Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 12

Five schools in the state have been identified for establishing Cadet Training Wings (CTWs) that will train and prepare students to become commissioned officers in the armed forces.

Under the programme, envisioned to increase the contribution of the state to the armed forces’ officer cadre, the schools will be responsible for academics up to the Class XII level, while special instructors under the supervision of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI) at Mohali will conduct structured leadership and personality development capsules at the schools for potential students.

Expenses for running the capsules, which will mirror the training at AFPI, will be borne by the government.

The shortlisted schools are the Yadavindra Public School (YPS), Patiala, Punjab Public School, Nabha, Army Public School, Beas, Doon International School and YPS, both in Mohali. A dozen schools had applied for the programme.

Three training nodes to coordinate the activities are being set up.

“Keeping in view the administrative limitations, only five schools will be covered under the programme in the first phase. More schools will be brought on board gradually,” said AFPI Director, Maj Gen BS Grewal.

“While final approval and release of funds from the government is awaited, we have begun preliminary work and interaction with the schools is underway,” he added.

The AFPI was set up in April 2011 to arrest the declining trend of the youth from the state joining the armed forces as officers.

Prior to this, Punjab was sending only six to eight boys to the National Defence Academy per batch, but now this number has doubled. In June this year, 17 out of the 29 cadets from the sate who passed out of the Indian Military Academy were from AFPI.

Over 110 AFPI cadets have been successful in joining various service academies and the tally for 2018 will be 26.

The state government had initially wanted to set up three more institutes on the pattern of the AFPI, where all boarding lodging and training expenses for the two-year fully residential programme are borne by the state. However, financial constraints warranted a re-think and the government went in for the CTWs instead where existing infrastructure of the schools would be used.

Leadership and personality development 

• The shortlisted schools are Yadavindra Public School (YPS), Patiala; Punjab Public School, Nabha; Army Public School, Beas; Doon International School and YPS, both in Mohali.
• The schools will be responsible for academics up to the Class XII level.
• Special instructors under the supervision of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI) at Mohali will conduct structured leadership and personality development capsules at the schools for potential students.

Chandigarh, December 8

A panel of historians discussed the role of Indian soldiers in the World War-I at the festival today. Sqn Ldr Rana TS Chhina said the story of the Indian freedom was largely a political narrative and the contribution of Indian soldiers had never been studied.

He suggested declaration of the orange marigold as a remembrance flower for honouring the fallen Indian soldiers on the lines of red poppy chosen by the British for the same cause. Prof Anju Suri said princely states from the Punjab region had major contribution towards the war effort and the rulers of Patiala, Jind, Kapurthala, Nabha and Malerkotla paid handsome incentives to soldiers. David Ommissi, a history lecturer in the UK, said this muted description portrayed the sufferings endured by Indian soldiers. — TNS

“Pakistan has very cleverly changed the complete demography of so-called Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan. So, one is not very sure as to who is an actual Kashmiri, whom we are addressing these issues to,” he said.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said the demography of “other side of LoC” has been changed by Pakistan

NEW DELHI: 

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said on Wednesday that Pakistan has very cleverly changed the complete demography of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) including Gilgit-Baltistan while adding that the identity of Kashmiris on the other side of the Line of Control has systematically been eroded by Islamabad.

Delivering the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Lecture in Delhi on Wednesday, the army chief said, “Every time something happens on our side (of LoC), we must always address it to say that it is also going to have a radical effect on other side (PoK). The issue is, on the other side, the complete demography has changed.”

“Pakistan has very cleverly changed the complete demography of so-called Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan. So, one is not very sure as to who is an actual Kashmiri, whom we are addressing these issues to,” he said.

General Rawat further said, “People from Gilgit-Baltistan (part of PoK) are also now being taken over gradually (by Islamabad). So, to say that there is an identity between our side (of LoC) of Kashmir and the other side, then the identity thing has gradually been eroded very cleverly by the Pakistanis. That is an issue we have to look at.”

The army chief said that the tolerance levels of the people in Jammu and Kashmir have “reduced and perceived alienation” as the youth in the region are being “indoctrinated to act irrationally.”

“In recent times, the tolerance levels of the public in Kashmir have reduced and perceived alienation is indicative of a definitive aspirational deficit amongst the local youth. The Kashmiri youth is being indoctrinated to act irrationally. The proliferation of social media has further compounded the challenge and contributes towards the spread of an anti-establishment narrative,” he highlighted.

General Rawat said, “Perceptions in Jammu and Kashmir is based on whose story you are listening to. Thus, making peace narrative is very different. These narratives are built around the constructs of radicalisation, alienation, agitation, religious fundamentalism and anti-nationalism on one hand and the perception of a Kashmiri common man on the other.”

Talking about the state, the army chief said, “Things will be brought under control and are being brought under control, but sustained pressure needs to be maintained.”

General Rawat also expressed concern over allowing funeral processions of terrorists. He said that those who are glorifying terrorists as brave hearts are “possibly trying encouraging more people to join the terrorist ranks.”

The army chief’s comments come after two Central Reserve Police Force or CRPF jawans sustained injuries on Wednesday in a stone-pelting incident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district. A group of people had resorted to stone pelting during an ongoing encounter between the security forces and the terrorists in Chathergram village.

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 4

Sainik School Kapurthala organised its 57th Annual Day Function today. Lieutenant General TS Shergill (Retd), senior advisor to Chief Minister, Punjab was the chief guest on the occasion. The event commenced with a wreath-laying ceremony at Saikap Smriti Sthal, followed by a guard of honour, presented by cadets to welcome the visiting dignitary.

