Results of Five States Assembly Elections 2018

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BEYOND ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS : DID NOTA OF ESM UNDID BJP—- WATCH OUT FOR APRIL 2019 !!!!!

In my way of thinking, loss in five states assembly elections in December 2018 is a wake up call for Modi and BJP . It was needed. Arrogance had become Modi and BJP’s USP. BJP leadership must learn its lessons and work to turn the tables on her opponents. Nothing much has been lost. They faced 15 years incumbency in two states and 5 years in the third. Inspite of people’s wrath against BJP governments , Congress has just managed to sneak in by the dint of the stroke of luck.

This victory might  have been orchestrated by NOTA option in the EVM. i won’t be surprised if bulk of this NOTA option was exercised by ESM ( Ex Servicemen— who, definitely, are unhappy with BJP but certainly do not like Congress). In Rajasthan there were 15 constituencies where winning margin was less than 500 and NOTA votes were more than 1000.

Rajasthan being the frontline state of ESM , it would not be a surprise if they have not only preferred NOTA but also voted against BJP. In 2014 elections, ESM had wholeheartedly  supported BJP . They do influence large chunk of seats in J&K, Punjab , Haryana, Delhi , Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, UP, BIHAR ,Jharkhand, MP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Assam and North East States .

BJP and Modi must do something to win them back , if it wants to return to power in 2019. It must note the fact that out of nearly 350 seats in these states, ESM can influence around 200  seats . They would be a trump card for any political party .

In MP, the margin of victory in 22 Constituencies is less than 1000 votes while NOTA votes  were more than 1200. And final tally of Congress and BJP is 114 and 109 respectively. It is no victory as it does not allow congress to form Government on its own strength.  It is seeking support of minor parties . Congress must worry because minor parties would seek their bigger pound of flesh. In certain constituencies  BJP lost by less than 500 votes. Therefore it was NOT Congress victory but loss of local leadership of BJP.. Look at things positively because the glass is half full and not half empty .

Accordingly, If you look at the results—- vote share of BJP in MP is still higher (41% of BJP to 40.09% of Congress ) though only by 0.01 % . In Rajasthan Congress it is around 40::39 ratio and Chhattisgarh it is about 42:: 33 ratio . Therefore even after this verdict , BJP would have got 30 out of 65 parliament seat .

Point to remember is that it is not a vote against Modi but local leaders who failed to deliver in local issues. Statements such as , VASUNDRA JI KI KHAIR NAHI; MIDI JI SE BAIR NAHI do reflect this assessment . If it is so, people will vote differently in April- May 2019. They will vote for a national cause .

However BJP has to get serious. It must avoid two or three issues — such as Beef eating  & Ram Temple at Ayudhiya  and Reservations. Let courts deal with it. Opposition parties would like it to get involved in this controversies. It must undertake some populist measure as pet issues.

It is a historical fact that having been enslaved for almost 1000 years , Indian population has become addicted to FREEBIES as mercies from the RULER. The policy of reservation is product of this mindset. It is result of this FREEBIES PSYCHE that “Godmen”, dome a dozen, roam this Land called India.

Given a choice , Indians detest to work for prosperity. They want it delivered to them by God’s mercy. Begging is a natural habit in this country. No wonder votes can be purchased by politicians by a bottle of country liquor. Narender Modi has to become realistic on these issues. No body in this country is interested about GDP growth or figures of fiscal deficit. It is day to day expenses which affect the middle class and poor BJP and Modi would have to pay attention towards rural and farming community .

The Indian public does not understand fiscal deficit, and is not bothered whether it is 2.4% or 3.4%. They do not understand that subsidies and freebies mean borrowing and borrowing, which have to be paid back, some day, by someone.

The Indian public is not bothered about GDP growth rate, which actually increasesed from 3.8% to 7.4% for the last four years, and is more than that of the USA, the UK, and Japan. The Indian public will always complain. If it is not about the price of onions or daal, it will be about petrol or diesel. They must get everything cheap, but at the same time farmers must get a good price.

Don't ask Indians to change old habits. It is the government's duty to change everything. The Indian public is not bothered about fixing issues in the long run. They want everything today. Not even today. NOW! The Indian public has a very short memory and a narrow vision. They forget and forgive past wrongs very easily.

They instinctively vote according to caste patterns. Casteism is the major enemy of Indian democracy / politics. It divides the Indian youth, keeping them away from growth. And Pakistan and China, promote caste / religious divides in India, with the help of India's own people, because both these countries directly depend on India for an open market, affecting their GDP.

Indian defence systems are stronger as compared to five years ago, and Pakistan and other countries are unable to control India. Therefore they are funding billions, to destroy the Indian system, and only one man is fighting this. But Indians are unaware of this.

Now then, if the PM continues fixing long term problems for the remaining 5 months, he will lose in 2019. A dead soldier cannot do anything for his country. He must live on, to come back and fight on.

So, unfortunately, the PM must become a politician for the remaining 5 months. If the public wants cheap petrol and diesel, give it to them. If farmers want a loan waiver, give it to them. They don't know about "sabka saath sabka vikas".

The PM should "take 5 month's leave" from being a statesman, and become a politician. After a victory in 2019, he can return to being a statesman, because a nation can grow only under a statesman, and not under a politician. Further, Modi must exploit the links of Congress and other opposition parties with Pakistan and China. It must manage vernacular press and local electronic media.

It must concentrate on UP, BIHAR, MAHARASHTRA  and KARNATKA. Do not talk about Ayudhya Mandir, Reservation and Beef. Try and gain 45-50 seats in UP if not 73 as in 2014. The loss of the seats in these states be compensated by alliance with regional parties in Telengana, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. Launch a frontal attack on Congress for non delivery on farmers loan waiver as promised in Rajasthan and MP. Party has to go all out and start it now.  No need to fall into congress trap of confrontation. This is what Rahul Gandhi and his advisors want. In fact expose Rahul’s Brahaminism and it’s corruption.

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INDIAN DEMOCRACY : A FARCICAL JOKE !!!

They say that Parliament, Executive (Government) and judiciary are the three pillars of a democracy. All three pillars need to work in consonance with each other to make the democracy stable and vibrant . However, in Indian context all three are working at cross- purposes with each other so as to make Indian democracy a big farce .
It may be noted that two buzz words of democracy , namely, Liberty and freedom, are not new to Indian political system. Even in ancient India of monarchical system they were adhered to with utmost zeal. Remember the right of a woman to choose a husband through the process of SWAYAMBER! It bears testimony to the fact of freedom enjoyed by the women. However, they were not allowed to hamper the security and integrity of the state. Whenever they did , India lost its sovereignty and passed into vassalage . It goes without saying that the three pillars of modern Indian democracy are endangering the national security through their expedient acts .
Indian parliament has become a big comedy theatre . No purposeful debates and discussions on national issues are carried out there. In fact, the government and opposition try to play a game of one.upmanship . Instead of discussing poverty alleviation, economic growth , health care etc, they keep throwing verbal barbs at each other. Trooping into the well of the House is a method adopted to stall parliamentary process and thus waste valuable time of the nation.,
Allegations and counter allegations fly like uncontrolled missiles, causing collateral damage to the nation. Matters of national security are treated as personal battles. Lies and fiction add negative spin to the whole issue. Take the case of “Augusta Helicopter” or “Rafaela Fighter Jet” deals. Instead of discussing the need and necessity of these items, while focus is on the “imagined Devil” in the deal. The opposition fights not on the quality of the equipment but on the “bonanza” it might have missed out owing to not being a party to the deal.
The Government, which ever political party heads it, remains focused on winning elections. Most of the actions are taken by the governments keeping in mind the “Elections”, it’s policies are decided by the vote bank politics. Issues of “Reservation” ; “Triple Talaq”; “Kashmir” and “OROP” etc are handled not on the basis of national interests but the vested interests of the political party heading the government.
Indian politicians are a worst breed of humans. They can never rise above their narrow and parochial self-interests. They exploit general public on caste, creed and religious affiliations. Communities are treated as a herd of sheep, just blindly following their community leader. No wonder political leaders want their communities to be illiterate and poor so that they can listen to their diktats. It is one of the main reasons that “fear psychosis” dominate the minority communities in India. A non - existent “Hindu Majority” fear is used to mislead the Muslims of India . Most of the SC/ ST leaders roll in money while bulk of their communities still remain below the poverty line, even after 71 years of the policy of reservations. “Double Reservations” in professional educational institutes and then in governmental jobs, including promotions, benefit only those who have already taken advantage in getting admitted to educational institutes or entry into government jobs. Such lopsided policies are followed by the politicians only to keep alive their personal agendas.
Indian judiciary is in its own league. National security to it is an alien concept. It views everything from her legal eyes of liberty and freedom. Some of its leading lights see soldiers as “murderers” and they want FIRs to be registered against soldiers if “terrorists” were killed in encounter. Indian courts devote more time on “non- issues” and unwanted “PILs”. SC sits till midnight to decide about the case of the hanging of a terrorist involved in “Mumbai 26/11” while “Ram Janam bhoomi- Babri Masjid “ issue has been hanging fire for the last 27 years. Sometimes judiciary starts interfering with the functioning of “Executive”.
Functioning of Indian courts need much to be desired. Cases keep languishing in courts for long durations . A refrain is that a land case filed by a person today might go on till his great grand child becomes a major. Generally debates in various courts go off the track and non - issues become the main issues. Known criminals are often let out on bail and thus allowing them to destroy evidence. Political leaders involved in corruption, continue to move about on bail. This is the biggest hypocrisy of the Indian judiciary. A common man, accused of any offence, gets no respite while rich and influential go scot free even when there are proven charges against them. National Herald case or DA case of certain politicians or even the case of a son of a former Home Minister / Finance Minister bear testimony to the fact as to how rich and influential enjoy legal immunity on flimsy grounds. Sometimes judiciary plays to the gallery. Take the case of “five Urban Terrorists” , accused of “Bhim- Koregaon” conspiracy. they have been put under mere house arrest. Had there been a common man , he would have been thrown into prison without any trial. Why should judiciary interfere with police investigations like this ? This is why most often hardcore criminals go scot free. No wonder some known corrupt politicians roam freely—— judiciary has a big hand in making Indian Democracy a big joke.
Indian legal system has made India a soft state. Anyone can play around with it. Take the case of Rohingyas and Bangla Delhi Muslims. They enjoy such immunity that no Common citizen of India also can not. Rohingyas have been settled in the sensitive state of Jammu & Kashmir where Indian Citizens can not settle. Take the case of Article 35A and Article 370— Indian SC is dilly- dallying with it and refusing to take a just position . Both these provisions are discriminatory . Neither Indian Government nor Judiciary is taking a correct position on this. Well less said of the politicians, both ruling and opposition, is better. All of them have made India a jocular democracy .

