Both India and Bangladesh celebrate December 16 as victory day when Pakistan army was defeated in 1971 war. That is as it should be. But both countries are silent on the role and sacrifices of brave intelligence officers of RAW who played a pivotal and decisive role in this war under the leadership of late RN Kao, founder of RAW. Not a single word is uttered for them or has been in the last 44 years. I think it’s time our countrymen were told of the valour of this hidden community in this two phased war, that is, first the guerrilla operations by RAW and second direct intervention by Indian army on December 3, 1971.

RK YADAV

@rawrkyadav

Prior to the December 1970 elections in Pakistan, RAW sources inside army, political and diplomatic circle of Pakistan had given clear indications that in case Sheikh Mujibur Rahman got a majority he would not be allowed to rule Pakistan. There were reports of shifting of huge army personnel to East Pakistan by the air route. Kao planned a meticulous operation to stop these over-flights on Indian soil.

On January 30, 1971, an Indian Airlines plane Ganga was hijacked from Srinagar though a RAW source and taken to Lahore airport. All 26 passengers were released and the plane was set on fire. This was an outdated plane which was due to be dumped soon. The Indian government immediately banned over-flights going from West to East Pakistan. This action of Kao hampered the transportation of men and material from air route although Pakistan continued it via Colombo but slowed down this process in view of the international outcry.

On March 25, 1971, Yahya Khan, the military dictator of Pakistan, arrived in Dhaka at 5pm amid tight security to fly to Karachi for the 2,000 mile journey vide the Indian peninsula and Ceylon when the political solution was put on hold. Yahya Khan was apprehensive that if any military action would start while he was in Dhaka, there was every possibility of Indian intervention. He was briefed that RAW could play mischief which would be dangerous to his life as well as to Pakistan. Yahya Khan did not want to risk being intercepted and forced to land in India by Indian Air Force at the behest of RAW.

So, military action was planned to follow after his safe arrival at Karachi. After he landed at Karachi, message of his safe arrival was flashed to Dhaka by the army. Immediately thereafter, the worst ever genocide of Bengalis started that night at 11.30pm. RAW operatives had earlier briefed Mujib at 8 pm in his house at 32, Dhanmandi that his house would be raided that night by Pakistan army. Mujib sent his political confidants into hiding but refused to leave his house fearing the army would burn down the whole of Dhaka to trace him. Around 1.30am on March 26, 1971, Mujib was arrested. Subsequently RAW intercepted a message of Pakistan army that “the bird is caged”.

This message was flashed by Indian media all over the world.   When the Pakistan army unleashed brutal crackdown on innocent East Bengalis, the influx of refugees increased beyond the control of Indian administration. Prime minister Indira Gandhi called Army chief Sam Manekshaw and RAW chief RN Kao.

She discussed the modus operandi to liberate East Pakistan. She told Manekshaw that she wanted to take military action against Pakistan Army in this area. General Manekshaw replied that Indian Army had always been told by political bosses that their role was defensive and meant to protect the territorial integrity.

If Indian Army was to put in action in East Pakistan, special riverine operation equipment and training was required wherein we were lacking. Manekshaw did not want a premature operation in this war and repeat the mistakes of 1962 and 1965 wars. When Gandhi asked Manekshaw how much time the army would take for the preparation of offensive inside East Pakistan, he replied, at least six months. She told the general to make preparations for the war and inform her when he was ready for it. The prime minister then asked RN Kao to prepare all possible ground for the army for its final assault. Kao’s team of dedicated officers K Sankaran Nair, head of Pakistan desk, PN Banerjee, head of Bangladesh operation, and brigadier MBK Nair head of technical division of RAW made all preparations around East Pakistan to train guerrilla outfits at all vantage points. Many monitoring stations were opened on borders and inside East Pakistan. A provisional Bangladesh-government-in-exile was formed at Calcutta at Theatre Road on April 14, 1971 and Mujib Nagar was named the capital.

