KEEPING THE FLAME ALIVE: Bhai Bilambar Singh (second from right ) has been looking after the Saragarhi gurdwara in Ferozepur since 2004

Jasmine Singh

Twentyone valiant soldiers against 10,000 — the Battle of Saragarhi is a tale of valour of epic proportions

For a casual tourist visiting Ferozepur, Punjab, a trip to Hussainiwala border is usually a major attraction. Thereafter comes, a visit to the local market or maybe the dargah. Only and if only you are a history buff, there’s a decent probability of a visit to the Saragarhi Memorial.Located in the Ferozepur Cantonment area, the Saragarhi Memorial was built to commemorate the memory and valour of 21 Sikhs who laid their lives in the Battle of Saragarhi on September 12, 1897.The memorial has been constructed on the lines of the Saragarhi Fort, it has a gurdwara inside, where each year, on September 12, a kirtan darbar is organised. Descendents of the 21 Sikh martyrs of Saragarhi are among the special invites which also include local leaders, politicians and soldiers of the Indian Army.This day is marked in history as one of valour and bravery. It was on this day that the British Indian contingent, comprising 21 Sikhs of the 36th Sikh (now the 4th Battalion of the Sikh regiment), stationed at an army post was attacked by around 10,000 Afghans. All 21 Sikh soldiers fought bravely and defended the post till their last breath. The battle is considered as one of the the great last-stands in the history.The 21 Sikh non-commissioned officers, led by Havildar Ishar Singh, and soldiers of the other rank who laid their lives in the Battle of Saragarhi were from Ferozepur district in Punjab. They were posthumously awarded the Indian Order of Merit (equivalent to Victoria Cross) by the British authorities.

Annual celebrations

Every year on 12th September, the sevadars at the Ferozepur Memorial Gurdwara, along with the Army personnel of the area, organise a grand function, where some fifth-generation family members of the 21 Sikh soldiers who come from different areas of Punjab and abroad as well, are honoured with a siropa.Bhai Bilambar Singh has been looking after the Saragarhi gurdwara in Ferozepur since 2004. He has seen a welcome increase in the number of visitors to the Memorial, especially around and on the D-day! “The preparations for this day start a month in advance, the premises of the memorial are cleaned, and everything is set in order,” he shares while talking about the most important part of the preparation, which is sending out letters, and making phone calls to the descendents of the 21 brave Sikh soldiers, who laid their lives in the battle. “Each year, the Sainik Welfare Office prepares a list of the family members of the Sikh soldiers, who are intimated about the function through a letter or a phone call. The good part is that many members from their families do make it to the ceremony,” adds Bhai Bilambar. They also arrange for buses to fetch ex-servicemen from the nearby villages to attend the function.

The flip side

While on one hand, the Saragarhi Memorial in Ferozepur sees a record number of people on September 12, another memorial, a Saragarhi gurdwara in Amritsar stands in complete contrast, with a handful of visitors wandering into the premises due to sheer curiosity. The Saragarhi gurdwara in Amritsar is passed off as any other domed structure by the locals who do not have any clue about its existence in their own city!“Even the locals do not know about this place, forget about the outsiders,” shares a person sitting inside the gurdwara, requesting anonymity. Though wanting to remain unnamed, he wants to voice his concern too. “I don’t see many visitors to gurdwara, it’s only once in while that someone walks in and is usually startled by the importance of this place. As far as celebrations for September 12 are concerned, they are nothing great. The descendents of the martyr Sikhs chose to go to Ferozepur instead,” he shrugs helplessly.