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ROHINGYAS ISSUE: HUMAN RIGHTS END, WHERE NATIONAL SECURITY BEGINS---ROHINGYAS MUST GO!

Supreme Court bench, headed by new CJI , honourable Justice Ranjan Gogoi, has rightly rejected a frivolous PIL by SC lawyer Prashant Bhushan to stall the deportation of seven Rohingyas , who had illegally entered India. Being from ASSAM , who would know about Rohingya and Bangla Deshi refugee problem better than him. Delhi- based lawyers like Prashant Bhushan and his elk of Human Rights organisations would never feel the pangs of pain given by the refugees to the common man in Assam and other North Eastern states. It is estimated that some 50 Lakhs illegal Rohingya and Bangla Deshis have sneaked into India over the last few years. Unfortunately , the vote bank politics of Indian politicians made them turn a blind eye towards this illegal influx. What is worse is the fact that more than 10-15000 have been settled in the sensitive Jammu region, where NO Indian citizen can acquire property because of Article 35 A of the constitution. What a double standard of Kashmiri politicians? Central government has rightly taken a decision to deport them. They are not only a burden on the meagre resources of the country but they are a potential threat to demographic profile of the nation.
They are a threat to national security, too. It is believed that Sunjuwan (near Jammu) terrorist attack in 2017 was facilitated by Rohingyas settled around the military garrison at Sunjuwan. It is further alleged, in some quarters, that ‘Kathua rape case’ was deliberately orchestrated by Kashmiri leaders to divert attention from resentment of local populace on Rohingyas being settled in Jammu region. Some even claim that it was being done to change the demographic profile of the region .
Rohingya Muslim hail from Rakhine (Arakans) province of Myanmar. They were reported to be around million plus before Myanmar army struck against them. Myanmar Government states that Rohingyas are illegal immigrants from the British colonial rule in South Asia. It is stated that some 400,000 have entered Bangla Desh over the last few weeks. Their footfalls are in all countries of the region, from South East Asia to South Asia such as Nepal, India and Pakistan.
The Rohingya people are a Muslim minority group hailing from the Rakhine state, earlier famously known as Arakan. The Rohingya people have been branded as “stateless entities” by the Myanmar government. The Burmese authorities have been declining to recognise them as one of the ethnic groups of the country. Therefore, the Rohingya people lack legal protection from the Government of Myanmar . They are, thus, regarded as mere refugees from Bangladesh. To run away from the desperate conditions in Myanmar, the Rohingya try to illegally enter Southeast Asian states and South Asian Nations, begging for humanitarian support from potential host countries.
The problem escalated on 08 June 2012 when Rohingyas radicals started to burn Rakhine's Buddhist and other ethnic houses after returning from Friday's prayers in Maungdaw township. More than a dozen residents were killed in this riot by Rohingya Muslims. State of emergency was declared in Rakhine, allowing military to participate in administration of the region. Thus by August 2012, there had been reportedly 88 casualties – 57 Muslims and 31 Buddhists. Another estimate put 90,000 people were displaced by the violence. Further it is recorded that 2,528 houses were burned; of which, some 1,336 belonged to Rohingyas and 1,192 belonged to Rakhines province.
Rohingya problem in Myanmar took a serious turn, when on 25 August 2017, Rohingyas Muslims militants, aided and equipped by ISIS, attacked 30 police stations in Arakans. It became obvious that ISIS had made an inroad into Rakhine province in Myanmar.
This raised the heckles of Chinese government. China, as part of its OBOR project (One belt one Road) is developing the Eastern connection of its BRI (Belt Road Initiative) to Sittwe port of Myanmar in Arakan province on Bay of Bengal. It became obvious that ISIS had made an inroad into Rakhine province in Myanmar. It seems China asked Myanmar to check this menace as it presented a serious threat to Chinese assets. Thus, Myanmar Army launched operations against Rohingyas Militants, which led exodus of Rohingyas to Bangla Desh. Their poverty and deprivation makes them easy recruitment target by ISI of Pakistan for their nefarious designs in Kashmir as well as rest of India.
Fleeing Rihingyas entered India through Bangladesh and some were quietly imported to the state of J& K by vested interests. There are around 40,000 in India. Indian government wants to deport them but a litigation was filed in SC to stall their deportation on the human rights plea. SC, in its interim order on 13 October 2017, suggested to Government of India adopt a balanced approach mixing security and human rights. However, Human rights are inversely proportional to national security. More human rights, less of national security but more of chaos and disorder.
Around 10,000 Rohingyas Muslims have been settled in Jammu region of J& K over the last few years. They are distributed in 23 camps. They have been probably settled there by a political party to use them as a vote bank. Surprisingly, when Indian citizens are debarred under Articles 35 A and 370 to buy land and property in J& K , how come illegal immigrants from a foreign country are allowed to settle in Jammu? Indian politics is very strange. It seems politicians can stoop very low for short term political gains. Being in Jammu, Rohingyas are easily available for recruitment by the "terror tanzeems" of Pakistan.
Therefore, those who support Rohingya immigrants to be allowed to stay in India are actually tempering with the National Security. They must know where National Security begins, human rights end. It is not only applicable for the refugees but also the Indian citizens. The stance of NHRC is not only faulty but out of sync with the pre- requisites of national security and integrity.
It is recommended to support Central Government stand and strongly recommend that SC must not interfere on matters of National security. It must stop wasting time in such frivolous litigations. In fact, it is time that strictures passed on the NHRC for supporting such dangerous issues which threaten the integrity of the nation.
Intelligence Indications are available that most of the Rohingyas leaders in India have been cultivated by ISI of Pakistan and "Jihadi Outfits" of Pakistan. A British National, with Bangla deshi passport has been arrested who was recruited by the Al Quaeda to train Muslims in the North East in acts of sabotage. Again, another ISI recruiter has been arrested in Chennai on 18 September 2017. Poverty and persecution make easy recruits for religious fundamentalism.
Political leaders who are shouting at the top of their voice in favour of Rohingyas are actually not only short sighted but smack of evil designs. There is a motivated campaign to create hurdles in their eviction. Even Bangla Desh sees these refugees a security threat. It is the responsibility of the Myanmar Government to settle them.
Human rights organisations, such as NHRC and UNHRC must ask themselves as to why are they being persecuted in Myanmar. It is Budhist country, generally peaceful, why would they get after the Rohingya Muslims in the Rakhine Region (Arakan) of Myanmar. The genesis of the problem lay in radicalism of Rohingya Muslims and their attacks on Burmese Budhists. It has been happening for the last few years. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who herself had been in exile as a victim of military persecution for decades, must have reasons to start a military crackdown on the Rohingyas.
The problem is with radicalisation of some Rohingyas in Arakans which forced the hand of Myanmar Government for a military crack down. It is but natural that common people suffer because they remain silent spectators of their radicals / militants horrendous acts of terror. If you see this issue with this in mind, you will definitely support Indian Government of its decision. We can not show human concern for people who support radicals amongst them.
Unfortunately common people and militants do not roam with head bands. It is not easy to separate chaff from wheat. Human rights apply to only legitimate Indian citizens. India can not endanger its national security on an emotional logic of human rights if some, whose parent country itself is not bothered. There is no place for them in India, who is already bursting at seams with such problems of radicalism. It will be adding fuel to fire if the Rohingyas are allowed to stay in India

