Indian and Israeli interests lie. However, one cannot but appreciate the fact that Israel’s proclivity towards hi-tech research in the field of agriculture, metallurgy and even nuclear science is of great interest to India. Besides that, a small nation with high threats always innovates and Israel is probably the most outstanding example of that dictum. Institutional exchanges on education in design, research and development and startups will always be to mutual advantage.In the purely geopolitical domain, Israel has over time appreciated India’s problems of extending unequivocal support to its cause. There were compulsions of policies adopted by India in the past. Even after 1991, Israel was aware that India was still walking a tightrope. Its energy needs came from the Arab world. Prime Minister Modi’s earlier visits to the UAE and Saudi Arabia finally helped cement an equation with the Gulf which opened the way for an equally, if not more, transformational relationship with Israel. Geopolitically, there is another way of looking at this. As Iran’s antipathy towards Israel increased, especially during the time of Ahmadinejad, and its nuclear ambitions started becoming evident it was clear that the relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia, backed by the US, would improve. This appeared to have an overall positive effect on Israel’s relationships with the Arab world, except with those elements supported by Iran. It opened a window for India without risk to its relationship with the Arabs. Iran already being under sanctions gave little scope for enhancing Indo-Iran relations. The overall effect of the dynamics of this emerging situation was a flow of positive energy through Indo-Israeli relations. The only casualty appeared to be Palestine which till as late as President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit in 2015 was on the tour map which took him to Israel, Palestine and Jordan. The dwindling importance of Palestine could be considered a momentary phenomenon. However, it seems the hyphenation of Israel and Palestine is finally over even in the mind of India one of Palestine’s major supporters in the heyday. The one aspect which can in a stroke drastically reduce threats in West Asia is a potential improvement in the relationship between Iran and Israel. Unfortunately, there are complex equations in this and is unlikely to see the light of day in the current set-up. Notwithstanding the Iranian Grand Ayatollah’s recent support to the Kashmiri separatists, which appeared more tactical than anything else, India is one country which can be a potential interlocutor, the moment for which is yet far.While the intelligence and military-to-military relationship continues to thrive, the visit of Prime Minister Modi and the manner of his reception and conduct should finally place the last nail in the coffin of uncertainty and tentativeness in Indo-Israeli relations. From now onwards, this should take the shape of a transformational relationship, especially since there is so much that the two nations have yet to achieve for their people.The writer, a former GOC of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, is now associated with the Vivekanand International  Foundation & the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies.

Kargil conflict, and the lessons it taught

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 19

Pointing out that the 1999 Kargil conflict was the result of intelligence failure, the Commander of the Army Brigade that had wrested control of Tiger Hill, the conflict’s most iconic feature and the capture of which was a turning point in the conflict, said the war had thrown up several important lessons.“One of the most important lessons learnt was that it could not be taken for granted that nothing would ever happen and that Commanders could never be complacent,” Brig MPS Bajwa (retd), the then Commander of the 192 Brigade said. “The mindset of Commanders is vital. If they are prepared for any eventuality, others down the line will also be prepared. If not, juniors will follow suit,” he addedThe Kargil War fought in the summer of 1999 on the icy heights along the Line of Control of the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir to evict Pakistani intruders who had surreptitiously occupied tracts of the Indian-held territory.Delivering a talk on the Battle of Tiger Hill organised by the Centre for Military History today, Brig Bajwa said employing techniques of surprise and deception, effective exploitation of all available resources within the battle zone and innovative use of artillery were other important lessons of the conflict. Junior leadership, with its valour and tenacity as well as air support were other key factors that led to victories, he said.Elucidating on the operation to capture Tiger Hill, a dominating feature north of Dras that gave a clear view of the national highway, Brig Bajwa said it was a challenging task for which an unconventional plan involving surprise by following the most unexpected approaches was devised and a multi-directional attack was launched.The peak was held in strength by a well trained and well acclmatised enemy.The assault to capture Tiger Hill began on the night of July 3, with fake radio transmissions and deceptive movements being undertaken to confuse the enemy, even as heavy artillery opened up support fire. By 4.30 am, the grenadiers battalion, after hand-to-hand combat, entrenched itself on the top. Mopping up operations continued till mid-morning.

