A statue of Bhagat Singh erected atop a residence at his ancestral village, Khatkar Kalan in Nawanshahr ahead of his martyrdom day. Photo: Sarabjit Singh

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Khatkar Kalan, March 21An increasing following for Bhagat Singh as the youth icon is evident from the fact that the residents of his ancestral village have started installing his statues atop their houses here.Two houses from this village have got erected nicely painted statues of the martyr and one can see residents passing by these houses bowing before their revered hero as they move ahead to their destinations.Satnam Singh, a farmer whose house falls on the back of the museum at Khatkar Kalan, says, “I got the statue installed last week. I got it made and tastefully painted from an artisan in an adjoining village. I have brought up my children telling them the heroic deeds of Bhagat Singh for the country begin their day. We had his portrait in the living room of our house, too, but my family insisted that we could put up his statue too.”The statue of the freedom fighter atop the house of Bhag Singh is even more depictive. Here he has a pistol in one hand and the Tricolour in the other. Sarpanch Sukhwinder Singh of the village said, “There are about 430 families in the village and all have appreciated the move.”

In Leh today. Sitharaman to discuss border security

Leh, March 10

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is arriving in Leh on a day-long visit tomorrow.She is scheduled to attend the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s International Women’s Day function at Leh town. She will hand over the ‘Deep Lakshmi Baton’ to the next year’s host.She is also expected to meet the representatives of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh. She will also interact with local farmers and women self-help groups. Sitharaman is also expected to review the security situation on the Indo-China border with the top Army officers. — OC

Army men at the Sunjuwan military station. File photo

Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, March 5

The alleged mastermind of the “Sunjuwan attack” and operational commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammad in the Kashmir valley, Mufti Waqas, was today shot dead in a brief encounter with security forces in the Lethpora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.Waqas had taken over the reins of the Jaish following the killing of Noor Muhammad Tantray, alias Noor Trali, in December last year.The security forces are describing Waqas as a category A++ militant, directly involved in the planning of the fidayeen attack on the Army base camp in Sunjuwan, Jammu. Nine people, including five Army men, three militants and a civilian, were killed in the February 10 attack on the Army camp.According to police reports, there were specific inputs regarding the presence of militants in a residential house in the Hatiwara area of Lethpora in Pulwama district. “A joint team of the police, Army and the CRPF was dispatched to the area. As the cordon was being laid, a militant barged out of the house firing indiscriminately to shield himself,” a senior police officer said. He said the fire was duly retaliated, briefly, before the militant was gunned down. “The militant was later identified as Mufti Waqas of the JeM,” the police officer said. Waqas was the mastermind of several attacks and was active in south Kashmir since mid-2016, the officer added. Sources in the police, meanwhile, maintained that two more militants who were probably with Waqas managed to escape. Following the encounter, as the security forces were returning to the base, heavy stone-throwing erupted in the Lethpora area along the Srinagar-Jammu national highway. Dozens of youths came on to the streets and engaged the security forces in a pitched battle. There were no reports of any injuries during the clashes. The traffic on the national highway was halted for a while though.

A++ militant 

• Mufti Waqas had taken over the reins of the Jaish following the killing of Noor Muhammad Tantray, alias Noor Trali, in December last year.
• The security forces are describing Waqas as a category A++ militant, directly involved in the planning of the fidayeen attack on the Army base camp in Sunjuwan, Jammu.
• Waqas was the mastermind of several attacks and was active in south Kashmir since mid-2016

1. (GOG) GUARDIANS OF GOVERNANCE TRAINING IN PROGRESS @ MOHALI ,PB
2. GOG TRAINING AT GURDASPUR:VISIT BY SR VICE CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN 03 FEBRUARY 18
3. CAPT, 3 JAWANS KILLED IN RAJOURI LOC FIRING MISSILES FIRED BY PAK; SOLDIER INJURED IN POONCH TOO
4. GURGAON CAPTAIN, 3 SOLDIERS KILLED IN FIRING ALONG LOC CASUALTIES ‘UNPROVOKED’ ATTACK BY PAKISTAN, SAYS ARMY
5. NEW DELHI COULD BUY 3,000 ANTI-TANK GUIDED SPIKE MISSILES FROM ISRAEL
6. FORMER ARMY OFFICER’S BODY LIES UNCLAIMED IN PUNE MORGUE
7. WILL DEEPEN TIES TO FIGHT SINO SEA CHALLENGES: US AIR CHIEF EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER CHINA’S RISING INFLUENCE IN INDO-PACIFIC REGION
8. 27 YEARS LATER, PAC MAY FINALISE BOFORS REPORT IN BUDGET SESSION
9. DECADE ON, CASE AGAINST NAVY CAPT DROPPED CBI CLEAN CHIT TO DISMISSED OFFICER KASHYAP KUMAR
10. CBI closes case against sacked captain in naval war-room leak
11. GAMES UNDER A NUCLEAR SHADOW BY SANDEEP DIKSHIT
12. A NEW BEGINNING TEST OF JUDICIAL STATESMANSHIP
13. CHINA TIES: PAST IS PROLOGUE INDIA SHOULD HOP ON THE BRI BANDWAGON BY MK BHADRAKUMAR
14. GUARDIAN OF GOVERNANCE WOULD WORK AS EYES AND EARS OF STATE GOVERNMENT,” SAID SHERGILL.