Battle for survival

Both the Saragarhi memorials were once looked after by the Army, where faujis from the Sikh regiment would make langar and do kirtan. Ever since, the two historical places have come under the jurisdiction of the Punjab Government, things have changed, “not for better at least,” Santokh Singh, a fifth-generation family member of Havildar Ishar Singh, minces no words while talking about the present state of the memorials.Santokh Singh’s family has built a samarak in the memory of late Ishar Singh at their own village, Cholda, Tehsil Raipur, Ludhiana district. Each year, mostly on September 15, a function is organised at the samarak. Ishar Singh’s family informs the local battalion about the ceremony, who then informs the Sikh regiment of that area. “Till the time the Army was taking care of the memorials, everything was good, now things are not that great. Since we also organise our function at Ludhiana, we do not get time to attend the Saragarhi ceremony at Ferozepur.”From the pages of historyAs family members of the martyr Sikh soldiers have taken it upon themselves to keep the memories of the heroes from their families alive, many Sikh historians have their own take on the historic Battle of Saragarhi. Ludhiana-based Punjabi scholar and modern critic Tejwant Gill from has read quite a bit on Saragarhi, but he is not too convinced with the information that has been provided in various books and articles. “We do not have any accurate information about the location of the Saragarhi village. Whatever information we have about Saragarhi comes from the British assessment, and we do not have any account of it directly.”Author Khan Barmazid in his book Analysis of Battle of Saragarhi: The Lies We Are Told has come out with some startling observations, and questions that he raises unabashedly. Khan writes: Sikhs and other Indians have made a claim, that ‘Ten thousands or 14,000’ Afghans attacked the Saragarhi post where 21 soldiers were stationed from 36th Regiment. Perhaps it’s based on some estimate by British authors, but British military reports of 1897-98 have never made such a claim. The fact is, the numbers of Pashtun attackers on Saragarhi fort can never be determined and by any estimation by the British.He raises yet another question, “Why did Sikh soldiers not surrender in the battle?” As per his chapter, Sikh soldiers are mentioned in British reports to be torturing and mutilating the Pashtun captives so Pashtuns would not take Sikhs as prisoners. Sikh soldiers at the Saragarhi post knew very well that they had no option of surrendering or negotiating with the enemy, so they fought desperately to the last man, while waiting for the arrival of reinforcements.All these questions, however, do not undermine the status of the event, which is still one of eight stories of collective bravery published by Unesco. It was a significant event, one- of-its kind, the one that is still fresh in the minds of at least those who take a moment on September 12 to read a little more on this historical event!

Governor NN Vohra during a meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh Suhag in Sringar on Friday. A Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 9

Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh Suhag, accompanied by Northern Command chief Lt Gen DS Hooda and General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen SK Dua, met Governor NN Vohra here today.During their hour-long meeting, the Governor and Army Chief discussed external security situation and issues of effective internal security management.The Governor and the Army Chief also discussed varied opportunities needed to be provided to the youth for assuring a stable and bright future for them.

Chennai, September 9

President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday said it was an honour that over 1,700 officers from 75 countries have graduated from the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, in Tamil Nadu.Mukherjee, the Supreme Commander of the Indian armed forces, was at the college to present the Presidential Colours.The college is located in Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu around 580 km from here.”It is also a matter of honour, that more than 1,700 officers from 75 countries from all over the world have graduated from the portals of this unique institution and a large number of them have risen to the highest positions in their countries,” Mukherjee said.Expressing delight that 40 officers from 31 friendly foreign countries were undergoing the present course Mukherjee said: “Each one of you is a befitting ambassador of your great nation and I am certain that you will cherish the strong bonds of friendship established by you with your peer group over a year of interactive learning.” “It is important that this strong relationship of goodwill develops into everlasting ties of mutual faith and warmth between our great nations, he added.Mukherjee also praised the Defence Services Staff College for spreading awareness on ‘Clean Ganga’, ‘Swachh Bharat’ and ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaigns.He also complimented the college for taking up promotion of Green initiatives’ of rain water harvesting, solar power generation and recycling there by contributing towards preservation of the rich eco-biosphere of the Nilgiris. — IANS