 

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‘Vajpayee announced victory in battle of Tiger Hill in advance, would have been embarrassing if we failed’

RAW had dedicated aircraft (to gather intelligence) but they were diverted for some other purpose related to the Prime Minister’s Office. BRIG MPS BAJWA (RETD)

CHANDIGARH :At the height of the Kargil War, on the evening of July 3, 1999, the Indian Army started the operation to recapture Tiger Hill.

KARUN SHARMA/HTBrigadier MPS Bajwa (retd) at Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) in Chandigarh on Wednesday.However, the very next day during a public rally in Haryana, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced the army’s success. This was at a time when Indian soldiers had just got a foothold over the feature.

“It would have been very embarrassing (if things happened otherwise). However, we won later,” said Brig MPS Bajwa (retd), during the third Maj Gen KS Bajwa Memorial-Regiment of Artillery War Experiences Talk, organised by the Centre for Indian Military History, Sector-19, Chandigarh on Wednesday.

Brig Bajwa was the brigade commander of the battle to recapture Tiger Hill from Pakistan. On Wednesday, he was narrating his wartime experience in recapturing this important strategic feature that is the highest mountaintop in the vicinity. During the Kargil War, enemy position atop Tiger Hill was dominating parts of the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh highway.

The day when Vajpayee made the announcement, Nawaz Sharif was to meet US President Bill Clinton. “The issue took a political turn,” Brig Bajwa said, adding that it was the turning point of the war. “Soon Pakistan decided to withdraw its troops.”

INTELLIGENCE FAILURE, MISPLACED PRIORITIES

During the course of his talk, Brig Bajwa accepted that Pakistan was successful to incur upon Indian territory owing to an intelligence failure, as neither the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the Intelligence Bureau (IB) nor the field formations knew anything about it.

“RAW had dedicated aircraft (to gather intelligence) but they were diverted for some other purpose related to the Prime Minister’s Office,” he said.

“The priorities of Corps Commander Lt Gen Krishan Pal, GOC of 15 Corps, were different. If you don’t send regular patrols to the heights but to drains, then this is what happens.

On May 3, 1999, he was in New Delhi to supervise his wife’s surgery,” he said.

He also pointed out that the Bajrang Post in Kaksar Sector was never to be vacated.

Lt Saurabh Kalia, while leading a surveillance patrol, was abducted from this area. Later, his mutilated body was found.

He said that on May 23, 1999, the then army chief Gen VP Malik asked the ground forces not to cross the Line of Control (LoC). “Had we crossed the Line of Control , we could have had an advantage with additional forces,” Brig Bajwa said.

‘FOUGHT HARD FOR 8 SIKH’S DECORATION’

To recapture Tiger Hill, Brig Bajwa was provided the 18 Grenadiers and the 8 Sikh. In his talk, he narrated how the 52 soldiers of 8 Sikh, along with Lt RK Sehrawat and Major Ravinder Singh, repulsed counter attacks during the battle.

He also praised Captain Karnal Sher Khan of the 12 Northern Light Infantry of Pakistan, who was later decorated with the Nishan-e-Haidar for his heroics.

However, Brig Bajwa admitted that despite his recommendations, the 8 Sikh did not get its due in terms of military decorations.

“I fought hard. But I was told why are you making a small manoeuvre a big deal,” he said, adding that Subedar Nirmal Singh just awarded a Vir Chakra. Subedar Singh had led the attack platoon and was engaged in a hand-to-hand fight till the end.

