Monthly Archives: August 2018

Both nations should strive to reduce trust deficit

SHORTLY after assuming charge as Foreign Minister for a second term, S Jaishankar said with reference to Pakistan that India would want to find a solution to the years-old cross-border terrorism. ‘That cannot be the policy of a good neighbour,’ he added. His statement comes on the heels of the messages posted on X by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and ex-PM Nawaz Sharif, congratulating PM Narendra Modi on his re-election. While Shehbaz confined himself to a terse sentence, Nawaz expansively appealed for replacing hate with hope and seizing the opportunity to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia. Modi was equally terse in thanking Shehbaz and no less eloquent in reminding Nawaz that the people of India had always stood for peace, security and progressive ideas.

The exchange of messages is significant as India-Pakistan ties have been in deep freeze since the Pulwama terror attack and the retaliatory Balakot airstrikes of February 2019. The situation worsened after India revoked Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir in August that year, even as the hopes raised by the opening of the Kartarpur corridor were snuffed out soon. However, some positive signs have been visible of late. Alluding to the 25-year-old Kargil War, Nawaz admitted last month that Pakistan had violated the Lahore Declaration in 1999. Interestingly, during their Lok Sabha election campaign, some BJP candidates promised the resumption of India-Pakistan trade via the Attari-Wagah crossing.

Amid backdoor diplomatic efforts, India has been asserting that terrorism and talks cannot go together. But as last week’s Reasi attack has shown, it’s an onerous task for Pakistan’s military-controlled political leadership to turn off the terror tap overnight. Both New Delhi and Islamabad need to take a step forward, even if it’s tentative to start with. This will help in reducing the trust deficit and bringing the two neighbours to the talks table.

Rs 47-cr big-ticket project that missed 11 deadlines to see light of day

Finally, the new international airport at Halwara in Ludhiana has been built and the Indian Air Force (IAF) will give it wings by July, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has said.

The Rs 47-crore much-awaited and much-delayed big-ticket project has seen the light of the day but not before missing 11 deadlines in the past almost two and a half years.

This was made possible after the Union Government had in January asked the AAI and the state government to ensure early completion of the new international airport.

It was following a demand raised by the Rajya Sabha MP from Ludhiana, Sanjeev Arora, that the Union Civil Aviation Secretary, Vumlunmang Vualnam, had issued directions for the early completion of the Centre-state joint venture.

Irked over the slow pace of the ongoing work, Arora had also pulled up officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) and the contractors, who had been entrusted with the civil and other related jobs inside and outside the airport campus. The ruling AAP member from Punjab in the Upper House of Parliament had even warned of censuring the negligent and callous officials, besides getting the private contractors blacklisted for the inordinate delay in the completion of the ongoing work.

“I had directed them to pull all stops to expedite the ongoing work and ensure the completion in all respects till May 15, which was fixed as the fresh deadline,” Arora said, after reviewing the current status of the project, on Tuesday.

While the integrated civil enclave and cargo terminal building, sub-station and toilet block at the Air Force Station in Halwara, which is one of the oldest frontline airbases of the IAF close to Ludhiana, had already come up, the allied works of the major civil aviation project have also been completed.

With all pending nods having been procured, the work on all other components, which were stalled for long, has been finished.

The MP disclosed that the civil construction work had already been completed but the IAF, which owns the airbase on which the airport has been built, has to overlay the runway and taxiway within the IAF campus following which the airport will become operational.

Arora, who visited the project site here recently, said a joint meeting of all Central and state departments concerned and contractors was held on June 6, wherein the IAF assured that it would begin the pending work under its territory by July 1 and complete it by July-end.

Sikh man alleges he was called ‘Khalistani’; police say probe on

PTI

Kaithal, June 11

The SGPC, Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal condemned the incident, calling for immediate action against the culprits.

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring claimed that the attack was “the result of hate speech against Punjabis by @KanganaTeam and many other @BJP4India backed IT cell platforms”.

Police said the man alleged that he was attacked on Monday night while he was waiting at a railway level-crossing here for a train to pass.

There was an argument between the man and the two youths when vehicles started moving after the crossing’s gates were opened, they said and added that the matter escalated and a fight broke out between them.