The GUARDIANS OF GOVERNANCE (GOG)  training for 3 Distt commenced today at Nawasahar.

The ESM were briefed by Brig Prahalad Singh .Few Pictures as under

The protesters pelted stones on a security force convoy. — Representational photo

Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, January 27

Two boys were killed and another critically injured after Army personnel opened fire at local youths who pelted an Army convoy with stones here in Shopian district, around 50 km south of Srinagar city, today.The slain youngsters have been identified as Suhail Javaid Lone, a class XII student and resident of Narpora, Shopian; and Javaid Ahmad Bhat, a BA-I student and resident of Ganawpora, Shopian. The injured civilian with a bullet injury to his head has been identified as 22-year-old Rayees Ahmad Ganaie, also a resident of Shopian district.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)As per sources, an Army convoy that was passing through Ganawpora village came under stone pelting from some youths. The Army men retaliated by firing live ammunition. The area was observing a shutdown against the killing of two local militants and a civilian on January 24.The Army maintained that its personnel fired in self-defence after a mob of more than 250 stone-throwing people attacked an isolated section of the convoy. The police have registered an FIR against the Army party that was patrolling the area.A magisterial inquiry has been ordered.

The first coordinating  meeting was held among the core members of Sanjha Morcha at DSOI , Chandigarh on 25 Jan 2018  for conducting a Marathon Run from JAMMU  to PATHANKOT in the third week of February 2018.

The initiative has been taken by Mrs Sonika Sharma ,President women wing of Sanjha Morcha.

The AIM is to utilize the amount collected from Sponsorship and contributions by individuals towards the  the welfare of Martyrs Widows,their Children or handicap children of Martyrs including assistance in resolve their claims/pensions/ECHS cards and any other correspondence.

Veterans can contribute either by getting Sponsors ,personal contribution  financially OR by  participating in the RUN for the Noble Cause.

L TO R (Standing) 

1. Brig Nawab Heer (Patron ),2. Capt Khushwant Singh Dhillon( Joint Secy cum President Distt Patiala and Fathehgarh),3. Col Charanjit Singh( Gen Secy),4. Mrs Jaspreet Cheema ( Member Punjab Forum), 5. Mrs Sonika Sharma( President Women Wing),  6. Lt Gen Jasbir ingh Dhaliwal( Chief Patron)  7. Col Hazura Singh ( President Distt Jallander and Hoshiarpur), 8. Maj Heera( Presdent Distt Ropar), 9. Col Balbir Singh (Presdinet Disst Mohali)
2. Others could not join because of the Distance involved

THE LEADING LADY FOR MARATHON :::SONIKA SHARMA,PRESDENT SANJHA MORCHA::WOMEN WING

Winner of Mrs India Earth Face of North 2017-18 in October 2017.

Winner of Tiara Queen by TGPC (The great pageant community) an international fame pageant training studio at Pune sep 17.

▪Winner of Mrs Beautiful hair at Tiara.

▪Fashion model of Fashion magazines.

▪Model for French Calendar 2018.

▪Active socialist and reformer.

▪Face for the cause of war widows.

▪Face of Army Wives welfare association.

# Principal  primary Army school at Akhnoor.

FEW GLIMPSES OF PREVIOUS MARATHON PARTICIPATION BY IRON LADY.

Your views will be highly appreciated along with encouragement

send it on email ID of Sanjha Morcha

sanjhamorcha303@gmail.com

more details later

SANJHA MORCHA ACCOUNT DETAILS

Bank Details:
Name Of Account:
Ex-Servicemen Joint Action Front(Sanjha Morcha)

Account No: 7386000100000193

Name of Bank: PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK

RTGS/IFSC Code(for e transfer): PUNB 0738600
Postal Address of Bank: SCO145,SECTOR 40C CHANDIGARH(U.T)160036

Pay to...