Brig Bajwa also pointed that evacuations of casualties and replenishments of ammunition were poor. Brig Bajwa further added, “Furthermore, we did not have any mountain gear for the battle to recapture Tiger Hill, he said.

PUNJAB LATEST:::01 JUL 2017

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On Punjab law officers’ list: AG’s wife, kin of judges, netas

She is a bright candidate. I wasn’t part of the process to select the additional advocate general. ATUL NANDA, Punjab AG, on his wife’s selection

CHANDIGARH :Wife of Punjab advocate general (AG) Atul Nanda, kin of some politicians and at least six former judges are among the 121 names announced by the Punjab government on Friday for appointment as law officers. These officers would be posted at the Punjab and Haryana high court and the Supreme Court.

The first list comes nearly four months after Captain Amarinder Singh government took over the reins in Punjab on March 16.

The appointees include Rameeza Hakeem (as additional advocate general) wife of Nanda; Sukhmani Bajwa, daughter of Fateh Jang Singh Bajwa who is Qadian Congress MLA; Deepali Puri, wife of Amarinder’s OSD Sandeep Sandhu (Amritsar camp office); Manjari Nehru Kaul, daughter of justice (retd) RK Nehru; and former Chandigarh mayor Anu Chatrath, daughter of former Punjab AG Gopal Krishan Chatrath.

Others include Amandeep Singh Gill, son of justice (retd) Mehtab Singh Gill; Abhay Pal Singh, son of former chief secretary Jai Singh Gill; Anu Pal, sister of serving high court judge justice Lisa Gill; Harmeet Singh Grewal, son of former AG GS Grewal.

A relative of TMC president Jagmeet Brar, Sidakmeet Sandhu; Haryana Congress leader Kuldeep Sharma’s daughter, Lavanya Paul; justice (retd) TS Doabia’s son, IPS Doabia; and justice (retd) MS Sullar’s relatives Devaki Anand Sullar and Harman Deep Sullar are also on the list.

The list includes over a dozen lawyers who were working with previous government as well. Some of them have been appointed on junior posts.

Nanda said the selections were done by an independent panel on laid down criterion. On his wife’s appointment, he said: “She is a bright candidate. I wasn’t part of the process to select the additional advocate general.”

Regarding kin factor, he said being kin of a judge or politician should not be an advantage. “But at the same time, it should not act as an impediment,” he added.

The state government has announced reduction in the size of its legal team to almost half its previous strength. From 215 law officers appointed during the SAD-BJP regime, the number will be capped at 154, said an official spokesman

Friday’s appointments include 25 additional advocates general, 49 assistant advocates general, 30 deputy advocates general and 17 senior deputy advocates general. Nanda had recommended 123 lawyers for Chandigarh and 31 for Delhi.

Sewer opposite Patiala bus stand breeding ground for mosquitoes

PATIALA: An open sewer along the Mall road opposite the city’s bus stand has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and a source of foul smell as the sewerage pipeline is choked and sewage remains stagnant in the channel. The stagnant sewage on the side of the road just opposite the bus stand also presents a bad image of the city for thousands of visitors coming to the city daily.

HT PHOTOThe chocked sewer along the Mall road near the bus stand in Patiala.

Thousands of people, who commute on the road. have to face mosquitoes and foul smell every day. There is always a fear of spread of water-borne diseases in the area.

While the district health department is challaning government and private premises for lack of cleanliness and dengue larvae, the condition of the sewer along the road has been ignored by both the municipal corporation and the health department.

Residents of the nearby areas say a hotel near the road also releases its waste water in the channel along the road without any check. This has been happening for years. Three-wheeler drivers, who park their vehicles on the roadside, claim that sewer pipes connecting the hotel with the mainline across the road have been blocked for the past six months and the waste water flows into the sewer line making it difficult for commuters. The department concerned has failed to take note of it.

Epidemiologist Dr Gurmanjeet Kaur also said that a team from the department will visit the area and look into the matter.