Talking to reporters on Tuesday, the man, who was hospitalised, said, “They abused me and called me a Khalistani. One person got down from the motorcycle and hit me with bricks.”

He said some people intervened and saved him from the two youths who fled from the spot. The man claimed that he did not know who the youths were. “I was not able to see the registration plate of the motorcycle properly,” the man said.

Police, which reached the hospital where he was admitted, have registered a case of assault against two unidentified men.

Civil Lines Kaithal Police Station Inspector Sheelavati said the case was registered on a complaint by the man.

The inspector said the medical report of the complainant revealed that he had consumed alcohol. “Doctors have confirmed this in their report,” she said.

Police said according to preliminary investigation, the two youths told the man he was drunk after which the argument broke out between them.

So far, there is no evidence that the word “Khalistani” was used, she said.

SGPC president HS Dhami has demanded that the police immediately arrest the culprits.

“This incident has hurt the sentiments of the entire Sikh community. So, the Haryana government should take it seriously and ensure the safety of Sikhs living in the state,” Dhami said in a post on X in Punjabi.

The president of the apex religious body of the Sikhs said that “for some time now, it has been seen that an atmosphere of hatred is being continuously created against Sikhs in the country and Sikhs are being targeted for no reason in different states”.

It is the responsibility of the government to protect the religious freedom and rights of people of every class, every religion and every community in the country, he said.

Strict action must be taken against those who go against the Constitution of the country and “create a hateful and communal atmosphere”, Dhami said.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal urged Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to take exemplary action against the culprits.

“I and my party strongly condemn the dastardly attack on a peaceful Sikh youth in Kaithal by dubbing him as a separatist. This is the direct consequence of the politics of hate and communal polarisation that has come to afflict the country over the past decade,” he said on X.

“…This is a calculated attempt to humiliate the most patriotic community of the Sikhs. This will deepen the sense of Sikh hurt and alienation,” he said.

“The same politics of communal polarisation threatens to engulf Punjab, threatening peace and communal harmony here,” Dhami claimed.

Punjab Congress chief Warring said strictest action must be taken in the matter.

“This attack on a Sikh youth in Kaithal Haryana is the result of hate speech against Punjabis by @KanganaTeam and many other @BJP4India backed IT cell platforms. Strictest actions must be taken, more importantly within the BJP to ensure this doesn’t spread like wildfire and doesn’t harm the communal harmony of our country,” he posted on X.

Recently, a CISF woman constable was suspended after she allegedly slapped BJP MP Kangana Ranaut during security check at the Chandigarh airport. The constable appeared to be upset with Ranaut over her stance on the farmers’ protest.

In a video statement titled ‘Shocking rise in terror and violence in Punjab’ posted on X after she landed in Delhi after the incident on June 6, Ranaut said she was safe and fine.

SKM (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher had lashed out at the MP for stating that terrorism was increasing in Punjab.

General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Army 15 Corps Lt General Rajiv Ghai was talking to reporters at the Bipin Rawat Stadium in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district after a function to felicitate Kargil War veterans on the 25th anniversary of Vijay Diwas.

“The situation on the borders is stable. Whatever is needed to keep the situation stable will be done by the security agencies,” Lt General Ghai said.

Asked about Director General of Police (DGP) RR Swain’s statement that 70 to 80 foreign terrorists were active in the Union Territory, he said the police chief’s remark was factual.

“As far as the numbers are concerned, the DGP has stated a fact. How the security agencies are proceeding against them, you know very well how the operations are conducted,” Lt General Ghai added.

DGP Swain on Saturday told reporters in Pulwama that while the number of local terrorists was dropping, there were 70 to 80 foreign terrorists operating in the Union Territory.

“We are moving from resident terrorism to foreign terrorism. Resident terrorism means when local boys join the ranks. Their number has come down … There are 70 to 80 foreign terrorists who have come in. They have been trying to come here regularly and, when they do come, they bring along guns and IEDs,” Swain had said.

