Chandigarh, December 13

The Crime Branch of UT police has arrested a clerk posted at the Army Headquarters in Jabalpur as part of the ongoing investigation in the ASI recruitment scam. This is the fourth arrest in the case. Earlier, a constable and two others were arrested.

Suspect Anil (20), a resident of Alipura village in Jind, is a lower divisional clerk (LDC) at the Army Headquarters, STC- I, Jabalpur.

The police said Anil’s wife had filled a form for the post of ASI. It is alleged Anil filled another form with fake information to benefit his wife.

“The applicant’s name in the form was mentioned as Rojalesh, which is similar to his wife’s name. Further, other information in the form was similar to that of the suspect’s wife,” said a police officer.

The police claimed the suspect believed by doing so, they would get both roll numbers together. “The candidate who would have appeared against the fake application form would have helped the suspect’s wife in cheating,” said an official. Interestingly, the police claimed the suspect’s wife was not aware of the plan.

Before joining the Army, the suspect ran a cyber café in Uchana, Jind. He was produced in court, which remanded him in two-day police custody. In September, the Chandigarh police had advertised vacancies for 49 post of ASI and received 15,802 applications in response.

During digital scrutiny, several applicants were found to have submitted multiple applications with minor alterations in details, following which a probe was initiated.

On verification, 122 such applications were detected after which a case was registered at the Sector 11 police station on November 30.

A file photo shows the Indian army personnel carrying out drills at Kibithu close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh. PTI Photo

PTI

Beijing, December 13

China on Tuesday said the situation along the border with India was “generally stable”, days after the troops of the two countries clashed in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, resulting in minor injuries to some soldiers on both sides.

Hours after the comments by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on the Sino-India border situation, Senior Colonel Long Shaohua, spokesman of the Western Theatre Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), issued a statement, claiming that the clash on December 9 took place when its troops on regular patrol on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) were blocked by Indian soldiers.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin addressing a media briefing here said the two sides have maintained smooth communication on border-related issues through diplomatic and military channels.

Wang, however, declined to provide details of the December 9 clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers at the Yangtse area of Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector.

Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made a statement in Parliament in New Delhi on the incident in the Tawang sector.

“The Indian Army bravely prevented the PLA from encroaching on our territory, and forced them to withdraw to their posts. Some soldiers from both sides were injured in the skirmish,” he said in his statement in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Singh further said the Army thwarted an attempt by China’s PLA to “unilaterally” change the status quo in the Yangtse area of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9

There were no fatalities or serious injuries to Indian troops in the scuffle, he added.

Asked about the incident, Wang said, “As far as we know, the current border situation between China and India is generally stable.” Wang also said Beijing hopes that the “Indian side will work with us in the same direction and smoothly deliver the important common understanding reached by leaders of both sides and act strictly on the spirit of relevant bilateral agreements signed by both sides and jointly preserve peace and tranquility in the border areas.”

In his statement, Senior Colonel Long said on December 9, the border defence forces organised regular patrol on the Chinese side of the LAC in “Dongzhang” area in the eastern sector of the China-India border, which was “blocked by the Indian Army illegally crossing the line”

“Our troops’ response is professional, firm and standard, which has helped to stabilise the situation. Both sides have been under disengagement since then,” Long said.

“We ask the Indian side to strictly control and restrain the front-line forces and work with the Chinese side to maintain peace and tranquility along,” he said.

It is the first major clash between the Indian and Chinese armies since the fierce face-off in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.

This is also the first major incident at the border after Chinese President Xi Jinping was re-elected for an unprecedented third five-year term at the once-in-a-five-year Congress of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).

The Friday clash took place even as both countries held 16 rounds of talks between their commanders to resolve the standoffs at various points since the eastern Ladakh border standoff which erupted in May 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area.

The last round of talks was held in September during which both sides agreed to disengage their troops at Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area.

India has been consistently maintaining that peace and tranquillity along the LAC are important for the overall development of bilateral ties.

PTI

New Delhi, December 13

Days after Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, Adjutant General of the Army Lt Gen C B Ponnappa said on Tuesday that all is well and under control.

The Indian Army said on Monday that the face-off on December 9 resulted in “minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides”.

Asked about the situation after the clash, Lt Gen Ponnappa told PTI on the sidelines of an event, “All is well and (under) control. We all are safe.”

He addressed the students of Salwan Public School here during its annual event ‘Samman Diwas’ to pay tributes to Indian Army personnel who died in the line of duty.

“It’s a privilege for me to join you all on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff. We shall continue to inspire the generations. Today it is an occasion to honour our soldiers who sacrificed their lives,” he told the students.