Tezpur, September 6

Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag on Tuesday reviewed the security situation in the region and operational preparedness along the critical border with China.He was here since yesterday and was accompanied by Lt General Praveen Bakshi, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, who will be the next Army chief.He was updated on the security situation in Assam by the Corps Commander, a statement by the Army said.”The Chief of Army Staff also reviewed the defence preparedness of Gajraj Corps as it is deployed on the line of Actual Control, the de facto boundary between India and China,” it added.The Army Chief was briefed by Lt General D Anbu, General Officer Commanding, Gajraj Corps, who will be in the running for the Army chief’s post after General Bakshi retires. — PTI

Nawaz Sharif. — PTI file photo

Islamabad, August 27

Further needling India on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday nominated 22 parliamentarians as special envoys to be despatched to world capitals to highlight the problem.”We will remind the United Nations its long-held promise of self-determination to the Kashmiri people,” Sharif said.Stepping up Pakistan’s diplomatic offensive, the prime minister said he has decided to send the parliamentarians for highlighting the Kashmir issue in different parts of the World.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The move by Sharif came against the backdrop of escalating war of words between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the continuing unrest in the Kashmir Valley that broke out on July 8 after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani was killed by security forces.”The Prime Minister urged the special envoys to ensure their efforts for highlighting the Kashmir cause across the world so that he can shake the collective conscience of the international community during his address at the UN this September,” Radio Pakistan reported.“We will also make it clear to India that it was India that approached the UN several decades back on Kashmir dispute but now it is not fulfilling its promise,” he added.Sharif said the Kashmir problem is the most persistent failure of the UN and that the world body must establish its relevance.”I have decided to send these parliamentarians for fighting the Kashmir cause in different parts of the world.These special envoys have the strength of the people of Pakistan, prayers from the Kashmiri people across the Line of Control, the mandate of the parliament and support from the government,” Sharif said in a statement.”Generation after generation of Kashmiris have seen only broken pledges and ruthless oppression,” Sharif claimed.He emphasised that this anniversary of the UN ought to be a catalyst, spurring the world body into action.”We cannot relent from the Kashmir cause by any stretch of the imagination,” Sharif said. — PTI

Jammu, August 26

A seminar on “Custom and Traditions: A Need to Preserve Heritage of Jammu and Kashmir” was organised by the Army in coordination with Government Degree College at Budhal in Rajouri.The aim of the seminar was to spread awareness about customs and traditions of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the need to preserve their rich heritage.Muhammad Illiaz, Lecturer, Department of History, Government Degree College, Budhal was the speaker. Highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the state, especially areas in south Pir Panjal ranges, he talked about various facets of life of Gujjars and Bakerwals, including their cultural ethos, values, customs which is peculiar to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He said the culture of J&Kalthough has traces of historical rulers of the state, but has largely been influenced by Sufism which gives it the unique identity of “Kashmiriyat”.He told the present generation to understand and carry forward the cultural and traditional heritage of the state amidst growing globalisation. — TNS

Lt-Gen KJ Singh (retd) delivers the PU colloquium at Panjab University in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Tribune Photo: Manoj Mahajan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 17

Former (GoC-In-C) Western Command, Chandimandir, and Maharaja Ranjit Singh Chair Professor at Panjab University Lt-Gen KJ Singh, PVSM, AVSM (BAR) (retd) said today that demography, democracy, structural system of election commission, judiciary, armed forces and education and soft power of yoga, ayurveda and Bollywood were the strengths of national security.Lt-Gen KJ Singh delivered the prestigious PU colloquium on the topic of ‘Challenges to national security and suggested response strategy’ at the university today. PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover presided over the colloquium. It was the first colloquium of the academic session 2016-17. In his talk, Lt-Gen KJ Singh (retd) analysed strengths, challenges, opportunities and threats of national security.He said good governance, focus on economic development, infrastructure enhancement, investments in education and job creation, rehabilitation of surrendered militants and effective policing were the tools in dealing with internal terrorism threats.Diplomacy at global, regional forums, constant pressure on rogue states, and effective guarding mechanism of international border, line of control and maritime boundaries and use of technology for surveillance can help in controlling the external terrorism, he added.Lt-Gen KJ Singh (retd) focused on macro understanding of national security and emerging contours of challenges and also suggested response strategy for the same during his talk.