Lauding Prime Minister (GoC) of Srinagar-based Army’s 15 Corps, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, on Sunday, confirmed figures given by J&K DGP R.R. Swain about the presence of foreign terrorists in the Union Terrority. “The number of 70-80 for eign terrorists operating in J&K as given by DGP R.R.Swain is correct,” the GoC Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai said while talking to reporters on the sidelines of a felicitation cer emony of Kargil war veterans in General Bipin Rawat stadium in north Kashmir’s Baramul la. The GoC said that the secu rity forces have now shifted their focus from local to foreign terrorists. “All security agencies are dealing with these foreign ter rorists in complete synergy,” GoC Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai said. On the killing of the longest surviving LeT commander Riyaz Dar in south Kashmir, the GoC said that every anti militancy operation is a suc cess. The GoC Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai said that the situation on the LoC in Kashmir is stable and also praised the Himalayan reg iment of the army. “This regiment gave abloody nose to the enemy during the Kargil war,” the GoC said. On the forthcoming assembly elections in J&K, Lt Gen Ghai said that the secu rity situation in the Valley is stable and all measures have been taken to keep the situa tion stable during the forth coming assembly elections. “All measures ahead of Assembly polls to keep the secu rity situation stable have been taken,” the GoC said.

Cabinet Minister Aman Arora congratulates cadets, exhorts them to be true soldiers of the Nation

• MRSAFPI sets another benchmark by achieving success rate of 56.64%

Chandigarh, June 9:

Adding yet another feather in the cap of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (MRSAFPI) SAS Nagar, Six more cadets have been commissioned into the Indian Army after successfully passing out from the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun, on Saturday. The passing out parade was reviewed by Lt. Gen. M. V. Suchindra Kumar, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, VSM, GOC-in-C, Northern Command.

With the commissioning of these six cadets- Amrinder Singh from district Mohali, ShobhitDeep Singh (Gurdaspur), Abhay Pratap Singh (Mohali), Aditya Burmi (Hoshiarpur), Aditya Sharma (Mohali) and Tushant (Pathankot), a total of 158 cadets of Maharaja Ranjit Singh AFPI have been commissioned as officers into the Indian Armed Forces since the inception of the Institute.

Extending heartiest congratulations to the cadets, Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister Mr. Aman Arora wished them a successful innings in the Armed forces. He further revealed that 50 cadets of MRSAFPI have been commissioned since the S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led state Government is at the helm of affairs in Punjab. The institute has set another benchmark by achieving a success rate of 56.64%.

Director of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute Major General Ajay H. Chauhan (Retd) informed that two more Cadets from the Institute, Jaskirat Singh from district Mohali and Saksham Gupta from Jalandhar district, were commissioned as Sub -Lieutenant in the Indian Navy in May this year. He called upon the cadets to live upto the motto of the Institute, “Nischay Kar Apni Jeet Karoon” and be true soldiers in service of the Nation.

Agnipath scheme finds itself under scrutiny, but not for professional reasons

C Uday Bhaskar

Director, Society for Policy Studies

THE defining outcome of the 2024 General Election is that India will be governed by a genuine coalition, wherein the BJP, the single largest party, needs critical support from two allies, the JD(U) and the TDP. Hence, both the form and content of governance in Modi 3.0 will not be similar to that seen in the past decade.

As Modi 3.0 begins, it would be useful if parliamentarians and domain experts are permitted to take an objective view of last decade’s big-ticket changes.

This shift has already come to the fore in the national security-military framework. The JD(U) has stated that a seemingly radical policy unveiled during Modi 2.0, the Agnipath scheme, needs to be reviewed. This scheme pertains to the induction of soldiers (Agniveers) into the military for a four-year period after a six-month training spell, and is a marked departure from the earlier model of pension and related benefits being provided to personnel below officer rank (PBOR) after 15 years of service.

In the run-up to the swearing-in ceremony, senior JD(U) leader KC Tyagi noted, “There is anger among certain sections on the Agnipath scheme. Our party wants those shortcomings removed.” When the scheme was announced in mid-2022, there was considerable consternation in professional circles, for this decision appeared to have been taken by the PMO unilaterally. The military top brass was apparently not apprised of the fine print of the new scheme and nor was there a detailed discussion among parliamentarians.

Gen MM Naravane, who was the Army Chief from December 2019 to April 2022, has provided a valuable insight in his yet-to-be-published memoir about the Agnipath scheme. He notes that while he had mooted the idea of a ‘tour of duty’ pilot scheme to induct soldiers for a short-term tenure, the PMO’s formulation unveiled in 2022 had a sweeping scope and included all three services. The memoir adds: “We, in the Army, were taken by surprise by this turn of events, but for the Navy and the Air Force, it came like a bolt from the blue.”