At the event, Salwan Education Trust chairman Major General (retired) Sanjeev Shukla said, “As you all know what happened at the border with the Chinese army, so our Army chief was called for a meeting so he could not come here.” He added that Indian soldiers have given a befitting reply to the Chinese army.

“We have sent them back from the land they wanted to grab. We have the bravest soldiers on the borders and we can sleep peacefully till they are there.”

PTI

New Delhi, December 13

The Indian Air Force scrambled fighter jets last week following China’s increasing air activities on its side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

The deployment of some aerial platforms including drones by China in the region preceded the Chinese attempts on December 9 to unilaterally change the status quo in the Yangtse area of the Tawang sector, they said.

The people said a number of Chinese drones flew close to the LAC prompting the IAF to scramble the jets and increase the overall combat readiness.

They said the IAF has also stepped up its overall surveillance in areas in view of the Chinese attempt of transgression on December 9, adding it follows standard operation procedures that included scrambling of fighter jets in case of specific security concerns.

“The situation is being monitored closely by both the IAF and the Army,” said one of the people cited above.

The people indicated that the IAF has increased the frequency of sorties by its combat jets in the region.

On Monday, the Indian Army said troops from the two sides clashed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector and the face-off led to “minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides”.

The face-off took place amid the over 30-month border standoff between the two sides in eastern Ladakh.

It is learnt that Chief of Air Staff V R Chaudhari reviewed the IAF’s operational readiness following the December 9 incident.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Parliament on Tuesday that the Indian troops bravely thwarted the attempt by Chinese PLA to “unilaterally” change the status in the Yangtse area of the Tawang sector and there were no fatalities or serious casualties to the Indian troops in the scuffle

“On December 9, PLA troops tried to transgress the LAC in the Yangtse area of Tawang sector and unilaterally change the status quo. The Chinese attempt was contested by our troops in a firm and resolute manner,” Singh said.

“The ensuing face-off led to a physical scuffle in which the Indian Army bravely prevented the PLA from transgressing into our territory and compelled them to return to their posts,” he said.

It was the first major clash between the India and Chinese armies since August 2020 near Rinchen La in eastern Ladakh.

Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a brief face-off near Yangtse in October last year as well and it was resolved following talks between local commanders of the two sides as per established protocols.

The IAF increased its overall strength in various key bases in the eastern theatre including in Tezpur where a fleet of Su-30 jets were deployed.

A squadron of Rafale jets is based in Hasimara air base in West Bengal and it carries out sorties in areas under the eastern theatre as well.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 13

The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that a special selection board had been convened from January 9 to consider 246 women officers for promotion.

Senior advocate R Balasubramanian, appearing for the Centre, informed a Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud that the special selection board-III would consider the issue of promotion of these officers.

“We are seized of the matter. They are saying special selection board will be over by January 23,” the Bench noted and posted the matter for further hearing on January 30. The Bench asked the Centre and the Army to file an updated report on the results of the special selection board before the next hearing on the petition by 34 women Army officers who alleged that junior male officers were being considered over them for promotions to perform “combat and commanding roles”.

The Supreme Court had on December 9 asked the Army to put its “house in order”, saying it had not been “fair” to women officers who were forced to wage a legal battle for promotions even after being granted permanent commission on the directions of the top court in 2020.

Earlier, the Bench had asked Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain and R Balasubramanian, representing the Centre and the Army, as to why they didn’t consider these women officers for promotion in October.

Govt told to file report by Jan 30

• In their plea, women Army officers alleged junior male officers considered for promotions
• Earlier on December 9, the SC asked the Army to put its ‘house in order’
• Govt says special board convened to consider 246 women officers for promotion
• SC tells Centre, Army to file updated report on results before next hearing on Jan 30

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 13

Hours after the Chinese Foreign Ministry played down the incursion, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) called on India to “strictly control and manage its frontline troops and together with China maintain peace along the border areas”.

PLA’s western theatre command spokesman Sr Colonel Long Shaohua, in a statement, claimed the clash took place when its troops on regular patrol on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) were blocked by Indian soldiers.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin had earlier in the day said the situation along the border with India was “generally stable” but declined to provide details of the clash.

Pak reliance on Beijing should make US wise up

Anew study has concluded that Pakistan is the country most influenced by China. The China Index — a cross-regional project of DoubleThink Lab, a Taiwan-based research organisation — ranks 82 countries as per varying degrees of dependence on Beijing. Pakistan is followed by Cambodia (second) and Singapore (third), while Central Asian nations Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan also figure in the top 10. The index focuses on nine domains to assess China’s sway around the world — academia, domestic politics, economy, foreign policy, military cooperation, law enforcement, media, society and technology.

