57^th Rezang La Day Celebrations

By

Col NN Bhatia (Retd)

Nothing thrilled me more than learning around New Year last December that my parental Battalion 13 Kumaon would be in Delhi on its peace tenure. I am a die- hard Kumaoni and I am very proud of my heritage be it 13 Kumaon where I was commissioned 56 years back or 2 Kumaon (Berar) that I had the unique privilege to command over 37 years back.

Of course, the tenure in the NCR could be rated as toughest peace station assignments with VIPs duties operational and internal security tasks around while the troops want to bring their families from their villages for treatment and kids’ education! Any emergent situation along our borders or internal security issues and ceremonial guards for the Indian and foreign dignitaries, troops in the NCR are always on the high alert.

Bhatia Family Reunion

Releasing Coffee Table Book ‘Reminiscing Rezang La Battle’

On 5 August 2019; the 50^th    raising day anniversary of

The proudest ‘The Bravest of Brave’ citation displayed in the Officers’ Mess, AVSM, SM, COR who hung his uniform on 31 Oct 2019, during the celebration dinner desired that I should write a Coffee Table Book on ‘Battle of Rezang La’ that could be released on 18 Nov 2019 – ‘The Rezang La Day’ culminating the high point of his professional career and the Colonelcy of the Regiment. Since we both are die-hard Rezanglaites, I just could not say no to his desire, though I humbly admit I am hardly a military writer and a historian! I got earnestly into 24×7 mode for the next 2 months and after 3 drafts, support of Brig Raghunath V Jatar, veteran of Rezang La Battle who did intensive proof reading from Pune on mobile phone and emailing and Brig PK Vij (Veteran from the Assam Regiment), CMD, Vij Books India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, our publisher; we accomplished our publishing Coffee Table Book ‘Reminiscing Battle of Rezang La’ mission well in time.

The next day morning 18 Nov 2019 was the Rezang La Day & being from the 13 Kumaon since midnight onwards there were floods of WhatsApp messages and emails on Rezang La greetings. There was unit Mandir parade from 0800 hrs to 0900 hrs (prayer meeting colloquially called in the Army) kept optional for the distant invitees like me, followed by wreath laying from 0915 hrs to 1000 hrs which is the most solemn occasion as the sounding of the Last Post always moist my eyes! From 1000 hrs to 1030 hrs was the release of my Coffee Table Book ‘Reminiscing Rezang La Battle’. A special podium was erected and all the chairs in the lawn were fully occupied. Mercifully, the honourable Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying arrived in time inspite of the fact that Parliament session was starting from the morning on the same only. On the dais besides me, were seated the honourable minister, CO, Lt

‘Releasing Coffee Table Book ‘Reminiscing Rezang La Battle’

 Gen RP Kalita, the COR and Lt Gen BS Sahrawat, the former COR. Col Kamal Misra, CO gave brief introduction of the MOS and the need for publishing the Coffee Table Book written by me and the CO requested the MOS to release it amid loud applause and clapping by the gathering of serving, veterans, Veer Naris and the families. There was huge demand for the Coffee Table Book and Battalion may have to go for the reprint. Some veteran JCOs and NCOs and Veer Naris desired Hindi translated book for them to read and I conveyed their desires to CO.

                              The proudest ‘The Bravest of Brave’ citation displayed in the Officers’ Mess And these two Brave hearts martyrs got us the above citation and award ‘The Bravest of Brave’  Veterans’ Meet extreme right is ex- footballer Om Parkash, B Coy                 With smartest RP Hav of PaltanAfter a cup of tea in the Officers Mess some of us visited Motivational Gallery and Battalion Institutes while others relished chatting and exchanging old memories. I met some veterans with whom I had served from my day 1 in the Battalion while we all moved for Barakhana in the adjacent ground. Our soldiers are trained in multi-tasking and put up a grand cultural cum entertainment show. Attrah November Basath ko..’ ragni was a great hit but rather than in rustic joshila (जोशीला) Ahirwal tone and jarring music, it was more in the western Uttar Pradesh cum Bhojpuri Rassiya/ Gharana (रसिया/घराना) singing style as more Yadavs are being enrolled from other states than the Ahirs from the hard core Ahirwal region of Haryana and Rajasthan. My son Gaurav was pleasantly surprised that many super veterans of the Paltan of the days gone by, with glint in their eyes cracked and share old anecdotes with me with warmth, respect, fondness and camaraderie. I felt sad leaving the Barakhana a bit early after thanking the COR, CO, 2IC and Subedar Major Sahib as Gaurav had a flight at 1600 hrs back to Chennai. My head had emotionally become cocktail of haunting raginis ‘Attarah November Basath Ko Ik Hua Ghor Sangram’ and ‘Rewari Motor Adde and ‘Auld Lang Syne’ remembering nostalgically the ‘days gone by.’ and we left the Paltan for Palam airport with bagful of haunting memories…