A Bangladesh radio station “Free Bengal Betal Kendra” was established at Mujib Nagar for regular news to the people of East Pakistan on the impending plans of the government in exile and to coordinate various factions of the guerrilla forces that were scattered in far flung areas. Syed Nazrul Islam was named vice president and acting president in the absence of Sheikh Mujib and Tajuddin Ahmed was appointed prime minister. Colonel MAG Osmani, trusted aide of Mujib, was made the provisional chief of staff of Bangladesh Army and, in that capacity, the chief of all freedom fighters and head of Mukti Bahini. PN Banerjee, joint director of RAW at Calcutta, was overall in-charge of the government-in-exile of Bangladesh and coordinating all overt and covert operations of the guerrilla forces. Mukti Bahini was operational in majority parts of East Pakistan barring few areas where other guerrilla outfits were in command.

Besides Mukti Bahini, the main guerrilla outfit, Mujeeb Bahini, another wing, was operating in the Chittagong Hill tract under the direct supervision of Special Frontier Force (SFF) of RAW. Major General SS Uban, head of SFF, was personally supervising all operation inside East Pakistan and the unit almost captured Lal Denga – a rebel Mizo leader who was helped by Pakistan and also saved two sons of the Hindu Raja Tridip Roy of Chakma community of this region who was minister in Pakistan government. This Raja and his family had unleashed atrocities on Chakmas with help from Pakistan army and SFF was wary of them being lynched by local Chakmas. SFF and Mukti Bahini were solely responsible for liberation of Chittagong Hill tract from Pakistan Army.

There was another guerilla outfit, Kader Bahini, under RAW operative Abdul Kader Siddique nicknamed as “Tiger Siddique” which played havoc with the Pakistan Army in and around Dhaka by disrupting communication systems, ambushing army columns, blowing up supply and ammunition dumps and assaulting enemy convoys. Many bridges were blown up by Tiger Siddique’s force which hampered movement of Pakistan army in this area.

Overall, surrender of Pakistan’s 93,000-strong army in the two weeks war with Indian forces was made possible in coordinated venture of Phase I – Guerrilla Operations and Phase II – Final Assault of Indian Army. Kao and Manekshaw had their offices in South Block near the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). They had excellent rapport which was master stroke of this war. Kao personally told me that they used to walk into one another’s office without hesitation to discuss various strategic planning at odd hours. Phase I of this war belonged to RAW which trained a guerrilla force of more than 1,00,000 Bengali population to harass the Pakistan Army for eight months before the final war was fought in Phase II from December 3 to 16. This is a unique achievement of the RAW that has no parallel in the history of any other intelligence agency of the world.

This was meticulously planned by Kao who had no equal in experience or intellect. RAW was three years into its inception and lacked strength and equipment. Even then Kao accomplished this memorable task with the vigour of his able officers. Kao never believed in half-measures as per my assessment of him. The government of India conveniently forgot Kao’s contribution and never recognised the valour of this hidden community of Indian intelligence. Bangladesh too honoured all and sundry who helped them in 1971 liberation but never awarded any officer of RAW. This is highly questionable. Most of them are not alive and some of them are quite aged now.

It is high time the government shed its political inhibitions and recognised the contribution of Kao in Indian intelligence. It would not only revive the sagging morale of the intelligence community but will also boost its morale for the future.

NEW DELHI:  There have been 69 cases of suicide in the Indian Army this year besides an incident of fratricide, the government said today.
In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh said reasons for such incidents include occupational hazards, family issues, domestic problems, perceived grievances, personal issues, mental built, financial problems and inability to withstand stress.

As many as 334 Army personnel have committed suicide since 2012 besides eight cases of fratricide in the same period, he said. The Navy and Air Force has witnessed 12 and 67 cases of suicide since 2012 respectively. The Air Force has also reported one case of fratricide.
“A large number of officers have been trained, as counsellors, to provide psychological counselling to the defence personnel and their families,” the minister said.
“Civilian psychological counsellors have also been employed, to provide mental health services. A psychologist visit units and formations from time to time and carries out psychological counselling, individually and at times in groups,” the Minister said.
In another reply, Mr Singh said there has been no rise in the number of personnel leaving defence services after 20 years of service, except for sailors in Navy.
“This is largely due to availability of alternate vocations,” the Minister said.

NEW DELHI: In the euphoria that followed the announcement about a new dialogue process between India and Pakistan, many would have missed out on a key development – a place at the negotiating table for the Pakistani military.

The joint statement issued in Islamabad on Wednesday said the two national security advisers will address all issues connected to terrorism. Since October 22, retired general Nasser Khan Janjua has been Pakistan’s NSA. His predecessor, Sartaj Aziz, was quietly divested of the post as the military strengthened its already firm grip on foreign policy.