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CREATIVE LEADER VERSUS AUTOCRATIC LEADER

CREATIVE LEADER VERSUS AUTOCRATIC LEADERS !
Alvin Toffler, author of FUTURE SHOCK, POWER SHIFT and THIRD WAVE, postulates in THIRD WAVE that Failure of modern leadership was not because of the lack of qualities and attributes amongst modern leaders but the break down of the very institutes on which their power depends. Breakdown of joint family systems and rising aspirations of individuals have affected the family values and ethos exhorting members to follow the “Family Elder” blindly. It was the foundation of “Brand - Name” theory of leadership which has still not run out of favour. They may have some attributes but not all to be effective leaders. Their BRAND catapulted them to leadership position. It gave rise to dynasties and monarchy. Certain class of people were considered “Born to Lead”. Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and all those dynastic scions swarming Indian politics are the best examples of this leadership.
Then came the time when ,“Situation - Model” advocated emergence of a leader in a group in a given situation. Thus it advocated different set of values in a person to emerge as a leader in varying fields. To put it precisely it implied that leaders of variable fields needed different traits such as corporate world, military organisations or the Political scenarios. In fact, political situations do give rise to “situational leaders”. Military Dictators in Pakistan or elsewhere or even in democracies such as the rise of Donald Trump or Narender Modi would fit these situational but autocratic leaders.
Modern leadership has its different set of ethos and values. Legal authority (as in the army or government service) might make one an overbearing boss but not a true leader of men. Authority only leads to autocracy. But such a leader is resented and forgotten as soon as authority goes. They are not respected and revered but only obeyed. Saddam Hussain, Muamar Gaddafi and Hitler are some of their types . Secrecy and centralised control is their USP.
As opposite of authority and autocracy, Dave Sidman in his book “HOW” describes that TRANSPARENCY & OPENNESS IS THE BACKBONE OF MODERN LEADERSHIP”. In the age of social media explosion, secrecy can not be maintained. Also, individualisation of families and communities have given a fillip to personal aspirations. This demands that a leader must be transparent and truthful. He must keep his followers informed through his acts and conduct. This is what a creative leader should be—- like what Nelson Mandela of South Africa was.
The essence of the above two statements is that a modern leader ought to be creative and adjusting than being rigid and inflexible like an autocrat . While creative leaders are progressive and growth oriented ; the autocratic leaders are stalemated votary of status quo. This is applicable to all sphere of human activities , whether it was politics, military or corporate world.
The role of a creative leader is not to have all the ideas; it's to create a culture where everyone can have ideas and feel that they're valued. Leadership, in modern times, is not bossing around over your men but consultation with them and coordinating them. Give them Task and resources and let them perform but never micromanage your subordinates. Thus, good leaders not only guide their men to attain an objective but create a congenial atmosphere to produce their own worthy replacements. Real leaders do not stick to the job for ever. They create alternatives for self.
In short , a modern leader must learn to accept constructive criticism from subordinates. —- those who do not do so are doomed to fail. Education and awareness of subordinates, coupled with individual aspirations deprive modern leaders of blind following. No more easy options of “ family type bindings” are available. A leader would have to establish his supremacy over men through personal competence, transparency and fairness. Legal authority is no more left unquestioned today.
An autocratic leader is often like a Banyan tree, where nothing grows underneath it. To put it more succinctly , an autocratic leader leaves a big vacuum after he goes. Moghul king Aurengzeb left a trail of incompetence after his death. Invariably there is always a leadership crisis after an autocratic leader disappears. Autocratic leaders are often anti-thesis of consultation and difference of opinion . They are rigid and inflexible in their thoughts and actions. Thus, after initial push, growth and development of an organisation suffers. One of the causes of break up of Soviet Union was the extreme autocracy practised by its leadership. Lenin through Stalin, Khrushchev , Kosygin, Brezhnev and Andropov were all autocratic leaders. And when Glasnost and perestroika were launched by Gorbachev , Soviet Union fell apart.
In conclusion, one must say whether it is political scene, military or corporate world, need of modern times is to have creative leaders. Narayanan Murthy of Infosys is a shining example of creative leadership in corporate world. If it is not done, succession battles begin even in family businesses whether it is Birlas, Tatas or even Ambani’s. Also, Military is no exception. The goodness of a commanding officer ( CO) of a unit can only be gauged from the fact as to how many subordinates he made capable of replacing him , when time comes. If a unit has to import COs from outside, it is the failure of the last few COs whose personal interests dominated the unit interests. Therefore , be it military or any other field, a leader in modern times will be judged by the quality of his successors. An autocratic leader may win a battle or two but it is the creative leader who wins the war. This is the difference which differentiate the two.,

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My Article , A WAR AVERTED WITH STICKS, published on 05 July 2018,  in ARBIT , a Subsidiary of Hindi Daily Rashtradoot published from MI Road JAIPUR!

When I Averted An Indo-Pak War---A Real Life Incident-----Some Reminisciences !

         Place was Village Chak Mukam,  Tangdhar Sector; Lipa Valley; Kashmir.  Month and year were June 1972 . Exact date I do not remember. I was on a special mission patrol of about 20 men, from 'Bravo Company' of my battalion. I was given this special mission to village ChakMukam in Lipa Valley on the banks of river Neelam or Kishanganga (On Indian Side), on my immediate return from Young officers course from Junior Leaders Wing, Infantry School, Belgaum, Karnatka.

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    "Hullo, one five for two alpha, message over", the radio link of my CO was desperately trying to establish link with me and my patrol.

   "Hullo, two alpha for one five, Ok over" , I shouted back into the handset.

    "One five for Two Alpha, what the f***ks you are doing? where are you?" my CO was shouting at me.

    " One five I have done my task--I have occupied village Chak Mukam----. I have collected the villagers. I am making them sing our National Anthem---Jana Gana Mana-" I was enthusiastically elaborating when another voice intervened.

     " Shut up, you rascal. Stop this nonsense--DON'T START A NEW WAR  ON YOUR OWN.--we have interrupted message from other side-----they were asking for artillery fire on you----They claim we have attacked them---" Some one else was shouting at me.

        The intruder was interrupted by my CO, "Hullo, One Five for 'One- O -Four', let me handle this---I will retrieve the situation". I could hear my Tiger (CO) sounding a peace maker. But I was wondering why were they panicking when I had everything under control----villagers were peacefully singing our national anthem , after some coaching, of course.

    "One O-four- for one five----Get this rascal out immediately----I want him to be marched up to me". The intruding station seemed to me none other than our Brigade Commander, Brig M ML Ghai--an officer from Corps of Engineer.

     My CO was crisp, " Hullo, One Five for Two Alpha, leave the place immediately and move to "Rakhi"---a post held by our neighbouring Battalion in Chhamkot Sub sector.

    " Two Alpha for One Five, but the villagers want us to stay on. They were complaining about the Pakistani soldiers and their high handedness---They are----" I was trying to convince.

   " One Five for two Alpha, just shut up -----They would come down with artillery fire on you in next ten minutes-----it might lead to some serious exchange of fire----Get out of the place before it begins-----You have proved your point---Now collect your men and get moving-----Be quick------Go to "Rakhi" Post ", My Tiger instructed me.  I had no alternative but to follow orders. It was around 11.30 AM, I left the place.

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                 Before I go further, I must give you a bit of a background to this incident. You must know that Shimla summit meeting, between ZA Bhutto and Smt. Indira Gandhi,  was held in July 1972. Therefore, before the meeting, both sides had to agree on the identification of certain land marks along which the Line of Control or LC ran. Accordingly, delienation talks for identification of LC on ground, sector wise,  by military representatives from both sides, had begun in March 1972.

         As a consequence of claims and counter claims, KAYIAN BOWL incident had taken place in our Brigade Sector in May 1972, whereby two of our battalions had suffered very badly as a result of an incident started by us but cleverly exploited by Pakistan.

      ( Kayian Bowl was in the NOGAON sector of our Brigade. After the war, one of our Sikh battalions was holding defences along the LC. Kayian was a depression with high hills on all sides. We controlled the entry to it from three directions. As the war ended, one of the section of nine men of Pakistan held the depression area.  After the war, on humanitarian grounds, our men allowed logistic supplies to Pakistani Section through a narrow corridor. In fact, some kind of friendhip developed and our men ignored some of the acts of Pakistanis.  But Pakistan on the quite, had built up the force upto a Battalion strength---by sending men carrying suplies as porters at night. Some would return but bulk would stay back.  We did not know anything. They prepared defences at night. We were always under the impression that we would throw them out anyday .  We had, therefore claimed that we were in occupation of the Kayian Bowl.  When Pakistan disputed, we launched an operation which became a fiasco because of poor assessment of enemy strength. We suffered heavy casualities. Then, Pakistan launched a Counter attack on the Sikh Battalion which suffered extensive fatal casualities.)