 PS:- There is a good news that Lt Col Amit Malik is getting well deserve promotion and command of 13 Kumaon while Col Kamal Mishra is being posted in Delhi only. Our heartiest congrats to Amit for taking over the command of Rezang La Paltan and Kamal for extremely successful and professionally satisfying command of the Battalion! I wish both good hunting.

About The Author

Col NN Bhatia, popularly known as Nini Bhatia in the army was commissioned in 13 Kumaon (Rezang La) in mid 1963 and retired in Sept 1995 after 32 years of distinguished service. He is a diehard Kumaoni & written four books-Kumaoni Nostalgia, Industrial & Infrastructure Security in two volumes & biography of legendary Kumaoni mountaineer Col Narinder Kumar ‘Bull’ of the international fame-‘Soldier Mountaineer’. He is prolific writer & has been columnist with ‘Lahore Times’ & ‘Turkey Tribune’. He regularly contributes articles on matters military, national, industrial and infrastructure security and is a free lance industrial security consultant of national repute. He is deeply involved for the repatriation of 54 Indian prisoners of war (POWs) languishing in the Pakistani jails since 1971 war and welfare of retired soldiers in distress, ‘Veer Naris’ and their families. He can be contacted on narindrabhatia@hotmail.com and 9818044762.

About the Book- ‘Reminiscing Battle of Rezang La’

13 Kumaon became the first pure Ahir Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment prior to the 1962 Sino-Indian War. As there was no other Battalion with 100% Ahir composition, there were misgivings in some quarters. However, these were soon laid to rest when the Battalion faced its baptism of fire in Chushul in the 1962 Sino-Indian war and covered itself with glory. The gallant men of C Company of the Battalion under their redoubtable Company Commander, Late Major Shaitan Singh, PVC put up a fight at Rezang La, the like of which was never fought by any Unit in the Indian Army in its entire history and the nearest example perhaps could be ‘The Battle of Saragarhi’- both depicting bitterest irony of life that the greatest acts of the chivalry, bravery and sacrifice occur against the heaviest odds. Out of the 124 brave hearts, 120 were martyred pitched against overwhelming 4000-5000 Chinese hordes having superior weapons and logistic support! 

Since 1962 Sino- Indian War has not been de-classified, many authors have written articles and books on the ‘Battle of Rezang La’ but most of these are factually incorrect and lack firsthand knowledge of the troops, the terrain and the conduct of the Battle. Col Bhatia was commissioned in 13 Kumaon located at Darbuk half way between Leh and Chushul  after the Rezang La. He visited Chushul on the first anniversary of the Rezang La Battle and interacted with the few war survivors with whom he served for many years. He had for years discussed the epic Battle with late Lt Gen DD Saklani, PVSM, AVSM who was the Adjutant of 13 Kumaon during the war and Maj (later Brig) Raghunath V Jatar (Retd) who was deployed at Mugger Hill on that fateful night. He had access to the Battalion’s War Diary and rare photographs, maps and sketches of that period. According to author, ‘I hope this book written ‘straight from the heart’ of the soldier within me, will motivate our armed forces, youth and posterity. Reading the book with somewhat the same emotions that run in me, would eventually bind you to my writings -leaving you humming ‘Bedu Pako Bara Massa’ or ‘Attarah November Basath Ko’ synergizing your enjoyment while unfolding soul stirring Macaulay’s inscription on the Chushul Memorial constructed to commemorate the 114 fallen martyrs who fought against heavy odds on 18 November 1962 in the Rezang La Battle, replicating remarkable story of a valiant last stand on 12 September 1897 at the Battle of Saragarhi that would reverberate around forever.