Rajouri, August 13

The Army under the aegis of the Ace of Spades Division organised various programmes at the Army’s advance landing ground (ALG) in Rajouri on August 12 and 13.“As a run up to Independence Day, the programmes were aimed at igniting patriotic fervour among youth, locals and schoolchildren,” said an Army officer. He said a series of events, including a dog show, equestrian show, cultural programmes and equipment display, were witnessed and appreciated by the students and youth.Students from Valley View Army Public School, Army Goodwill Public School, Government Higher Secondary School and Government Middle School at Dalogra gave scintillating cultural performances, said a defence spokesperson. As many as 1,400 students from various schools of Rajouri visited the ALG today to take part in the programme, he added.“The students showed keen interest in heavy guns, medium machine guns and telecommunication systems on display. Most of them expressed their desire to serve the country by donning the uniform,” said a senior Army officer. — OC

Photo for representation only. Thinkstock

New Delhi, August 12 

BJP’s Rajya Sabha member Shwait Malik on Friday raised the issue of what he said were “security lapses” at Wagah-Attari Joint Check Post (JCP) on the India-Pakistan border, and claimed illegal weapons were brought into India in the past through this land border crossing that lacks scanners.Malik, who hails from Amritsar in Punjab, raised the issue during zero hour in the Rajya Sabha and said: “There is a big security lapse along the India-Pakistan border.”The Bharatiya Janata Party member said only 13 of the 231 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed at the check post were working while all 18 boom barriers, installed to stop unauthorised vehicles from entering certain areas, were not working.The MP said while Pakistan had installed scanners on its side, the Indian side had deployed only dogs to scrutinise vehicles crossing over from Pakistan side.“It is pricking us that there are scanners on the Pakistan side and only dogs on our side. You cannot trust an animal… weapons have come through the post many times,” Malik said.He said the Home Ministry had sanctioned scanners for the international joint check post after he requested for them, and urged the government to speed up the process.“Crores of rupees have been spent on (border) fencing but the security (at Attari) has been left to the canines. Weapons have come through the international check post because of checking conducted by dogs,” Malik said.— IANS

FRIEND OR FOE? Taliban is being nurtured in numerous sanctuaries within Pakistan.