In keeping with the tenets of a normative democracy, if the political leadership arrives at a policy decision, the military top brass has to comply, and this was the case with Agnipath. In hindsight, it is evident that budgetary considerations (saving on the pension bill) were the principal drivers for Modi 2.0 in pushing the scheme, and the impact on the combat efficiency of the military was a secondary consideration.

While the long-term efficacy and benefits to composite national security of the Agnipath scheme will be apparent after a decade or so, what the JD(U)’s demand has done is to bring political compulsions back into the military calculus. An alliance partner in a coalition government is compelling the BJP to review a policy initiative, but not for professional reasons. It is to assuage the anger and desperation among a large swathe of the youth in Bihar who have been denied what was an opportunity to don the uniform and have the security of a government pension. During the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, Opposition parties led by the Congress and the Samajwadi Party had voiced their reservations about the military recruitment scheme.

It is not a desirable sequence of events, wherein major national security decisions and policies are contested post facto. This could have been avoided if Modi 2.0 had engaged in consultative deliberations on the Agnipath scheme both within Parliament and with the military top brass before announcing it.

There is no denying that the Indian military and the higher defence management lattice are in dire need of a review and re-wiring. During Modi 1.0, there were four defence ministers and the only major decision taken was the grant of OROP (one rank, one pension) in November 2015, and it was welcomed. During his second term (2019-24), PM Modi took a bold and radical decision of creating the post of CDS (Chief of Defence Staff) and creating the DMA (Department of Military Affairs). Five years later, this re-organisation is still a work in progress.

Parliamentary forms of government evolve their own template of governance and policy formulation. In India’s case, each PM — from Nehru onwards — has made the PMO more powerful. But traditionally, deliberations within Parliament and, particularly, within the individual committees have played a valuable role in injecting transparency and allowing for both an objective review and consensus-building.

This is not the preferred model in Modi’s book of governance. Hence, whether it pertains to the Agnipath scheme or the appointment of a retired three-star officer as a four-star CDS, the decisions were taken by the PMO in a peremptory manner. This augurs poorly for the long-term national security and the apolitical ethos of the military. Domestic political considerations and short-term electoral benefits have shaped internal security matters. The Manipur tragedy is a case in point.

Powerful PMs can lurch into grave policy blunders that irreparably degrade national security; the Nehru-Krishna Menon debacle should serve as a warning. It would be highly desirable for national security matters to be deliberated upon by legislators and within committees, and hasty decision-making avoided.

As Modi 3.0 begins, it would be useful if parliamentarians and domain experts are permitted to take an objective view of last decade’s big-ticket changes and an assessment made about the current status of India’s composite military capabilities. The BC Khanduri Parliamentary Committee report of 2017 regarding military inventory gaps could be a good starting point.

Agnipath apart, the focus on atmanirbharta (self-reliance) to reduce imports is much needed. The trigger for such a review must evolve from within the system and not be driven by political compulsions or a major security setback, like the Galwan clash of 2020.

The most urgent task for Modi 3.0 is to appoint a new Army Chief before mid-June. One hopes that politics will not trump the time-tested principles that nurture institutional rectitude and integrity.

State Disaster Response Force has arrived in Reasi and drones are being used in a search operation in dense forest areas in and around the incident site

ANI

Reasi, June 10

The Army launched a search operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi on Monday morning following the attack on a bus coming from Shiv Khori, in which 10 pilgrims were killed on Sunday evening.

The State Disaster Response Force has arrived in Reasi and drones are being used in a search operation in dense forest areas in and around the incident site.

Reasi Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Mahajan said on Sunday night that at least 10 people were killed in the terror attack and 33 others were injured.

According to officials, the bus, on its way from the Shiv Khori shrine to Katra, was targeted by terrorists at around 6.10 pm when it reached Pouni area of Reasi district bordering Rajouri district. “Terrorists opened fire, causing the driver to lose control and the bus to plunge into a gorge,” Reasi SSP Mohita Sharma said.

The SSP said the rescue operation had been completed and the injured taken to Naraina and Reasi district hospitals. “The identities of the passengers were not confirmed. Initial reports suggest that they belonged to Uttar Pradesh,” he added.