       It is no gainsaying the fact that our claims of LC were based on map marking without physical verification on the ground. This had to happen because of the characteristics of our Brigade commander. He had made tall claims on territory without physical verification. Accordingly, like Kayian Bowl, village Chak Mukam was also shown as our own village.

       My new Commanding officer, Lt Col. SS Sahrawat, was member of the military delegation for delienation of LC in our sector. He had joined us in March 1972, while I had been on the Young Officer's course. I, alongwith  my batchmates from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun,  did the basic training for young officers only after the war---though we were commissioned in June 1971.

      As Lt Colonel S S Sahrawat was the member of the delegation for delienation talks, headed by Lt. General PS Bhagat from India, he had been given map references of  places we had laid claims. Being the battalion commander responsible for "Sari Ridge", he disputed our claims of controlling village Chak Mukam. His logic was simple. The village was some 4-5 Kms away from our nearest post at  'Amar Singh Ki Tekri', while Pakistani post was just a few meters away across the Neelam River. He asserted that we can not control it unless we had physical presence there. But our Brigade Commander rubbished his logic .

        The LC in our sector was earmarked by Brigade Commander and our previous CO, who had moved out on a coveted posting as Instructor  to Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Tamil Nadu.  It was done on the map. No effort was ever made to verify the facts till our new CO took over and he tried to get a hang of it because he was to represent our Brigade Sector at the delieanation talks. In so doing , he had sent two patrols but Brigade Commander refused to accept their version of domination of the village by Pakistan. He had insisted that village being on our side of the river ought to be under our domination. Also, he told the CO that it was his battalion who had given this reference and it was the job of our battalion to sort it out. Truth was that he had manipulated it with previous CO, who had no concern and was going away on posting. Thus, it was entirely commander's doing and he insisted that the map reference would not be changed, as this had gone to higher HQ , some three months back.

     My new CO had done his bit by sending patrols twice to take control of the village or just dominate it. But on being heavily fired upon,  patrols had failed. His repeated observation to Brigade HQ to make the amendment to the given map reference,t was turned down by Brigade Commander . Commander insisted that the village Chak Mukam  be shown as controlled by our battalion. It was around this time that I had returned to my unit from Belgaum, Karnatka .

LIPA VALLEY  IN 2010 ( ALL PICS FROM THE NET---FROM A PAKISTANI SITE) ----  See photos below

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         It was 8 PM and I was leafing through a magazine in my officer's mess shelter at Battalion Headquarters at Nagina post (Now called Shararat ), when another person entered the mess shelter.  I looked at him. His slim waist line and fluffy hairs told me that he was some young captain from a neighbouring unit, who might have come on a patrol to our unit. I got up and wished him. We got involved in a discussion on the 1971 war and how we had captured the Wanjal feature on the night of 15/16 December 1971. To be very frank, as is usual in any conversation, one tends to exaaggerate facts to those who are silent listeners. And I was doing it very deftly, so I thought.

     He suddenly asked me, " Have you been to village Chak Mukam?".

    "Oh, a number of times----" I boasted.

       In fact, it was not a white lie, but an exaggeration because I had been only twice in December 1971, immediately after the ceasefire . The village Chak Mukam is located on the tip of a "Sari" ridge line, taking off from Nastachun Pass (also called--SADHNA PASS---after that Bollywood actress of yesteryears by the same name)  over the Samshabari Range, moving south east as part of a spur, jutting out of the Nagina and going South east some 8-10 Kms via some of our defended posts at 'Ghasla Top', 'Brown Patch, 'Left Shoulder', 'Ring Contour' and 'Amar Singh Tekri' . All these localities were captured by one of our sister battalions of Rajputana Rifles (RAJ RIF) during the 1971 war and my battalion had been asked to occupy them after the war.  The village Chak Mukam, was located just 3-4 Kms away from the last post of 'Amar singh Tekri', right on the banks of River Neelam. ( It is called River Kishanganga on our side)

    As I was bragging about my exploits in Chak Mukam, just then another officer, our Adjutant, Captain AD Singh entered the mess shelter. The way he said 'good evening" to the stranger and paid his respect, I was a bit rattled. AD Singh then, pointing his fingrer towards me said,  " Sir, he is Subaltern Rajinder Singh----We call him Rajee---Just returned from Young officer's course".

     "Yea, I met him AD, he is quite familiar with Village Chak Mukam---he claims, he had been to the village number of times. Let us see, if he makes it to the village now.  Why don't you send him on a patrol to the village? " came the directions from the stranger.

     Capt AD Singh frowned at me but said, " Rajee , meet me after dinner I will brief you about the same."

    Some other battalion officers joined us in the Mess shelter and the way every one was paying respect to the stranger, I knew as to who he was. I had realised that I had put my foot in my mouth by talking arrogantly to my new Commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel, S S Sahrawat. While I was feeling disturbed, he gave me mischievious and a crooked smile. Later, we became familiar with this smile when he used to pit his young officers in a competition for excellence, whether it was training or sports. He would make one young officer do something and then ask others, mostly subalterns and Captains, if they could do better. It was his way of getting job done in a much better way. We all loved him because he was professionally very competent  and a very able leader of men. (Unfortunately he died at Nagrota, near Jammu,  in 1982 when approved as a Brigadier---Indian army was the biggest loser)

     After the dinner, I was briefed by Capt AD Singh. I was told that earlier two patrols had badly failed due to heavy firing from Lubgrian Post of Pakistan across the Neelam river, just opposite village Chak Mukam. The patrol leaders of both the patrols had been Commando instructors of the Divisional Battle School. One of the patrol leader, Capt VC sharma, had been injured and admitted in the hospital. Capt AD singh also told me that we have laid claim to the village in the delienation talks but Pakistan disputes it.  "May be" , he said, " Pakistan has created a post there."  I was instructed to move to BROWN PATCH ---a post between Ghasla Top and Ring Contour ----with my men.

        Before I went for the course to Belgaum, I was located here at Brown Patch---I had visited village Chak Mukam, then as a patrol Leader. In retrospect, I feel, we should have created a defended post there, if we wanted this to be shown on our side. But due to administrative reasons, it was not accepted and the village was almost left on its own. The villagers had shown a desire to be on our side. And, thus, we allowed Pakistan to dominate it from Lubgrian defended post.

       Anyway, as per my orders, I was to rest  at Brown Patch and then choose my route, date and time . I was to inform the battalion HQ before I moved. I was cautioned that it must be done within a week, as CO was to move for delienation talk to THAKOCHAK, in Jammu Area. To be precise, after reaching BROWN PATCH, I decided to rest during the next day and move to Village ChakMukam after 2 AM during the following night. I chose the time because I wanted to be in the village by first light the next day. I told my men and Battalion HQ only at 10 PM that night. My CO was surprised on this haste---but he only said, " I like your eagerness, best of luck".

     By 5 AM, we had surrounded the village.  I told my men to collect the villagers at a mosque in the centre of the village. While doing so, my men found some 7 men in Khaki dress sleeping in a house. Two to three men managed to escape. Their weapons were taken away and they were blind folded and tied up. They were made prisoners and brought near the Mosque. Soldiers are soldiers---they have their orders and would treat roughly, anyone who resists them. So were those Pakistani men In Khaki. I learnt they were from 14 Azad Kashmir Rifles of Pakistan. Anyway, one of my task was to get evidence, if any, of Pakistan's hold in the village.

       So, I had these seven prisoners and also we had collected all things Pakistani---cigarette packets, Pakistani News papers and magazines from some houses. By 1100 hours, I had the whole village collected near the mosque and had been making them sing  our National Anthem. As they were singing Jana Gana Mana , there was hustle and bustle at Pakistani Post Lubgrian. They were shouting abuses and so we were. I had well placed my machine guns on higher ground to respond to their fire. I was sure dominating them.

     The men in Khaki joined in singing Jana Gana Mana-----and all of us were getting sadistic pleasure in making them sing this. Some of my men were veterans of earlier patrols which had failed. This was their finest hour of victory and they were being tough with men in khaki because they held them responsible for injuries to Capt VC Sharma and some other men in the previous patrol. The fault of the earlier patrols was that they used to start from 'Start Point' during early hours of the morning and they  often got day-lighted by the time they reached the village.   Also, I was told by some men that they used to move very slowly, thus alerting the Pakistani Post at Lubgrian.  No doubts, we had surprised them this time

     It was then that the radio conversation quoted above had taken place. When I told my CO about seven prisoners, he curtly asked me to free them and move away. The reason was our Brigade Commander was now getting jittery He had already earned a bad name for Kayian Bowl fiasco. He had got away by blaming the GOC by claiming that he had known everything and that's why GOC had directed him in writing to clear the Kayian Pocket.  He was a pastmaster in passing the buck. This time too he was cleverly trying to pass it on to his subordinate i.e my CO but situation was seemingly getting out of hand and he realised that he might not be so lucky for the second time.Thus, he did not want to get caught in another local fight with Pakistanis. With new GOC in command, he would have been exposed for his fake projections.