The reason trotted out by sources quoted in Pakistani media reports was that the powers that be believed Aziz was unable to fully attend to the posts of NSA and foreign affairs adviser.

The reality is that the mildmannered Aziz has had little say on national security and his removal was a sign of the “shrinking control of the civilian administration over national security”, the Dawn newspaper reported.

Janjua is clearly the choice of the generals in Rawalpindi. For some in India who have pushed for greater engagement with the Pakistani military, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“Our best dealings with Pakistan were during the time of (former military ruler Pervez) Musharraf. The question really is of engagement. When we engage, things move,” AS Dulat, a former head of the Research and Analysis Wing, told HT. Since the composite dialogue process began in 1998, Pakistan’s military has had a role in the talks but uniformed officials were only part of delegations led largely by civilian bureaucrats. For a long time, the Pakistan Army pushed for a more direct role in the talks. In July 2009, then Inter-Services Intelligence chief Shuja Pasha, during a rare meeting with Indian military attaches, suggested India should deal directly with Pakistan’s army and intelligence set-up.

Now, Janjua will help the Pakistani military establishment achieve its objective of having a direct say in talks with India. The Pakistani military establishment’s decision to make Janjua the NSA was apparently based on the discomfiture at dealing with Indian NSA Ajit Doval, a spymaster with a long stint in Pakistan.

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 9

The Army on Wednesday inaugurated a vocational training centre at Lalad in Sangrama, Sopore, in north Kashmir.The Army said the aim of the initiative was to run various vocational courses at this centre, including training on food processing, completely free of cost.“Various heavy duty machinery required for food processing has also been installed here which will give the students on-the-job training in food processing. This centre will provide an opportunity for the unemployed local youth of the Valley to gain some skills which will help them towards generation of self-employment,” the Army said. “On completion of training, successful candidates will be issued a certificate in collaboration with the Horticulture Department of Kashmir, which will further assist them in seeking employment.”The centre was inaugurated by a senior resident of the area. Major General Asit Mistry, General Officer Commanding, Counter Insurgency Force, along with Brigadier Alok Naresh, Commander, 10 Sector, Rashtriya Rifles, graced the occasion. A large gathering was present on the occasion.

About 25 lakh armed forces veterans get their first enhanced pension under the One Rank One Pension Scheme, or OROP, in January, top Ministry of Defence officials told NDTV. The enhanced pensions will cost the exchequer around Rs. 7,000 crore.

The Ministry of Defence, meanwhile, is rethinking whether it should debar officers and men who go home before completing their tenure from the benefits of OROP.

About 80% officers and men leave the forces when they fail to make it to the next rank. The benefits of the current scheme are denied to them. For example, a Colonel who leaves the army before completing his tenure as he didn’t make it to the next rung — Brigadier — will not be entitled to OROP.
But sources said Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has ordered a rethink on this and is inclined to strike this provision off.
If done, it would address one of the major concerns of the armed forces.

“If officers who leave their tenure incomplete and quit for not being making it to the next rung are denied OROP, the forces will be saddled with passed over officers. Worse, they will have to work under the command of junior officers,” a source in the ministry said.

Veterans will also get their OROP arrears — the scheme has been brought into effect from July 2014 — before the end of this financial year. It will cost the government Rs. 11,000 crore.

War widows and Gallantry award winners will their arrears in one go — the rest will get it in four equal installments.

The implementation of OROP – a pre-election promise by the BJP — was announced this September after prolonged negotiations.

The scheme could, however, not be implemented immediately because of the Bihar elections and the model Code of Conduct that came into play during elections.
Read more: http://www.staffnews.in/2015/12/payments-under-one-rank-one-pension.html#ixzz3tjs4ct5F
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PM Narendra Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif met on Monday on the sidelines of the UN climate summit, with India describing the encounter as a ‘brief exchange of courtesies’, but Pakistan terming it a ‘good’ meeting. Modi and Sharif had a brief meeting during which they warmly held hands before sitting down for a chat.“Pakistan desires better ties with India. We want peace without compromising our dignity and honour. If both sides agree, then it’s not possible that the talks are not taken ahead” he said PTI