‘Will you stand with me?

Fight and die if need be?

Hold against the hordes until the last man falls?

Will you sacrifice all you have gained in life?

Reject your comfort for a greater end?

Stand together never waiver,

Brave in the face of overwhelming odds,

For our future and for freedom,

We unite in liberty or death’.

 From When Myth and History Merged with Mystery.

                                                                           Matti Frost

Rezang La Day Celebrations

13 Kumaon was in a bit of spin due to formation training and other administrative activities, Biennial cum Reunion, Diwali and preparations for the Rezang La Day celebrations but Col Kamal Mishra, CO, Lt Col Amit Malik, his worthy second in command and the entire Battalion accomplished every task amicably with distinction. On 17 Nov 2019, Rezang La Battle documentary made by Maj Gen GD Bakshi (Retd) was screened in the Ashoka Hall, Manekshaw Centre followed by felicitation of the Veer Naris by Mrs Rawat w/o Gen Rawat, Army Chief who were the chief guests. The other dignitaries who were present were Lt Gen & Mrs  Manoj Mukund Naravane, atleast half a dozen 3 star generals that included new COR Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita, AVSM, SM and atleast 4 former CORs, Lt Gen Rajinder Singh, some two star generals, many Brigadiers and scores of lesser mortals like me! Brig Raghunath V Jatar was the senior most Regimental and veteran of the Rezang La Battle who graced the occasion along with shipper son Ranbir coming  all the way from Hongkong. My own shipper son Gaurav gave us a pleasant surprise and after a long time four of us-self, wife, Neerja and Gaurav attended any military function. Pleasantly, my nephew Arvind (Maj Gen Arvind Bhatia) was there too and we met Cols Bhati & Shekhu (both old Rajasthani 13 Kumaon colleagues) and after much khama ghanis (खम्मा घणी) watched the documentary and enjoyed the Rezang La dinner in the Banquet Hall, Manekshaw Centre dinner.

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Srinagar, November 21

Shops and businesses were shut and public transport remained largely off the roads in most parts of Kashmir on the second consecutive day on Thursday, after posters warning shopkeepers against opening their establishments appeared in some areas.

The posters calling for shutdown also appeared a day before Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in Parliament that normalcy had returned to the valley.

Officials said the shutdown was observed in Srinagar and Ganderbal districts in central Kashmir, Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian districts in south Kashmir and in some areas in the north.

Shop owners did not open their establishments during the morning hours they did over the past few weeks, they said.

Public transport remained largely off the roads in the city and elsewhere in the valley. However, a few auto-rickshaws and inter-district cabs were plying, the officials said.

Pre-paid mobile phones and all internet services continue to remain suspended since August 5, when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories.

Most of the top level and second-rung separatist politicians have been taken into preventive custody while mainstream leaders including two former chief ministers — Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti — have been either detained or placed under house arrest.

The government has detained former chief minister and sitting Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar Farooq Abdullah under the controversial Public Safety act, a law enacted by his father and National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1978 when he was the chief minister. —PTI

What should be of concern to India are Pakistan’s efforts to capitalise on the Kashmir situation and promote terrorism directed against India. The Pakistan government’s move in biting the bullet underscores the importance it accords to its overtures to Bangladesh vis-à-vis its current strategy on Kashmir.

J-K AGENDA: Imran Khan spoke to Sheikh Hasina on the eve of her India visit.

Abhijit Chakravertty
Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat

THE Indian government’s diplomatic outreach following the abrogation of Article 370 has ensured that almost all countries, except Pakistan and to some extent China, have accepted the stand that the Kashmir issue is an internal matter of India. As regards the humanitarian impact of the security clampdown in the Valley, some countries and the UN, while expressing concern, have chosen to give the Indian government some more time for the situation to normalise and for clarity to emerge on the way forward.Not surprisingly, Pakistan came out stridently against the Indian move to abrogate Article 370 and sought to internationalise the Kashmir issue by approaching the UN and Western powers. However, given Pakistan’s track record of practising democracy and respecting human rights, its attempt to speak on these subjects on behalf of the Kashmiri people may find little traction. Therefore, what should be of concern to India are Pakistan’s efforts to capitalise on the Kashmir situation and promote terrorism directed against India.