       (Brigadier MML Ghai had saved himself in the 'Kayian Bowl fiasco' by blaming his GOC Major General E D Souza of Maratha Light Infantry. He had said that he was asked by his GOC to evict Pakistanis from Kayian Bowl. The fact was that the GOC had merely asked him to sort out the issue because it was Brigade Commander who had laid claims to Kayian Bowl. In good faith GOC did not inform his Corps Commander, Lt General Sartaz Singh. Brigadier MML Ghai asked orders in writing for sorting out the matter. GOC, ill- briefed on the strength of Pakistan soldiers in the Kayian bowl---- some 20-30 men were claimed, where as it turned out an Infantry Brigade ( 3000 Men) in actual----had given a written directive to clear.  GOC had thought it was only a matter of throwing out a platoon----which would be done by the brigade on the quiet. It was not to be so. Instead, it was a clear ploy to involve the GOC and mislead the Corps Commander that GOC had known about Pakistani presence in Kayian Bowl. The fact was otherwise.

         Thus, the orders for eviction were also interpretted as use of reserve battalion and use of arty fire----which was forbidden in 1972.  The permission was not taken. A whole battalion of Mahar Regiment was written off---followed by heavy casualities to a Sikh battalion , holding the shoulders of Kayian Bowl---which got butchered in a Pakistani counter attack.  When the issue flared up, inquiry held, General E D'souza was blamed and Brig MM L Ghai got away by blaming the GOC. Unfortunately, Ghai rose to be a Lieutenant General and QMG of Indian Army. His kind  were the pioneers of road to Tehleka, Sukhna and Adarsh Housing society. They were a trickle which has become a deluge now.)

      My CO had proved his point to his Brigade Commander and he did not want the situation to further escalate. This is why he asked me to move on to "Rakhi Post". But as soon as I reached Rakhi Post I was asked to immediately get back to Brown Patch. There was some urgency. But when I reached there I found some big game going on------My battalion HQ had shifted to 'Left shoulder ----between Ghasla Top and Brown Patch '-----My company commander Major CMP Sinha with his company HQ was at Brown Patch------It was a different kind of a situation -----War without firing, as I later learnt------A real hand to hand war----

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VIEW OF BROWN PATCH FROM
PAKISTANI SIDE----2004

             As soon as I reached Brown Patch, I was asked by my Company Commander Major  (Later Colonel)  CMP Sinha to move to "Left Shoulder " forth with, where I was to meet the new GOC, Major General SK Sinha. GOC was coming to personally assess the latest situation around Chakmukam, which had threatened to become a zone of conflict, consequent to my patrol there. I was told that Pakistan had inducted a large number of additional troops in the Lipa Valley and they were all occupying the lower slopes--probably in wait for launching an attack to recapture the Ghasla Top -Ring Contour Ridgeline from us. Major CMP Sinha also told me that Brigade Commander, Brigadier MML Ghai, was particularly incensed with me for the whole fiasco.

           Next day, exactly at 730 AM, I met my CO, Lt Col SS Sahrawat, in his office. He was tense---I could see his facial expressions.  Rightly so, because just within three months of his command, he had not only fallen out with his Brigade Comander but probably, even GOC was unhappy. But I must commend the man----he did not display his unhappiness about me. Instead, he asked me as to what all I did in Chakmukam-----I frankly told him of every thing and handed over some goods and articles to him, which I had brought from ChakMukam. It included a Cigarette packet , an urdu magazine and a News paper published from Muzaffarabad in POK.  He only said once as to why did I make them sing Indian National Anthem. I explained to him my reason. He remarked, " Well! this has caused the present conflict---all radio intercepts indicate an attack building up on us in a day or so. Forget it, you have done your job."

         Exactly, at 8 AM, I was encountered  by the Brigade Commander, Brigadier MML Ghai. He blasted me in front of all our officers, with his choosy abuses in English and I did the same to him silently, in my heart, in Punjabi.  My CO showed his helplessness--but I could see his discomfort at the pitiable plight of his junior most officer, being on the firing line, like a lamb being cut to pieces by a butcher. Finally, my CO managed to say, " Sir, GOC is landing at the helipad in next five minutes."  Brigade Commander said "OK "and moved away, sparing me further abuses.

      Around the same time, my company commander, Major CMP Sinha, had purportedly  radio messaged that Pakistani soldiers were climbing the slopes from all directions. But they were not holding their weapons in assault positions but 'sling arm'. This was a strange observation. I was ordered to rush back to Brown Patch. I later learnt that the said message was manipulated by the CO to make me disappear from the scene, as he did not want me to face the new GOC. Our adjutant had drafted the message  and enacted as if it had come from my company commander-----who was also told about the message which he had purported to have sent to the Adjutant.  I moved out.  I was happy that I didn't have to face the FIRING of the GOC. I had enough of it from the Brigade Commander.  It is better to face bullets of the enemy than wordly missiles of your seniors in anger.

     As soon as I reached Brown Patch, I learnt that Pakistani Soldiers were holding positions some 300-400 meters short of Brown Patch, within the range of our small arms .  They were about 400 to 500 men, shoulder to shoulder----it was strange---as this was no assault position. What was funny was the question as to what were they doing lying in the open in the broad day light. After the Kayian Bowl incident, we had orders not to open fire unless approved by the Corps HQ. Officially, matter was not even reported to Corps HQ and our GOC had come to personally assess the situation before reporting it.

      Suddenly, I told my Company Commander, " Sir, if we have orders not to open the fire, I think, they too have their orders on the same lines"

      " So", said Major CM P Sinha.

     "Let us physiacally throw them out", I added.

     " How" Major CMP Sinha gave an amusing look

      "We will talk to them first to go back, then, physically push them out, if they do not listen", I was sounding so unmilitary like.

      Major CMP Sinha burst out laughing----" You think we are participating in a wrestling championship here----Youngman, we are facing enemy, who is fully armed."

       I went silent. Around 11 AM, a message came from CO to Major CMP Sinha to talk to Pakistani Commander on the spot and ask him to move back otherwise we would fire at them. We collected some 40 men and moved down slope towards the Pakistanis. Negotiations began when we were just 50 meters short of them. Rest of our men were at 'stand by position's in all our localities.

        We kept talking for 15 minutes. The Pakistani officer became abusive and his soldiers started shouting 'Pakistan Zindabad". It irked me. I had a stick in my hand----I lifted it and ran towards Pakistani officer----shouting choicest Punjabi abuses at him. I could hear my company commander asking me not to do so. But I was already gaining momentum----and some of my men also followed me.

      And lo! the scene had changed and Pakistani soldiers started running down slopes. Chase became interesting. Realising a golden opportunity, my company commander ordered all other men from Ring Contour, Brown Patch and Ghasla Top to start physical assault with sticks. And everywhere Pakistanis were on the physical run.  CO was informed by Major CMP Sinha,  who in between his briefing to the GOC announced the latest development. AD singh later told me that General SK Sinha asked the CO, if I were the same youngster.

        When CO confirmed, he remarked, " I want such spirited youngmen in my command. Let him do this. But ask him to stop short of Chak Mukam village. Take up positions some 200 meters short of it. Now, if they come , we would fire. I would convince  the Corps Commander."  We did exactly what we were told. After seeing us taking up positions around 2 PM, Pakistani soldiers also stopped and took up positions facing us. At places we were just lying five meters away from each other.

       In the meanwhile, Pakistani opened up another front towards Ghasla Top from their post at Shishaldi feature.  GOC at 'Left shoulder', saw this happening and he asked our Medium Machine Gun to open fire, but in the air. Pakistani soldiers ran away and our men moved down and occupied more advantageous positions.

       Thus, the game spread to entireLipa Valley---everywhere both sides got into the act of physically grabbing land by positioning men. Both sides were reluctant to fire being prohibited by higher HQs. This wrestling match continued till next 15 days when the LC was finally agreed to on the ground, during a flag meeting at 'Amar Singh Tekri'. I was present there along with my commanding officer who was head of our delegation.

       Some eight months later, in February 1973, while driving from Chowkiwal in J&K to Dharamshala in Himachal Paradesh, to attend Captain AD Singh's marriage, my CO in his happy mood, told me, " Rajee, you know your act of charging Pakistanis at Brown Patch  had averted an Indo-Pak war. Our GOC had basically come to assess the ground situation and approve an attack plan to throw out the Pakistanis---This time we did not want to give in like the Kayian Bowl incident.  We had an Infantry Brigade earmarked for this attack."  He also informed  me that the said brigade  was in the process of concentrating near Niti Pass,----some 10 KMs behind our road head, when my act had taken place.He asked me as to what made me take that step. I couldn't think anything else but this:" Sir, irritation at our Commander's abuses!."