Cash-strapped Pakistan’s heavy reliance on China for financial support is no secret. According to an IMF report, about 30 per cent of Pakistan’s foreign debt is owed to China. Chinese fiscal assistance is higher than both Pakistan’s IMF debt and the amount given by the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, touted as ‘a framework of regional connectivity’, has witnessed infrastructure projects worth billions of dollars being funded and built by Chinese companies over the past decade. China has been ‘rewarding’ its close ally by repeatedly blocking India-US proposals at the United Nations to proscribe Pakistan-based terrorists.

There’s a lesson here for the US, which is recalibrating its defence and military ties with Pakistan. Calling Pakistan an important counter-terrorism partner, the US had approved a $450-million F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme in September, four years after the then President Trump had suspended about $2 billion in security aid to Islamabad for not taking adequate action against terror groups. Washington is fooling no one by claiming that the F-16 package is not expected to ‘alter the region’s basic military balance’. Instead, the US is playing into China’s hands by bolstering Pakistan’s military prowess vis-à-vis that of India. Beijing wants to keep New Delhi occupied on the western border so that it can have its way along the LAC. America is well advised to avoid expending money, effort and resources on Pakistan, which continues to be held in a vice-like grip by China. India’s objections to its Pak overtures should make the US see reason.

Admiral R Hari Kumar

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 12

Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar will be visiting Sri Lanka for four days starting tomorrow. The Admiral has been invited as a chief guest and reviewing officer for the Commissioning Parade at the Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA), Trincomalee, on December 15.

The Admiral would interact with senior political and defence leadership of Sri Lanka. He would also visit other defence establishments of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and review progress of various bilateral defence cooperation. The Indian Navy regularly interacts with the Sri Lankan Navy through the medium of annual staff talks and pursues several operational engagements at regular frequency.

Loss is devastating for anyone. No one said it was easy, and I never thought it to be so. To survive is to tuck your grief within. This is not about me being a survivor, it is to all the military wives who brave struggles of their own through their lives. They live alone in separated family quarters while their husbands are away. They are the non-uniformed soldiers, always and everytime. I guess, being married to the man they love makes it all seem worth it

eetika Lidder with husband, Brig LS Lidder. One learns lessons which only grief can teach, she says, but true love always lends grace along with it.

Geetika Lidder

And he was gone… just like that. In a second, so many lives got so cruelly snuffed out in December last year. One couldn’t believe that we had lost someone so full of life — Toni (Brig LS Lidder). Toni had a persona which was larger than life. He was lovable all the way and loving in his own characteristic way. His voice boomed as much as his enthusiasm and he just walked in anywhere like a fresh breath of life and joy. He lifted the spirits of the place wherever he was and “being happy” was a choice he made for himself no matter what the circumstances were.

Toni was the perfect officer and gentleman. He autographed his work with self-propelled excellence. He endeared himself to everyone he came in contact with by the sheer goodness of heart, humility of attitude and kindness that reflected on his face.

Loss is very devastating for anyone, and a loss which is just not explainable and attributable to any medical condition or illness leaves a person who is the survivor numb with the shock and trauma of it all. ‘Survivor’ is an apt word, but it hit me like a slap on my face as I realised that I had lost him. That I will never see him again, never hold his hand in mine, that he will never hold me again. I had to survive not just his loss, but the loss of us. There was no us anymore. It was me, the survivor. So when we sign, very nonchalantly, for an FD on the dotted line which says “Either of survivor”, we never give it a thought of how this word takes its meaning when you are the survivor. When you are the one who has to carry on.

To survive is to tuck your grief within and understand that it is not just the person who’s gone. He took away the tomorrows, the plans, the security of having him around, the comfort of talking to him, the partnership of life. It was a long, lonely and dreary road ahead.

Toni, the man who made me what I am and who I am, would have flinched if I would have cut a sorry figure of the pitiable widow, the distraught wife, at any stage. It is the strength that he left me with which made it possible that within hours of realising that I was the survivor, I understood with a deep peace and calm acceptance that I will survive. Not just that, there also came a resolve and an understanding that I will survive in a way that makes him proud. I came to terms with the fact that I have to walk with my head held high, with pride at being a soldier’s wife, I have to give him a smiling send-off in lieu of the countless happy moments he gave us as a family. I have to carry on with acceptance, grace and gratitude that I am the chosen one who was his wife for so many years. I could dress smartly and walk with tearless eyes at the Palam airport as I received his body, because I knew it will hurt him to see me not living up to the Lidder legacy. It had to be about poise and grace, and the strength just came from him.