In this context, Pakistan’s outreach to its erstwhile constituent, Bangladesh, following the Indian move on J&K, is noteworthy.This is especially significant given the recent frosty diplomatic relations between the two countries, largely attributable to the War Crimes Tribunal (WCT) verdicts, and the clampdown on ISI activities in Bangladesh. The WCT reopened the wounds of the 1971 liberation war and the sordid chapter of the Pakistan army’s complicity in using its proxies in the genocide during that period. Some of these henchmen later joined the political mainstream by becoming members of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) and the Jamaat.

The relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan reached a new low in 2015 when officials of the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka were caught and expelled due to their direct involvement in pushing fake currency notes and funding Islamist terror organisations, such as the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT), and Jamaat.The relations between the two countries soured further when, in October 2018, Bangladesh refused to accept Pakistan’s new High Commissioner to Dhaka. Further, in May this year, the Bangladesh High Commission in Dhaka stopped processing visa applications of Pakistani nationals on the ostensible ground of shortage of staff.

Against this backdrop, it was indeed a matter of astonishment that Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi contacted his Bangladesh counterpart AK Abdul Momen on September 5 to discuss the Indian action in Kashmir. The Pakistan Prime Minister also spoke to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the eve of her visit to New Delhi on October 3 with a similar agenda in mind.

The Pakistan government’s move in biting the bullet underscores the importance it accords to its overtures to Bangladesh vis-à-vis its current strategy on Kashmir. The Pakistani deep state is quite happy that its political and diplomatic leadership engages in rhetoric on the Kashmir situation while it pursues a more sinister agenda, much like the cover fire the Pakistani army provides to infiltrating terrorists.

Notably, in the midst of Pakistan’s diplomatic exertions in different parts of the world, including in Bangladesh, evidence has now emerged of a member of the banned Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami-Bangladesh (HUJI-B) returning to Dhaka, tasked to stitch up a team to carry out anti-India activities, capitalising on the Kashmir situation and stirring up emotions on the basis of stories of the plight of Muslims there. Last month, the anti-terror squad of the Dhaka police managed to arrest HUJI-B operative Mohammed Atiquallah, an Afghan war veteran and IED specialist who had fled to Saudi Arabia via Dubai in 2006 and was motivated to return to Bangladesh by his handlers in Dubai. In the past, Atiquallah had travelled to Pakistan on several occasions.

The resurfacing of the HUJI-B is particularly disturbing as this organisation epitomised the close nexus between politics and extremism in Bangladesh. The HUJI-B was complicit in carrying out the August 2004 grenade attack on Awami League leaders, including Sheikh Hasina. Its leader Mufti Hannan had confessed to having met, days before the attack, Tarique Rahman, son of the then Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and current acting chairman of the BNP. Interestingly, in May 2008, during the time of the military-backed caretaker government, the Bangladesh intelligence agency, Directorate General Forces Intelligence (DGFI), had floated a political party called the Islamic Democratic Front (IDP) which largely comprised HUJI-B members.

As is well known, despite a pro-India Awami League government in Dhaka for over a decade, there still exists a sizeable section of radicalised and anti-India elements in Bangladesh. So much so, that even the Awami League has periodically shed its secular credentials and tried to project itself as an upholder of puritanical Islam and sought to placate fundamentalist outfits such as the Hefazat-e-Islam (HeI). It is this constituency that Pakistan seeks to tap in its quest to rejuvenate anti-India terror and radical groups in Bangladesh.

As per its reckoning, such a tactic would serve the twin purpose of reviving the disarrayed opposition BNP and Jamaat in Bangladesh by providing them a rallying issue, and at the same time set up a network to carry out operations against India.