       "Yea! I thought so" , had said Lt. Colonel SS Sahrawat.

          There are so many such type incidents which when you look back----you feel like being stupid and an idiot. But as a 21 year old youngman---you dont think of the consequences----You don't think ---just do it----caution is not your USP. Isn't it so?

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Role of a Mole in WOM ( CI/ CT OPs)

ROLE OF A MOLE IN WOM (WAR BY OTHER MEANS) OR CI/ CT (Counter Insurgency/ Counter Terrorist) OPERATIONS !

I have been a long votary of use of inside information or the moles to successfully handle Insurgency/ Militancy operations. If you have right informers at right places, you do not have to conduct large scale military operations, which become the cause of nursing resentment and hatred amongst local populace against the security forces. Their usage prevents the disturbance of population foliage. Thus, security forces can snatch initiative from the insurgents/ terrorists. This is the primary requisite to defeat Insurgency/ Militancy. Remember : GUNS DO NOT WIN BATTLES, IT IS THE "VIBHISHANAS OF RAMAYANA",  WHO DO IT. Unfortunately, India fails to learn this lesson from her own great epic. No wonders,  it grapples in the dark when it comes to deal with Insurgency and terrorism.

Elimination of Abu Ismail and his another colleague  on 14 September 201, in J& K,  both Pakistani Terrorists of LeT , responsible for killing of 8 Amar Nath pilgrims and wounding 20 others, had undoubtedly highlighted the importance of actionable and pinpointed information in “War by Other Means” (WOM). This can only be possible once security forces develop moles or “inside informers” within militant organisations.

My battalion had successfully done this in 1990-92 against ULFA in ASSAM. We did it without causing any disturbance to General public. I called it tackling NEEDLE IN THE HAY STACK. This has been amply explained in my recent book, ULFA INSURGENCY UN ASSAM, published on 01 March 2018. I have advocating this strategy since then. Unfortunately,  Army had dithered from this in the last few years. It had committed a big mistake on dismantling Technical Support Division (TSD) , which was doing a wonderful job in the Kashmir valley. With the recent elimination of some top militant leaders in the valley, it seems the army operations are back on track. The role of moles in Militancy infested areas has been fully justified. Moles help you to avoid disturbing the population foliage in the urban jungles of concrete.

However, India has been reluctant practitioner of this need. In fact, it had been persecuting its intelligent people who indulge in extracting such information. Ishrat Jahan elimination based on IB inputs in the recent years had put the poor police offices in great difficulties. . The case of DGP Vanzara and others is well known.  Indian politicians sacrifice national security for their short term political gains. This was done in the case of Lt Col S Purohit who was deliberately entrapped in Malegaon  Blasts and Samjhauta Express terror attack for political gains. The truth on his activities was well known to everyone who was anyone in the power structure of the country. And result was Lt Col Purohit had to incarcerate in Jails without trial for almost nine years.

A WIKILEAKS revelation suggests that much hyped and honoured ex Maharashtra Police ATS Chief,  late Hemant Karkare, might have been on the pay roll of US Embassy in New Delhi. He might have been a CIA MOLE in the Indian establishment, with links with political masters. It has been revealed in an article that he had met a very senior US DIPLOMAT in New Delhi. When he had got killed in MUMBAI 26/11 terror attack, it was resented by his handlers in US Embassy. The day, Karkare was eliminated in a pre-planned ambush during the Mumbai attacks, a cable sent to the US read : " --we have lost an important link and a vital evidence".  This is how intelligence agencies rope in High officials of administration to get inside information.

While whole nation is mum on this revelation by WIKILEAKS,  since 2010, but Lt Col S P Purohit had to suffer almost nine years in Indian jails without a trial on trumped up charges by the same police officer, who was allegedly on the pay roll of US Embassy. There are no doubts that Lat Col Purohit being from Military intelligence had penetrated some anti national organization but with high up links in the Indian establishment. He might have collected information on some of these Indian collaborators.  Was Hemant Karkare and some politicians along with some Indian military intelligence operators were part of this collaboration? You never know.

But revelations being made by LT Col S Purohit after his release on bail by Supreme Court(SC) do suggest that such a collaboration existed and his frame up in Malegaon blast case was a frame up to cover up some big fish. He has now alleged that Dawood Abraham, the noted underworld gangaster, responsible for Mumbai Blasts in 1993 was in Mumbai in 2005. He has also stated that a top Kashmiri leader, while in Givernment, used his red beacon vehicle to ferry Kashmiri militants and fake currency. This needs investigations because recent arrest by NIA of some Kashmiri separatists for Hawala Money do point towards such a possibility.

It has now come out that Army Court of Inquiry had cleared Lt Col S Purohit of the allegation of possessing RDX as was alleged by the Maharashtra ATS under Hemant Karkare. Even the ATS witnesses have retracted and stated that they were forced to make statements by the ATS Boss. Why did Hemat Karkare do this? Was he covering  his CIA connections and exploiting the need of some politicians to rake up Hindu Terror to garner Muslim votes. Were the politicians and ATS chief complementing each other's need to survive? It was definitely a marriage of convenience with gaping holes which are now emitting stinking gasses.

We also need to know as to what was Lt Col Purohit doing before he was splashed with Malegaon blast conspiracy accusations. It was no doubts. I do not blame CIA or USA , it is their job to create MOLE in our administrative structure. And as ATS boss in Maharashtra, HEMANT Karkare was a good catch for USA. It seems he must have played a vital role in not only influencing US decisions on denying VISA to Narender Modi but also propping a canard on "Hindu Terrorism". It is surprising that his gallantry award has not been withdrawn despite this revelation by WIKILEAKS.

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My Article : DISGRACING SOLDIERS: INDIA’s IMPERFECTIONS ON NATIONAL SECURITY ! —- Published in the July 2018 issue of FAUJI INDIA

"…For, make no mistake; evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince Al-Qaeda's leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism-it is recognition of history, the imperfections of man, and the limits of reason…"
   …Former President BH Obama of US,A in his Noble Peace Prize acceptance speech in 2009.

If the evil does exist and if the "Gandhian" principle of non- violence can not tackle this evil, then only answer is to use the age old principle of cutting diamond with the diamond. In other words, use " bigger force" to counter "evil force". What is "evil"? In simple and lay man's terms, evil is anything which, in Satanic ways, works against the individual or collective interests of the society , nation or even humanity. Former President BH Obama of USA had perfectly defined it as "Imperfections of Man".  If the society, nation or the community has to survive, it has to tackle these imperfections of individuals, communities and also of the nation's.

And India has been found wanting in order to tackle the imperfections of man in a judicious and a an effective way. Right from the day of Independence of India, there has been gross neglect of Indian armed forces. It seems defence policy has been chalked out keeping the armed forces miles away from its formulation. One does not understand the reason but one can fathom it's cause. To put it in crude words, it has been the basic sense of insecurity and inferiority complex of the political and bureaucratic structure of the nation. Politicians and bureaucrats have been in some kind of awe of the armed forces.

It was the first Prime Minister of India, Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru, who set the ball rolling of this distrust. And then followed a deliberately chalked out criminal neglect of these armed forces despite wars with China and Pakistan over the last 70 years. There is no change of this "neglect", whether it was Congress ,BJP or Janta Dal,UPA or NDA  Governments at the centre. The policy has been of deliberate neglect of armed forces for all these 70 years of independence. Shiv Kunal Verma, in his book," 1962: The war that wasn't" quotes what JL Nehru told first Commander - in- Chief of Independent India, General Sir Rob Lockhart. Read this interesting passage :-

"------when the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, General Sir Rob Lockhart, went to Nehru with a formal defence paper that needed a policy directive from the prime minister, Nehru had exclaimed: ‘Rubbish! Total rubbish! We don’t need a defence policy. Our policy is ahimsa (non-violence). We foresee no military threats. As far as I am concerned you can scrap the army—the police are good enough to meet our security needs.’ -----"

Non- Violence was not the basic reason when Nehru said it so. It was his basic dislike of leadership of the army, who he thought could be a threat to his leadership. There is another incident between Nehru and Lt General Nathu Singh Rathore, when Nehru openly said in Army Commanders conference that he would like to appoint a British officer as Chief of the army, as Indian army officer had no experience of commanding larger forces. Lt Gen Nathu Singh Rathore countered Nehru by saying that in similar vein, India should import a British politician to be Prime Minister, as Indian politicians had no experience. This not only embarrassed Nehru but it also put him in awe of army officers.

 Earlier, another incident had taken place before independence in North West Frontier Province (Now, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa). In 1946, Congress had won a massive victory in the province and it had formed the provincial Government. Pakhtoons, under the influence Frontier Gandhi, Abdul Gafar Khan, were keen to join India. A referendum was to be held to decide about the choice of the people. Congress had just won the elections and it would have been a hands down win for India. But Nehru asked Congressmen not to participate in the referendum. This infuriated an Army officer, Major Mihir Mashood, who almost slapped Nehru but was prevented by British political Resident of the Tribal Areas. This also had affected Nehru's psyche. Then military coup in Pakistan enhanced his fears. It was not only him but the entire political establishment.