Ex-Servicemen Joint Action Front ( Sanjha Morcha)

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune news service

New Delhi, January 24

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s financial dexterity will be tested on what could be the ‘right’ allocation for the Ministry of Defence and the modernisation of each of the three armed forces. Balancing expenses on account of salaries and pensions with modernisation needs poses a huge challenge. In the budget ending March 31, 2018, salaries and pensions of the three services and civilian employees constitute 53.81 per cent, that is Rs 1,93, 670 crore of the allocated Rs 3,59,854 crore. This means of the Rs 2,74,114 crore budget, Rs 85,740 crore goes towards pensions. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)A sum of Rs 3,126 crore goes into salaries of research scientists, the establishment cost of smaller wings within the MoD is Rs 8,040 crore and Rs 6,582 crore goes towards salary of ordnance factories. The budget has a capital outlay of Rs 86,488 crore. This money spent on  weapons, aircraft, naval warships and Army vehicles works out to be 24 per cent of the overall spending.  This would need greater allocation. 

Equipment needs

Jaitley, who has been Defence Minister for some 11 months, knows the MoD has to meet committed liabilities, or payments, for ongoing purchases of equipment/weapons. In the coming fiscal (ending March 31, 2019) he has to factor in part-payments for existing equipment like the 36 Rafale fighter jets, the under-construction aircraft carrier at Kochi, the  145 ultra-light Howitzers, the Scorpene class of submarines, Dhruv helicopters  and also Boeing’s AH64-E Apache attack copters, among other big-tickets items.New projects, such as the 200 of the Kamov-226T helicopters, are slated to commence production in the next 12-18 months. Besides, decisions taken on future projects will test the resolve of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as also India’s budgetary depth.The long list includes the 111 naval utility helicopters, the next lot of six submarines, S-400 air defence missiles, 83 Tejas   fighter jets and artillery guns.A Rs 3,500-crore plan for new rifles has been approved, bulletproof jackets are in the pipeline  and the Army is looking for anti-tank guided missiles. 

Matching China

China is spending $155 billion during its own fiscal year that ends almost the same time as India’s. Though the expense of the MoD, including pensions, is $55 billion, or 16.8 per cent  of all government spending, it leaves India ‘gasping for breath’ to catch up with its neighbour China.  The US has okayed a budget of $618 for this year while Japan has passed a budget of $43.6 billion for the year.

Right-sizing

Literally weighed down by bulging ‘establishment’ costs, euphuism for   salaries and pensions, the MoD is looking at  ‘right-sizing’ the forces and also cutting costs from within. Right-sizing had been suggested by the high-powered Lt Gen DB Shekatkar Committee and its report was submitted to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on December 21, 2016. The committee was appointed to enhance the combat potential of the armed forces and to re-balance defence expenditure. It has recommended a series of measures to trim, redeploy and integrate manpower under the MoD for an effective military. The committee has laid a path to reduce expenses by Rs 25,000 crore over the next five years. It has suggested redeploying manpower from organisations under the MoD.

New Delhi, January 18  

Indigenously-developed weapon system integrated helicopter Rudra will make its maiden appearance in the Republic Day parade on Rajpath here on January 26, Indian Air Force officials said.The flypast by the Indian Air Force on the Republic Day parade will involve 38 aircraft, including 21 fighters, 12 helicopters and five transporters, Group Captain Rahul Bhasin told reporters.The Ensign formation of the flypast will include a Mi-17 V5 helicopter carrying the ASEAN flag to commemorate the summit meeting of India and the block of South East Asian countries to be held here on January 19-30.“The flypast will be divided into two blocks. The second block will start with Rudra formation comprising Advanced Light Helicopter MK-IV WSI. This is the first time this aircraft is being showcased in the Republic Day parade,” Bhasin said.Other formations will involve C-130 J, AEW&C aircraft escorted by two Sukhoi-30 MKI, Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, Jaguar, MiG 29 Upgrade aircraft.The IAF tableau will be themed on “Indian Air Force encouraging indigenisation”, while the tri-service tableau will be themed on “veterans are asset to the nation”.The IAF march past contingent will include 75 musicians and three band majors led by junior warrant officer Ashok Kumar Nagar.“We will pay 15 patriotic and martial tunes on the occasion,” Nagar said.The IAF band will also mesmerise the audience at “Beating the Retreat” ceremony following the Republic Day, by its compositions and use of African drums.A special tribute will be paid to the Marshal of Indian Air Force Arjan Singh who passed away in September last year with a tune “Great Marshal” employing African drums, Nagar said. — PTI