A US-inspired opening

Modi should respond to Nawaz’s overtures

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Pakistan counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, on Monday in Paris, he had already been presented with another opportunity to discuss irritants in bilateral ties. In his 18 months as Prime Minister, two attempts at opening talks with Pakistan were unable to breach the Hurriyat barrier. Last week, Nawaz Sharif made an open-ended statement soon after Pakistan army chief Raheel Sharif returned from a US visit. Nawaz said he was ready for talks with India without any preconditions. Thus the offer for talks comes with a `no preconditions’ label, meaning that Pakistan is bound to include Kashmir in the agenda of any future bilateral talks. The Americans have been at work because they do not want India-Pakistan rivalry to spill over into Afghanistan and upset the reconciliation with the Taliban. India has so far not reacted after the Modi-Nawaz meeting but the social media is already into an anti-talks overdrive. Its right wing corner is even against an India-Pakistan cricket series, asking what has changed to break bread with a country unrepentant about fomenting terrorism in India. Pakistan is already under tremendous pressure to reign in terror outfits patronised by its intelligence agencies. In addition to terrorism, Indian willingness to discuss Kashmir could strengthen the hands of the two Sharifs in muzzling anti-India militant outfits.There is always the possibility that Nawaz Sharif might be showing his best profile in view of next week’s conference on Afghanistan to be held in Islamabad. After all it will not reflect well on Pakistan, with its claims to part-ownership of the Afghan peace process, to stage an international meet without Indian participation. Even if that is the case, Narendra Modi would do well to seize this opening. As Farooq Abdullah has said, war is not an option to resolve the Kashmir dispute and not all the forces in the country will be able to control militancy in the state. The two Sharifs may be focused on a short-term strategy. But because normalcy in India-Pakistan is a long-haul issue, Modi should have responded positively to the overture.

Political parties welcome Modi-Sharif meeting in Paris

Tribune News Service
Srinagar, November 30
It is not clear what transpired between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan in Paris today, but the mainstream parties in Jammu and Kashmir have welcomed the brief courtesy meeting of Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif.
Ruling coalition partners PDP and BJP and the opposition National Conference and Congress have all hailed the gesture of the two Prime Ministers during the ongoing global summit on climate change. The two Prime Ministers shook hands and met for a couple of minutes.
Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over 18 months ago, the Secretary-level and NSA-level talks were called off between the two sides. After the oath ceremony of Modi in New Delhi, the two Prime Ministers met in Ufa, Russia, in July this year.
The PDP has welcomed the latest development maintaining that it has always wished that the two neighbours should come closer because “Kashmir is a victim of Indo-Pak animosity”. The party’s general secretary, Nizamuddin Bhat, said it was good if the heads of the two neigbouring states “meet and discuss international and sub-continental politics. Such things are always welcome”. Bhat said it would help build the much-needed relations between the two countries. “We hope that the two leaders have come to an understanding for reconciliation and mutual cooperation in the interests of the people of the two countries,” Bhat added.
Congress spokesman Ravinder Sharma described it as a “positive development”. He held that there could not be any substitute for peace and dialogue between the two countries even as he added that talks and terrorism could not go together. Sharma referred to the increase in militancy-related incidents across J&K and the cross-border firing. “We cannot move ahead …even now a conducive atmosphere between the two countries is lacking,” he said.
The National Conference also welcomed the two Prime Ministers’ meeting in Paris. “Dialogue is always welcome as it leads to a peaceful atmosphere,” said Nasir Aslam Wani, provincial president of the National Conference and a former Minister. He held that that it was a good development but stressed the need to resume dialogue between the two countries for a peaceful atmosphere in the region. “This is going to help,” Wani added.