They, thus, segmented National Security into ,Internal Security, and ' External Security' -- External security going to Defence Ministry and Internal Security going to Home Ministry. In fact this was a clever move to create a parallel force to counter Indian armed forces. In fact, they did so at peril to Indian national security. Paramilitary forces and state armed police forces handle internal security with inherent disadvantages of its leadership. Result is mushrooming casualties of security forces in insurgency and militancy areas. Pathankot airport terrorist attack showed a deliberate strategy to project paramilitary forces ahead of armed forces.

There is a misconception in Indian political and bureaucratic set up that a good spy master or a good foreign service diplomat would also be good national security expert. Compare this thought with other nations, such as USA, Pakistan, France and Russia, where retired military experts handle the issue of National security. We must note that security is not a game of spying or diplomacy but a matter of strategic understanding of regional, international and Intra- National environs to work out a integrated plan to tackle them within the allotted resources.

It is unfortunately true that politicians of all hue and cry, those who get to govern the country, are often influenced by bureaucracy. Using media and other forums bureaucrats play upon politicians fears of likely coup to turn them against the armed forces. This is why long felt need of a CDS ( Chief of Defence Staff) is being short circuited. Bureaucrats play the symphony of a likely coup by armed forces if CDS is appointed. They feel he would be more powerful and as such would not care for civilian leadership. These are imagined and concocted fears. All the same they do cause hallucinations to politicians.

And some political heavy weights have their personal grievances against the armed forces. Result is criminal neglect of armed forces. How strange is the fact that nation facing crisis on Chinese and Pakistani borders had stayed with a part time Defence Minister. Like JL Nehru, present regime too, thinks that national interests can be best served by diplomatic means. National Security Advisor is always a bureaucrat. Armed forces experts are treated as duds, with no knowledge of national security. This is in total contrast to western countries, who are more clued up on national security than Indian politicians. Even in Pakistan and other Asian countries, retired senior Defence personnels are appointed National security advisor.

The fear of military coup in the minds of Indian politicians have blinded Indian politicians right from the days of Nehru. Even after 70 years, politicians psyche has not changed , whether Nehru's Congress or Vajpayee's BJP.  They depend on IAS Babus for such an advice on security matters, who has own axe to grind.  Bureaucracy No wonder bureaucrats take them for a ride. This is evident from the hesitation on the armed forces demands on OROP and NFU ( Non functional Upgradation). While NFU has been given to CAPF and PMF but it has been denied to armed forces. It is a deliberate act to pull down and demoralize the armed forces with a view to break their will to resist injustice being done to them. Last time army chief had a one to one relationship with PM of the country was in the times of Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw in the years 1969 to 1972. Thereafter Chiefs of the army have been treated non- entities by politico- bureaucratic establishment. In fact, some times the post of army chiefs had passed on to pliable Persons.

The appointment of a woman Defence Minister by the present regime, after a gap of six months, is a reflection of a mindset of incubated fears of an army coup.result is that the appointment of CDS is hanging fire for years. Even the post of a Defence Minister has lost its shine--- either it is kept vacant or given to most unsuitable person, who has no idea of matters Military. Some of the politicians occupying the chair of Defence Minister never understood the job--- they only pursued their political agendas.

 In  USA, out of 45 presidents till date since 1776 there have been 15 presidents who have been with military background. Besides, there have been large numbers of Defence secretaries or Secretaries of State in the US administration over the last 250 years. India does not trust her military personnels, despite the fact that the nation has been held together with the sweat and toil of the soldiers. Unfortunately, of late some politicians have been openly abusing the armed forces. These imperfections do not bode well for the only truly secular and a nationalistic institution of the nation. If it crumbles, which enemies of India eagerly await, survivability of the Indian existence is a question mark. Present regime has to take a call in this and save this institution to save India. It has to stop lending her ears to bureaucracy.

Unfortunately, certain acts of present Indian government do not repair soldiers mutilated morale. Things are going from worse to worst. At the cost of soldier’s “Izzat”, self respect and prestige, present government has given him a short shrift. Government is toying with the idea of national security by proving up paramilitary forces. Probably, it is possessed by Nehruvian distrust and fears of the armed forces. Therefore government place pliable Generals as Chief of Army Staff (COAS). Possibly , this was the objective of SUCCESSION PLAN of Army Chiefs , worked out in 2005 by the UPA regime, in cahoots with then Army Chief. No wonder Governments maltreat soldiers and army chiefs remain mute spectators—/ whether it was announcements in OROP, not granting NFU; NOT accepting Commissioned officers as Class A Services and even interfering with security of Cantonment by throwing open Cantonment roads to civil traffic.  Thus , having constantly demoralised the soldiers, they expect them to fight with same old elan as did old Indian soldiers in Second World War or even in 1971 Bangla Adesh war or Kargil -1999. A la-1962 debacle is waiting to happen. Do not rejoice over Dokala action of July 2017. A lot of water has flown through Brahmaputra since then.

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Who Am I--- A HINDU, Sikh, Christian or A Muslim?

WHO AM I—- A HINDU, MUSLIM, SIKH, CHRISTIAN OR AN INDIAN?

I am not an atheist . I am a God fearing man. However, I am not a practising Hindu, Muslim , Sikh or a Christian? I do not believe in religious denomination by birth. I feel religion is a biggest farce, played on the mankind by vested interests. In fact, history bears testimony that religion divides societies into divisive islands of hatred. I stay away from it.

You will ask , then , “Who am I”? I am an Indian—- a die-hard Indian. I do not like people who place religion above the nation. To me Indian constitution is all and everything—- Geeta, Koran, Bible, Granthsahib —- all amalgamated into one.

I like to pay respect to my national anthem. Get up and stand, whenever and wherever it is rendered. No religion can stop me from this. I dislike those who say that their religion does not permit them to respect the national anthem.

In India , there can be only one law for everyone. We can not have separate rules based on religious affiliations. Politicians of India create these gulfs of separation when they appease different religions. In fact, they do not appease common man in these religious groups but the power brokers of these religions.

I am shocked to know when people talk about majority and minority communities. Why cannot they talk about only Indian community? I do understand, different social groups might have some problems. But they do not have to be highlighted in the name of religion , caste and creed. Unfortunately, this has been happening since 1947— when “two nation” theory divided India because of religion.

We ought to know while religion divides ; culture unites. What happened to Pakistan in 1971—the TWO NATION THEORY got ripped apart. Culture is a composite mix philology of language, history, social traditions, food habits and Co- existence of religions,political philosophies in a given Geographical region.

In India today, in the name of secularism and freedom of expression, divisive philosophies are being promoted. Uniform civil code is being opposed because of religious practices. Emphasis is being laid on “ Reservation” than enabling people financially to come at par with socially advanced. “ Reservation” policy makes people lazy and lethargic. They take things for granted and do not work hard to achieve excellence.

Indian politics has stooped so low that elections promote social and religious divisions. Political parties give tickets to people based on caste, creed and religion. No wonder politicians disappear after elections. They too take people for granted because they know they would vote on religious and caste lines.

A politician, who might have otherwise never visited a HINDU TEMPLE , suddenly becomes a “JANEU - DHARI” “Shiva” devotee. Take the case of RAM JANAM BHOOMI and BABRI MADJID case. Every election it comes up. It has been hanging fire in Supreme court for more than two decades. I wonder why is judiciary sleeping over it. The case should have been decided one way or the other. It has not been done because India was NOT the priority of Judiciary. More than it seems that judiciary was divided on religious lines—— they talk about concerns of majority and minority communities. If India was the concern Supreme Court should have said that build a multi speciality Hospital there—- neither Mandir — Nor Masjid. Narrow vision has taken control of even our judiciary.

No wonder people like Shahabuddin Owaisi (AIMIM) take advantages of such weak kneed attitude of judiciary and advocate reservation for Muslims in the armed forces. This is the only institution which has so far survived the menace of “ reservation”—- a truly secular organisation. Think of in contrast these kind of politicians  who vehemently, rant about secularism, not because they are serious about it —- but they want to divide the society in the name of quotas and reservation. Concern for “ DALITS” of most Muslim leaders is not because they want to see their upliftment but break up Hindu community. Similarly concern for  “Triple Talaq” issue is not to relieve Muslim women of unethical practice by Married Muslim Men but to take a political mileage out of this social evil. There are such example galore where politics and religion are dividing human beings on silly issues. Babri Masjid- Ram Mandir is one such link in the divisive politics.

Time has come to shun such divisive politicians and let India become a true nation, san religions and reservations. We need to create ONE NATION ; ONE LAW and NO SPECIAL PRIVILEGES FOR ANYONE, based on religion, caste and creed or even geography. Let religion withdraw to bedrooms of the people . Long Live India!