Police revamp underway, zones scrapped, IGs to head ranges

State was divided into 4 zones — Border, Patiala, Jalandhar and Bathinda

The government has decided to pull out officers of the rank of DIG from the field. All seven ranges will now be headed by IG­rank officers.
CAPT AMARINDER SINGH, CM

CHANDIGARH: In a re-jig of the police administrative structure, the Punjab government on Friday decided to abolish all post four zones and post inspector general (IG)-rank officers as heads of seven ranges in the state.

Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh said the government has decided to pull out officers of the rank of deputy inspector general (DIG) from the field. “All seven ranges will now be headed by IG-rank officers,” he said in an interaction with reporters. The seven ranges – Patiala, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Border and Rupnagar – were headed by DIGs hitherto.

The move is being seen as an attempt to “rationalise” the police structure and give the charge of ranges to more experienced officers. Haryana and Rajasthan also have a similar administrative structure.

The state was divided into four zones — Border, Patiala, Jalandhar and Bathinda — which are being abolished.

The chief minister also said he has asked for a report from the secretary, local government, on alleged tax evasion to the tune of Rs 684 crore by Fastway Transmission Private Limited.

“I sought the report after reading the minister’s statement on the issue. Whatever has to be recovered will be recovered,” he said.

The CM’s statement is important, as local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had raised the issue on the last day of the budget session of the state assembly.

The minister said his department had issued notices to the company for the violations and it was for the chief minister to order registration of FIR and a vigilance probe against the company.

Asked to comment on the growing impression that his government is going slow on action against the Akalis, the CM said there was no point.

“We are doing whatever is to be done. My priority is Punjab. We are focusing our energy on bringing the state back on track,” he said.

WAITING FOR RAHUL

On cabinet expansion, he said that it was scheduled in the first week of July. “The Congress vice-president (Rahul Gandhi) is abroad and will be back in 5-6 days. I will meet him and discuss it,” he said.

Asked if his government would appoint parliamentary secretaries, Capt Amarinder replied in the affirmative, saying he had got the matter legally examined.

“We have taken opinion from constitutional experts. When the appointments were legally rejected, there were some different reasons,” he said.

Punjab to do away with 3 police ranges

Punjab to do away with 3 police ranges
Tribune file photo

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 30

Punjab will no longer have two supervisory levels in its policing structure. Among the last states to bring in the reform, it has abolished the post of DIG in different police zones. Also, IGPs have been vested with supervisory powers.Punjab will now have seven police ranges — Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Bathinda, Ropar, Ferozepur and Ludhiana. Each of these will be headed by an Inspector General of Police (IGP). Earlier, four police zones were headed by a DIG each and seven by IGs. Now on, three districts will form a police range.A new post, that of ADGP (Border), has been created for a greater vigil at the India-Pakistan border. Harpreet Singh Sidhu, in-charge of the Special Task Force to fight the drug menace, has been given the additional charge. With orders abolishing the police ranges of Ropar, Ferozepur and Ludhiana expected tomorrow, the state will have four ‘spare’ DIG-level officers.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, calling it the beginning of police reforms aimed at providing good governance, said the tenure of “senior operations men” would be fixed. He did not mention any posts. But sources in the police department said the Director General of Police (DGP), Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) and Inspectors General of Police (IGPs) will have a fixed one-year tenure.The CM said after the Cabinet expansion (expected by mid-July), he would keep the Home (police, Intelligence and jails), Horticulture and Animal Husbandary Departments with him. He said he would also be appointing parliamentary secretaries who would not be involved in official work “but will be trained in parliamentary roles.”Meanwhile, the state government has decided to have English as the medium of instruction at the primary level, beginning this academic session. Mandarin, Italian and French will be introduced as optional subjects in Class X.English medium in primary schoolsThe Punjab government has decided to have English as the medium of instruction at the primary level, beginning this academic session. Mandarin, Italian and French will be introduced as optional subjects in Class X.

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