Government’s dismal role in Kargil

Mr Inder Malhotra’s article “MISHANDLED KARGIL MESS: GOVT’s dismal role” (June 9) makes sad reading. Not to speak of grave intelligence failure and complacency in dealing with the emerging situation in what has been aptly described by some as the mela atmosphere of Lahore bus diplomacy, one is struck by the “greatest hurt to the brave defenders of the country....... from a blunderous bunch of politicians on the top of the heap..... ensconced in New Delhi, even if as caretakers”.

The author is candid in stating that “anything can be expected of Mr Fernandes....... But Mr Vajpayee, a man of honour and much respected for his sagacity, ought to have known better”.

Mr Fernandes, who has become ignominy incarnate, since the Vishnu Bhagwat affair, was least expected to enact himself in the role of “The villain of the piece” vis-a-vis his clean chit to Mr Nawaz Sharif and the ISI, his “safe passage” amnesty to infiltrators or army regulars out to snap our lifeline to Ladakh and the Siachen glacier or to “sully the long-established ethos of the apolitical senior officers of the Army” at a meeting of the BJP’s national executive.

The nation is grateful to Mr Malhotra for underscoring that “for much less Krishna Menon was sacked by a reluctant Jawaharlal Nehru in 1962” and asking “why is Mr Vajpayee displaying helplessness in relation to..... the mounting demand for Mr Fernandes’ removal from the sensitive portfolio”?

Some of us have lately mused over the idea of the President taking an initiative in the coming weeks to remodel the Cabinet. Will it be out of place to suggest here that such a move, howsoever well-meaning might only result in taking what the author correctly describes as the blunderous bunch of politicians on the top of the heap off the hook prematurely? Moreover, no leader of substance will like to take over in the present situation without a clearcut popular mandate, and the authority that flows from it, to set things right.

The best course available, it appears, is to advance the poll by a few weeks, if possible, and that the President may in the meantime counsel the Cabinet suitably and sternly to cope with the situation on the borders where our Army and the Air Force are putting up a splendid fight, and on the diplomatic front with the help and guidance of experienced and talented hands from other parties.

J.N. NARANG
Chandigarh

Biggest blunder

Your editorial, “Utter disgrace” (June 5) about the mortal remains of martyr Bajinder Singh of Nandloo village of subdivision Dehra being consigned to flames without any military honour has sent shock waves among all, specially the exservicemen of Kangra, Una and Hamirpur. The exservicemen have displayed complete unity in condemning the arrogant administration and the army authorities, based at Dharamsala and Yol Camp for their failure to find time to receive the body and attend the funeral. Bajinder Singh died while fighting a glorious battle in the Kargil sector, bringing laurels and honour to the entire district of Kangra but what his soul got in return was manipulation and maltreatment at the hands of those who have never handled any machinegun and mortars. This has created among the exservicemen a feeling that only the officer cadre is given honours and the JCOs and ORs are considered mere military material. The SDM, Dehra, who incidentally happens to be an exserviceman, brought disgrace to the dress he wore during his military service by reaching late. And when he did, he chided the relatives and the family members of the martyr for having lit the pyre without waiting for him.

While the servicemen of Una, Kangra and Hamirpur had gathered at Nadaun to honour Commander P.S. Chaudhari for displaying commendable courage for saving a man during his leave in February at Nadaun, the moment Colonel RC. Prashar (retd), the President of the Exservicemen Union, Una, read out the Tribune editorial, everybody observed two minutes’ silence to pray for the soul of the dead soldier. Colonel Prashar, who had served in the Kargil sector during his service, could not control himself and while garlanding Cdr Chaudhari, broke down saying that while he was proudly garlanding a courageous serving Naval Officer, he was grieved at the grave mischief that was going on to disgrace the dignity of a soldier, even after he had given his last drop of blood to the nation. Immediately after the function, Colonel Prashar with all the exservicemen of Una and Dehra drove to village Nandloo to pay homage to the patriotic son of the soil.

It is heartening to see that the soldier Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Prof P.K. Dhumal, himself visited the village and announced immediate financial help of Rs 1 lakh. He also ordered the construction of a link road to be named as Bajinder Singh Marg. Apart from this the school where the martyr had studied has been upgraded and named after the martyr.

I suggest that a big monument be made in the memory of the martyr with the inscription of an Urdu couplet written by Mir Taaqi Mir:

Voh log tune aik he shokhi mein kho diye

Paida kiye thhe charakh ne jo khaak chhan kar.

“You have lost those great people in just one joking moment, whom the God had created after cleaning so much dust”

MULTAN SINGH PARIHAR
Jalari - Hamirpur