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TELL ME O' SOLDIER!

TELL ME O' SOLDIERS!-----My Old Poem corrected for 2018

Promises galore to the soldiers by the leaders and the nation!

When the crisis blow away, soldiers are invariably forgotten;

Tell me ,O Soldiers! Don’t you feel you are treated like beggars?

When your Cantt privacy assaulted and dreams are shattered?

While unheard, uncared, unsung die soldiers on foreign soil,

Dishonest and corrupt enjoy the fruits of their sweat and toil;

Tell me O' Soldiers! Do you think you die for nation's cause?

Though corocodile tears would be shed at your family's loss.

A soldier falls to bullets of insurgents in the jungles of North East,

Hardly anyone does care as if he was some kind of a sacrificial beast!

Tell me o' soldiers! How do you think you protect the constitution?

While the leaders you lay your life for, weaken its very foundations!

A soldier is killed on the snow capped mountains of Siachen glacier,

Grateful nation's duty ends when a citation is placed in his dossier;

Tell me O'soldiers! What is the value of the medal in dead man's life?

In civil street, it has no value, it just gives a sense of false pride!

A soldier is tasked to carry out search and destroy mission in Kashmir;

Human rights acivists concoct story of rape and shed corocodile tears;

Tell me O' soldiers!Do you hail from "Heavens" without any human vices?

Why do they expect Zero-Error conduct from you in national crisis?

When the floods come or the earth quake hits,they ask for soldier's aid,

Even when a child falls into pit, soldiers mustered like household maids;

Tell me O' soldiers! Do you know what bureaucrats about you say?

Soldiering is no big deal and only fools and idiots join armed forces today.

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India - watch out on Imran khan's offer of talks

KASHMIR AND INDIA's MORALITY BUG: A SELF-INJURING POLICY!

Recently, Imran Khan, Prime Minister designate of Pakistan, made a peace gesture to India by stating that Pakistan would move two steps forward for better relations, if India moved one step forward. On the face of it, this seems a very good initiative. But it has a pre-condition I.e. Resolve Kashmir first. The use of pre- condition of “Kashmir- Resolution ”, is a clever way to not to have peace, at all, with India. This is the narrative of Pakistan Army and he has gone with it. It is undoubtedly true that Pakistan army would never allow it. Nawaz Sharief, erstwhile PM of Pakistan, tried it and he languishes in jail. Imran should know his fate too , if he tries anything to improve relations with India . Therefore, India must smell the insincerity in this proposal because Imran needs to first get Pakistan out of the strangle hold of her army on the foreign policy.

All the same, if Kashmir remains unresolved for the last 71 years , it is because of the blunders of Indian leaders of the past, who were bugged by moralities. It happened in 1947-49 and it happened in 1971. Vajpayee’s Lahore Bus of 1999 landed in the rough terrain of Kargil and his Agra Summit of July 2001 collapsed due to over smart move of General Pervez Mushareff. Even today, we continue to be guided by those ill-founded moralities.

In 2016, then serving Indian Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal, Arup Raha had said that India had faltered in the past for not having sought a military solution to the Kashmir problem, when it was well within her capability to do so. In fact India , stung by morality bug, many a times, had turned victory into a stalemate and allowed Pakistan to get out of the unpleasant situation it had got itself in.

Some self - acclaimed peaceniks and moralists, had made noise over his this statement. But they are the people who have committed this heinous crime. Their noise was not to question a wrong but to mask exposure of their gross errors of judgments over the last 70 years. They are well- framed relics of our past misdeeds.

There should be no doubts that JL Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, created Kashmir Problem because of confusion in his mind about Kashmir’s accession to India. If he had an iota of doubt over its accession, he should have installed back Maharaja Hari Singh and allowed him to take the decision about his state, in accordance with the provisions of Indian Independence Act passed by British Parliament. . If he had not accepted accession of J& K to India, what business did he have to take the issue to UNO? In pursuit of his personal ambition of world leadership, he was a confused man.

We have to therefore decide whether reference to UNO on Kashmir by Nehru was correct or wrong? He had No locus standii, if accession was not acceptable. And if it was accepted, then, he should have learnt from Pakistan on accession of Balochistan. There was NO need to go to UNO. Perhaps , he did realise later and that is why he deposed Sheikh Abdulla Government of Kashmir in 1953.

But his confusion in the years, 1947-50, under the influence of Mountbatten and over-powered by a lurking desire for world leadership , he let go India's national Interests. Whatever his reasons and whatever his other achievements, history will always be unkind to him on this issue. His personal ambitions, disguised as moral cloak, disregarded Indian interests. In one of his briefings on security threat , he yelled, " what rubbish? We have no threat. We do not need army. We can do with police---------". And 1962 proved him utterly wrong.

Just look at his confusion on J& K, when he sent a telegram to Prime Minister of Pakistan, Liaquat Ali on 02 November 1947:----

"-----I wish to draw your attention to broadcast on Kashmir which I made last evening. I have stated our government’s policy and made it clear that we have no desire to impose our will on Kashmir but to leave final decision to people of Kashmir. I further stated that we have agreed on impartial international agency like United Nations supervising referendum “.

In a yet another telegram to Lisquat Ali, Nehru reiterated his non acceptance of accession of Kashmir to India, here it is ---

“…our assurance that we shall withdraw our troops from Kashmir as soon as peace and order is restored and leave the decision regarding the future of the State to the people of the State is not merely a promise to your Government but also to the people of Kashmir and to the world.”

(-----Jawaharlal Lal Nehru, Telegram No. 25, October 31, 1947, to Liaqat Ali Khan, PM of Pakistan)

He, then, takes the dispute to IUNO under a wrong Chapter to resolve a dispute than eviction of an aggressor. But fortunately for India, Pakistan faltered to act on the UN resolutions of August 1948 and January 1949. The UN resolutions became dead after 1965 war when Pakistan's operation Gibraltar failed because of non cooperation of people of Kashmir with Pakistan's infiltrator. There after UNO had no jurisdiction and India should have thrown them into waste paper basket. But we allowed UN observers in Kashmir to continue. May be Tashkent Delectation of January 1966 came in the way.

In 1950s USA had offered India a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. ( UNSC) But Nehru was overpowered by his own interests as a world leader in the cloak of moral idealism and he rejected it. Instead , he wanted China to be the UNSC member. Eventually with the help of India, China did become its member. It is the same China who is now not only opposing India's membership of NSG ( Nuclear Suppliers Group) but also in occupation of some 42000 Square Kms Indian territory in Ladakh and AKSAI Chin but also laying claims over entire Arunachal Pradesh. Similarly Nehru blundered about Tibet when he accepted Chinese suzerainty over Tibet. Sardar Patel had warned him against this but Nehru refused to listen. He led the nation to believe about " Hindi- Chini/Bhai-Bhai" philosophy. And 1962 blasted this theorem.

Now let us turn to Shimla Agreement of 1972. ZA Bhutto , made a fool of Indra Gandhi and walked away with his 93000 prisoners without giving anything in return, nay not even 54 India soldiers , missing in action and probably in Pakistani Jails since 1971 as Prisoners of war. It seems there was a secret but unwritten clause, which had stated that 1971 Line of Control (LC) in J& K will be recognised as International Border. But the secret clause was only to mislead Indian PM. Thus , out of sheer magnanimity, Indra Gandhi did not protest when Bhutto in 1974, brought Gilgit - Baltistan region directly under the Pakistan’s Federal Government and felines it from POK. It was renamed as FCNA (Federally Controlled Northern Areas) by Pakistan. The main theme of SHIMLA AGREEMENT was that India and Pakistan would resolve all disputes BILATERALLY without third party intervention. This makes UN and its resolutions redundant. But Pakistan does not recognise even this. This is the fate of all such agreements/ pacts signed by India with Pakistan, whether Tashkent, Shimla or Lahore Declaration of 1999.

Indian leadership becomes too magnanimous while dealing with Pakistan. In 1999 while Indian PM , Atal Bihari Vajpayee rode Peace Bus to Lahore, Pakistan responded by Kargil back stabbing in 1999. Even in the Agra summit of July 2001, General Pervez Mushaeff had almost trapped Indian PM with his kashmir proposal till a seasoned LK Advani came to know and he got it stalled.

In view of the above, India needs to adopt a pragmatic approach . It must tell Pakistan and Kashmiri leaders that having had spent some $ 5 Trillion on subsidy, security and infrastructure development such as roads, railways and dams, the valley of Kashmir is non- negotiable. 2018 is NOT 1947. Pakistan and Kashmiri leaders must reconcile to the valley as integral part of India. The solution lay in acceptance of LC as IB. Imran Khan must be told this in no uncertain terms. If Pakistan persists with her terrorist activities in Kashmir or other places , then it must not cry for Balochistan and Sindh. India will reciprocate. It is time for India to do the plain- speaking, whether it was Imran Khan or General Qamar Javed Bajwa or his future successors. No more magnanimity and no more treading morality path.

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