No one said it was easy, and I never thought it to be so. However, once your resolve is true and your positivity is within you, both Aashna and I realise that God helps you through this journey. I firmly believe that Toni left this world in a way that he left angels to look out for us and to hold us in our bad moments. We are extremely grateful to our friends and family who have held us through this year and surrounded us with tender, loving care.

For our daughter to come to terms with this has been so hard and harsh. Her friends have been her go-to and her father helps her from above to go through each day and trudge along like my little soldier, making my eyes glisten with pride each time I see her. We have trained our mind to think that we are not less, we are just different. This is our new normal and we live our lives in the best possible way, carrying only the good memories of our life with Toni, thanking him and blessing him all the way.

I have always been a working woman and Toni had always pushed me to be one and achieve more than I was ever ready to. Today, I look back and understand the signals from life. This was probably what has carried me through this year. My workplace, the people around me, the children I teach, the sensitivity and love that surround me. I still consider myself very fortunate that I have a new purpose in life. I have diverted all my energies towards my work and it makes my day challenging and joyful.

So this is not about me being a survivor, it is to all the military wives who brave struggles of their own through their lives. They live alone in separated family quarters while their husbands are away. They are the non-uniformed soldiers — always and everytime. They battle loneliness, sick children, ageing parents and in-laws, banking, seeing annual days alone, attending weddings alone, their jobs, and so much more. I guess, being married to the man they love makes it all seem worth it.

Today, as I stand at the threshold of this landmark, a year of being without Toni, one has learnt lessons which only grief can teach, but true love always lends grace along with it. I am still humbled by the fact that I led such a blessed life with the man I looked up to the most. I never ask my God the question “Why?” We need to bow in humble acceptance of His will and if someone told me this 26 years ago that this will happen and he will leave you at such a young age, I would have still gladly chosen to be his wife. So great are the memories of the life we made together. “Death is a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal.” I have memories to live on and cherish for a lifetime.https://3906dd5cf08a510063eac09c8d4a5599.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

— The writer is the wife of Brig LS Lidder, who died in an air crash along with Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others on December 8, 2021

Maj Gen Raj Mehta (Retd)

Why are girl cadets at the NDA sporting boys’ crew cuts? Why don’t we simply accept that gender differences will remain despite haircuts? These mildly provocative yet valid questions asked by a military veteran on the conclusion of the ‘Ethos of Soldiering’ discussion needed answering. The venue was the 2022 Chandigarh Military Literature Festival and the moderator quizzically scanned the veteran and serving officer panellists. I volunteered.

I recalled an incident recently when I was invited as a guest speaker to my alma mater, the Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai. With time at hand, I walked along our 1968 Gentleman Cadet barracks, when I came across a cadet striding out of the barracks in shorts, with football boots slung across the shoulders, mouthing a crisp ‘Good morning, sir’. Startled, I realised it was a Lady Cadet (LC) with a crew cut. She was a football ‘blue’ let off the standard cadet training regimen to hone her skills for an oncoming tournament. She smiled, ‘That’s okay, sir. My haircut must’ve fooled you. We’re kept busy and have no time to manage hair-days, so we’ve boy-cuts!’

In seconds, I’d became buddies with the chatty LC; military ethos and its implicit underlying trust helping bridge the gender gap, besides compressing age while exchanging opinions about grainy yesterdays, challenging todays and hopeful tomorrows, till she peeled off for practice. Her energy symbolised the boundless spirit that uniformed youth across gender carry.

The veteran smiled with understanding, but the issue didn’t end there. A senior veteran remarked, as I sat down, ‘Ever wondered how Sikh soldiers manage? They have hair too and most of them keep it.’ Informally asked, this question deserved an answer too. Did that lie in religion, faith, belief, established military practice and soldiering ethos that evolved slowly? In service regulations governing soldierly propriety and practice? I wondered.

Recently, I visited the Ezhimala Naval Academy, Kannur, thanks to its Deputy Commandant — my ex-cadet at the NDA. A young Lady Officer pointed out a lone LC running stadium laps. ‘She’s reported early to meet physical standards or face relegation.’ I spoke to her when she was limbering down. ‘Practising thrice daily. I’ll pass, sir!’ she responded fiercely.

Socrates said: ‘Once made equal to man, woman becomes his superior’. The NDA welcomed the first Girls’ Batch in September 2022. I foresee a day when this batch will receive the same deep respect we accord to the first male batch of 1955. Cropped haircuts will be institutionalised as time-saving tools — focus shifting instead to women’s performance for Naam, Namak, Nishan.