The protests by the HeI at the Baitul Mukkaram mosque in Dhaka on August 24, and the earlier pre-Id rally by Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) are ominous signs. In the HeI rally, its leader Nur Hossain Kashemi had declared that “the Kashmir issue is a crisis not just for Kashmiris but for Bangladesh as well.” In earlier protests, IAB leaders confirmed giving a memorandum to the Awami League government, urging it to come out against the developments in Kashmir.

However, going beyond the Pakistan-sponsored rhetoric on the developments in Jammu and Kashmir, what poses a direct security challenge to the Indian establishment is the possibility of the revival of terror outfits such as the HUJI-B that were earlier painstakingly neutralised with the active cooperation of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government. Also, attempts by Pakistan to leverage the Kashmir issue to once again play a role in Bangladesh politics is yet another threat to the peaceful growth of Bangladesh and stability in the region. Therefore, keeping a close eye on developments there is a critical necessity in order to prevent Pakistan from arousing the latent pan-Islamic sentiments in the only other Muslim-majority country in India’s immediate neighbourhood.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu flanked by Upper-House marshals in their new dress during the first day of the Winter Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Monday, Nov. 18, 2019; and (bottom) the martials in their old dress in 2018. PTI photo

Ravi S. Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 19

Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said that he had asked the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to review the new military-style uniforms of marshals, after concerns were raised from several quarters including ex-Army officers and parliamentarians.

Uniforms of Rajya Sabha marshals were restyled from traditional Indian attire comprising turbans to dark navy blue and olive green military-style outfits with caps.

Dwelling on the issue of the changed dress code—which came into effect on Monday, on the opening day of the Winter Session—Naidu said they were changed on the recommendation of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.

“In view of the matter brought to my notice by some members, and some well-meaning persons, I have asked the Secretariat to review it,” Naidu said.

The new dress code of the marshals, who are conspicuous in the House, had reportedly evinced mixed feelings in the polity.

Their echoing, baritone call to Members, heralding arrival of the Chairman in the House, adds stridency which does not sit well with the loaded liberal values enshrined in the Constitution.

According to a source, “the dress code is aesthetically jarring and does not sit well with the sweet and soft image of a welfare, democratic state, such as India.”

some tweets on the subject

250th session: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu flanked by marshals in their new uniform on the first day of the winter session of Parliament in New Delhi. PTI

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with US Secretary of Defence Mark T Esper on the sidelines of ADMM-Plus in Bangkok, on November 17, 2019. — Twitter/PTI photo

New Delhi, November 17

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with US Defence Secretary Mark T Esper in Bangkok on Sunday on a range of issues of strategic importance, including situation in the Indo-Pacific region and ways to further bolster bilateral security cooperation.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), a platform comprising ASEAN and its eight dialogue partners including India, officials said here.

The Defence Minister also held a separate meeting with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono with a focus on adding further momentum to bilateral defence cooperation.

In the meeting with Esper, Singh reaffirmed New Delhi’s vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region based on a rules-based order and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China has been fast expanding military and economic influence in the Indo-Pacific region, triggering concern in various countries of the region and beyond.

Singh said there has been a growing convergence between India and the US on the Indo-Pacific, adding the 10-member grouping of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is central to New Delhi’s vision for the region.

“Had an excellent meeting with US Secretary of Defence, Dr. Mark T Esper in Bangkok today. We talked about ways to expand defence cooperation between India and the United States,” he tweeted.

Singh conveyed to his American counterpart that he was looking forward to have substantial discussions during the deliberations under the ‘two-plus-two’ foreign and defence ministerial dialogue between the two countries in Washington later next month, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

The inaugural Indo-US ‘two-plus-two’ talks took place here in September last year.

Expressing happiness on the growing Indo-US ties, Singh said the cooperation between the two sides has grown across a wide range of sectors, including defence and security, economy, energy, counter-terrorism and people-to-people relationship.

Singh and Esper also discussed a number of key issues concerning regional security and bilateral defence cooperation.

The ADMM-Plus is also likely to review the evolving security scenario in the region, particularly in the maritime domain.

The inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi in 2010. The Defence Ministers then had agreed on five areas of practical cooperation to pursue under the new mechanism, including maritime security, counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping operations. PTI