PM warns against unilateral steps

Paris, November 30

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight cautioned against any unilateral steps that could lead to an economic barrier in the battle against climate change as he hoped that the developed countries would mobilise $100 billion annually by 2020 for mitigation and adaptation.Addressing the COP 21 conference here, Modi also hoped that the developed countries would fulfil their commitments in a transparent manner. “The principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities must remain the bedrock of our collective enterprise,” Modi said, adding that there should be aggressive mitigative action by developed countries by 2020.Modi also underlined the need for a national will and genuine global partnership while taking steps to hammer out a climate change deal. “We look to the developed countries to mobilise $100 billion annually by 2020 for mitigation and adaptation,” he said.Noting that conventional energy was still needed, he said it should be made clean and an end to its use should not be imposed. “And, there should be no place for unilateral steps that become economic barriers for others,” he said.Modi called on the developed nations to fulfil their commitment in a credible, transparent and meaningful manner. As negotiators from over 190 countries sit down over the next few days to hammer out an agreement, Modi said developed nations, which had a larger carbon footprint, should take the lead in addressing the climate change issues. “It is not just a question of historical responsibility. We hope advanced nations will assume ambitious targets and pursue them as they have the most room for impact,” Modi said.The PM also told the audience that democratic India must grow rapidly to meet the aspirations of 1.25 billion people, 300 million of whom are without access to energy. “The prosperous still have a strong carbon footprint, but the world’s billions at the bottom of the development ladder are seeking space to grow,” Modi said. — PTI

India will act responsibly, Modi tells Obama

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the summit and assured him of India’s positive response on climate change
“India will fulfil expectations from it and its responsibilities…the country is working to take forward development and (protecting) environment together,” Modi said at a joint press event with Obama.

A batch of five AN−32RE transport aircraft upgraded under a major Indian-Ukraine program have been handed over to the Indian Ministry of Defence. This is the eight batch of AN-32s to be upgraded to the AN−32RE model under the project, with a total of 40 aircraft now having undergone overhaul, modernization and a service life extension of 15 years.

The prime contractor for the work was SpetsTechnoExport, the special exporter of state concern Ukroboronprom. The AN-32 original manufacturer, Antonov, was involved in the work as a sub-contractor.

A further 65 AN−32s will now be overhauled and re-equipped into the AN−32RE model at BRD−1 plant of Indian Air Force in Kanpur with participation of Ukrainian enterprises.

Arthur Heruvimov, the deputy director general for development of Ukroboronprom, said: ‘Today we transfer another 5 modernised aircrafts and successfully complete one of the most important export contract which total value is $400 million.

‘After Ukroboronpromom gained control over Ukrainian strategic aviation enterprises, we have received an assignment to increase the number of manufactured aircrafts and expand cooperation in this area. Now we are moving steadily in that direction, and today’s event proves it.’

Your Lordship,
Knowing full well that you have submitted the 7CPC Report and therefore you can make no changes to it, I still feel constrained to write to you since I am disappointed with the treatment of Armed Forces by the report. At the outset I would like to clarify that it is not about money that I write. I am surprised how the Armed Forces of the country have been treated as third rate citizens with even the police and Forest Services being placed above them. The reason I am told is that these services including the IAS work much more and much harder than the armed forces. Surprising that :-
· The IAS cannot complete bridges for the Commonwealth Games, so the Army has to be called in.

· The DC with his police forces cannot handle law and order, so army has to be called in.

· A child falls in a borewell and the armed forces are needed to take him out.

· On International Yoga Day due to bad weather the Armed forces have to be called in even to layout mats, because the
IAS was unable to get it done.

· Any natural calamity and the armed forces are the first to be called in.

· Rescuing pilgrims from various yatras and the armed forces have to be called in.

· Officers and men have been sharing their rations with the needy at every stage – the same free ration that you
have recommended to be stopped/curtailed.armed forces.

· Difficult area allowance for IAS officers is almost double of that for the armed forces officers. So an armed
forces officer in Saichen gets half of what an IAS officer gets in Ladakh or may be even Guwahati.

The British were no fools and that’s why at one stage they could rule the world. And we want to reduce privileges set by them as colonial. These privileges were not given free . These were given because by virtue of the Armed Forces Act, the armed forces had to forgo three fundamental rights, which incidentally is applicableeven today. After the 1857 war of Independence the British realized the folly of over relying on the Civil Services and therefore replaced a large number of important posts with the more disciplined armed forces. Are we heading towards a similar folly again today by our over reliance on the IAS?
Like I have mentioned above I am not looking for any remedial measures from you. I have no doubts that the disciplined armed forces will accept whatever is given as the best that could be done for them. I for one will also have no problem with it, in my twilight years. My purpose of writing is to only share my views with an important fellow citizen of the country. I am sure you and your team would have your reasons for what you did. My effort is only to highlight what I feel could have been avoided.
With Regards.
Major General (retd)M P Singh, AVSM
sandhu_01@hotmail.com