The school band contingent presented a band display. The chief guest expressed a keen interest on various thought-provoking science and art exhibits put up by the cadets. A series of cultural items were presented by the young cadets. Principal Col Vikas Mohan welcomed the chief guest and presented the annual report highlighting impressive achievements of the school made during the session. The chief guest gave away the prizes to the cadets who had excelled in various activities during the session and Cock House trophies to the champion houses. Bhagat House bagged the Principal’s Banner and over all Cock house Trophy, among Senior Houses, while Chittaranjab and Nalwa Houses lifted Cock House Trophies among Junior and Holding Houses, respectively.

The Bhagat House bagged the NDA Trophy for sending maximum number of cadets to NDA. The meritorious cadets received cash awards for their impressive performances. The Best Communicator Trophy was awarded to Cadet Naveen Kumar XI. He also released the School Magazine ‘Saikapian’ of or the session 2017-18. In his address, the chief guest exhorted the cadets to make the best use of excellent facilities available in the school and do their utmost to materialise their cherished dreams. On the holding of pro-Khalistan seminar in UK, the General said the government was not bothered about holding such anti-national seminars on foreign land.

He said state government has sanctioned Rs 2 crore for the development of the school.

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 1

A Brigadier and four other officers, including three Colonels and a Lieutenant Colonel, are facing disciplinary proceedings for allegedly causing a loss of about Rs 56 crore to the government by procuring items at highly exorbitant rates, as well as downgrading equipment for disposal without following due process, it is learnt.

According to sources, five charges were levelled against the Brigadier, who was then the Commandant of an Ordnance Depot, under various provisions of Section 52 of the Army Act for intent to defraud and criminal breach of trust in respect of property belonging to the government.

The other officers, who were then posted under the Brigadier in the same depot, are facing different charges. Following a court of inquiry that held the officers blameworthy for their acts of commission and omission, they were attached with Headquarters Purva Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh Sub Area for recording of the summary of evidence (SoE), which concluded at Agra today.

The SoE is a prelude to a possible trial by court martial and a decision to hold such a trial is taken on the evaluation of the available evidence and advice thereon by the Judge Advocate General’s branch.

Sources said that according to the tentative chargesheet on the basis of which the SoE was recorded, the professional officers’ valuation board, tender documents and price negotiation committee proceedings were approved for procuring various items from a private firm well knowing that the rates were much higher than the last purchased price rates, thereby causing wrongful loss to the government.

The chargesheet also states that the said firm was not registered with the Directorate General of Quality Assurance as was required. Further, a large quantity of communication and electro-optical equipment and generators was downgraded without going through the stipulated echelons of repairs.

The court of inquiry into the matter, presided over by the General Officer Commanding, Paschim Uttar Pradesh Sub Area at Meerut, had been ordered after complaints of misappropriation and financial irregularities were received by the office of the Chief of Army Staff in 2017, sources said.

New Delhi, October 27

Separatism in Jammu and Kashmir is more out of convenience rather than conviction and the children of separatists are enjoying while those of common people are suffering, Union Minister Jitendra Singh has said.

The Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said terrorism in the Valley was mercenary in nature and was not driven by any conviction, ideology or motivation.

“It is paid terrorism perpetrated, funded and sponsored by hostile powers which all of us know,” Singh said in an apparent reference to Pakistan.

“There is no such issue as Kashmir issue. Jammu and Kashmir is a part of the Indian union very much like other states,” he said. Singh said if at all there was any issue pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir, it was to retrieve Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and restore the original culture and demographic character of the state, “which would be possible only by the return of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community”.

“Separatists stand exposed. Separatism in Kashmir is more out of convenience rather than conviction, which is not easily palatable but it is a fact,” Singh said at an event here last night.

He also came down heavily on mainstream politicians for practising what he described as “opportunistic separatism”.

Speaking at the event, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik said for the last 50 years, the political leadership in the state had only made false promises to the people. “Be it the promise of freedom, freedom with Pakistan’s help or autonomy,” he said.

The Governor said the need of the hour was to tell people that armed struggle was not the solution. “The policy of healing touch is needed, but what is needed more is development and removing corruption and unemployment,” he added.

“I don’t have the mandate for a dialogue. It’s with the Prime Minister and with the political parties and other stakeholders,” he said.

Malik also said a litany of lies was being propagated about the situation in Kashmir, which in reality was not that bad.

“More people die in Bihar and UP than the number of casualties that take place in Kashmir,” he said. — PTI

On Hurriyat

The problem with Hurriyat is that they can’t even go to the toilet without Pakistan. They want to include Pakistan in everything. I have made it clear that we won’t have anything to do with Pakistan in Kashmir. —Satya Pal Malik, J&K Governor

On freedom model

The separatists’ freedom model is fake. It is a model that follows the pattern of getting the neighbours’ children to become jihadis and lodging your own children in safe havens. —Jitendra Singh, MOS, PMO

On stone-pelters

Stone-pelters are nothing but overground workers of terror outfits. I still say the same… if they can kill people with such acts, are they not becoming like terrorists?  —Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Chief

New Delhi, October 19

Pakistan on Friday accused India of destabilising South Asia through its purchase of S-400 ‘Triumph’ air defence missiles from Russia. During the annual strategic summit dialogue between PM Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin in Delhi this month, the two sides concluded the contract for the supply of the S-400 long range surface to air missile system to India at a cost of $5.4 billion.

“The Indian purchase of S-400 missile system is a part of their efforts to acquire a Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) System through multiple sources. This will further destabilise strategic stability in South Asia, besides leading to a renewed arms race,” said an official statement from Islamabad. — T