THIS year marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of Kabul to the Taliban and its subsequent expansion to almost all parts of Afghanistan with Pakistani and Al-Qaeda assistance. It also marks the 15th anniversary of 9/11 and of the Taliban “defeat” and subsequent withdrawal into Pakistan. However, the Taliban is today a potent and deadly force, which as per a recent US official report, is in “control or influence” in almost 35 per cent of Afghan territory, up by about 5 per cent over the past year. There is little doubt that the US and its NATO allies and the Afghan security forces have failed in their military objective of rooting out the Taliban.The failure on the military front has compelled the Afghan authorities and the international community to attempt a political reconciliation between the Taliban and the Afghan government. That endeavour is going nowhere. The Taliban is in no hurry to engage a weak and politically unconsolidated Kabul under the current National Unity Government led by President Ashraf Ghani though it desires formal international acceptance. For the latter purpose, it has  softened its position on gender issues. The loss of its founder Mullah Omar and his main successor Mullah Akhtar Mansour have not diluted its attachment to the ideal of an Islamic Emirate which casts doubts on its interest in sharing power under Afghanistan’s Islamic Republic constitution.Why has the situation come to this sorry pass? Why did the US and its allies fail to effectively neutralise the Taliban and the Afghan political class fail to establish a consensus that would have driven the Taliban to the social and political margins? Above all, are there any lessons for India in the developments that have taken place in Afghanistan in the past 15 years?The failures of both US policy in Afghanistan and of Afghan political actors beginning with former President Hamid Karzai have been many. The US failed to recognise that the Taliban had the potential to become a factor of continuing instability in Afghanistan. This was mainly because the purpose of its war in Afghanistan was to so emasculate the Al-Qaeda that it could never again launch a major operation on the US mainland or US interests worldwide. In this it has largely succeeded but at the cost of allowing Pakistan to nurture the Taliban in numerous sanctuaries within the country. It is also true that the US had per se no problems with the Taliban. Its view till 9/11 was that the Taliban was an authentic Afghan group that was a factor of stability. It is ironic that after two decades, Taliban participation is being considered necessary for stability in Afghanistan. The fact that the Taliban has killed over 2,000 US soldiers is simply forgotten.The Afghan political class post the Taliban “defeat” had the formidable task of healing the wounds of almost three decades of civil conflict and of navigating through endemic ethnic cleavages and theological and ideological dissensions. It did not succeed in meeting these grave challenges. However it is also a fact that a damaged body, social and political, needs space to begin the processes of healing and Pakistan through the Taliban did not provide Afghanistan that space.Pakistan’s historic fear is of Indian encirclement through an India-friendly Afghanistan government. That this apprehension is grossly exaggerated has been of little consequence to Pakistani security policy controllers in the army. It has however led to an unyielding desire to exercise effective influence over Kabul’s engagement with India. For the five years of Taliban rule, Pakistan was assured that India would have no role in Afghan affairs. It simply wants that kind of assurance again.The establishment of an interim administration under Karzai with key Northern Alliance figures, with whom India had an excellent understanding, rang alarm bells in Rawalpindi. Karzai diligently sought to dispel Pakistani fears of allowing India space to use Afghanistan for fomenting trouble. But he was unwilling to give Pakistan a veto over his country’s India policy. Pakistan wanted just nothing less. This contributed to Pakistan fully sustaining the Taliban to ensure that Kabul was unable to put in place or invigorate state institutions, particularly in the Pushtoon-dominated areas in the western and southern parts of the country.The US was unwilling to “drain the Taliban swamp” in Pakistan and fought it largely on Afghan territory, including through airstrikes that resulted in substantial collateral loss of life and property. This diminished Karzai who appealed to the Taliban for direct negotiations. The Taliban turned a deaf ear with quiet Pakistani encouragement. Karzai’s relations soured both with the US and Pakistan as he helplessly watched the neighbour’s interference through Taliban that was acting as its virtual proxy.Immediately on assuming office, Ashraf Ghani reached out to Pakistan, including through an unprecedented gesture of calling on the Pakistan army chief in his office. He publicly, though indirectly, signalled his willingness to downgrade ties with India, especially in the security sector. In return, he sought Pakistan to use its influence to control Taliban violence and bring it to the negotiation table. The US, and more significantly China, asked it to do the same. Pakistan did not heed the first request but did arrange to get a group of the Taliban to meet with Afghan representatives on its soil. When the Afghans asked for assurances that the representatives had the authority of Mullah Omar, it revealed that the Afghan leader had been long dead though all this while this crucial fact was not revealed to Kabul. That broke Ghani’s trust. He told a NATO summit in Warsaw last month, “Our regional initiatives with neighbours are beginning to yield significant cooperative dividends. The clear exception is with Pakistan—despite clear commitments to a quadrilateral peace process their dangerous distinction between good and bad terrorists is being maintained in practice”. On other occasions, his language on Pakistani interference has been more robust.The critical question is could Kabul have done better despite Pakistan using the Taliban as its proxy? Perhaps yes; but it certainly could not have stabilised the country as long as the contaminant continued to uninterruptedly flow which it would do even now under the new Taliban chief Haibatullah.The lesson for Afghanistan and the US is that stability will elude the country as long as Pakistani intrusiveness is not eliminated. That has to be done by raising the costs of interference for Pakistan. Therein lies a lesson for India in J&K. —The writer is a former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs