AUM
LET US BE HAPPY
by Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
I am indeed happy. Members of my immediate family are happy. My neighbours are happy. However, the Al Qaida and the Taliban operatives in the area are NOT happy because they have had no kill so far. They blame the people of the locality for not cooperating with the Islamist terrorists. Strange logic.
Happiness is a state of the mind. The state of the mind of an individual depends on the circumstances, the environment and the factor called cause 'n effect. What is the cause that will effect happiness? The cause may be personal, social or political. It may be physical or mental or spiritual. It may be social at the local level or the national level or international level.
DHARMA FOR HAPPINESS
What is Dharma? Dharma means the totality of thought and action. It is the sum total of all that an individual does in life in a day, in a week, a month or a year. The character and conduct of an individual depend on the Dharma that he observes in life. Dharma is NOT religion or a ritual as some people wrongly interpret. MANU Maharaj, the greates law giver of ancient India defines Dharma as comprising TEN elements : Patience, Pardon, Righteousness, Abjure Stealing, Cleanliness, Sublimation of Desires, Sharp Brain, Knowledge, Truth, Eschewing Anger. An individual - male or female - who observes the Ten tenets of Dharma as given heretofore will be happy in day-to-day life. He or she will be able to have inner satisfaction of living a life as prescribed by the Vedas on the individual plane and the social plane. With a view to be Socially Efficient an individual has to learn to adapt, adjust and imbibe the spirit of sacrifice for promoting togetherness. Should there be a clash between the interests of the individual and the group he belongs to, the interests of the group will prevail.
The last three Mantras of the last sukta of the Rigveda are the best guide to help an individual observe the Samajik Dharma or the Social Ethics. It is togetherness - physically, mentally, spiritually that makes the cornerstone of the edifice of a human being's Samajik Dharma. That indeed is the basic ingredient to hold the society together.
NATIONAL DHARMA
Having risen from the basic unit of a family and progressed to the Social level, we now graduate to the National level and discuss our Rashtriya Dharma. The basic principle for fulfilling our obligation to the Nation is that we assimilate the concept : NATION ABOVE ALL. The Indian Army has made it its motto. If the Nation exists, we exist. If the Nation is obliterated by the enemy, we as individuals cease to exist. With a view to letting the Nation exist and prosper, we as individuals, must not think of ourselves as Numero Uno. The basic teaching given to a Gentleman Cadet at the Indian Military Academy is as follows:
The honour, safety and welfare of your country comes first always and everytime;
The honour, safety and welfare of men you command come next;
Your own honour, safety and welfare come last always and everytime.
If the leaders of a Nation at various levels follow this Mantra, they will help the fellow citizens prosper, be happy and make the Nation grow from strength to strength. Happiness will prevail and depression will disappear from the dictionary of the Happy Nation. On the contrary, not observing the Rashtriya Dharma and not putting Nation Above All will spell disaster for both the individual and the Nation.
IDENTIFYING THE ENEMY
Our Rashtriya Dharm enjoins on us to preserve, protect and defend our motherland from enemies, external and internal. In order to protect and defend the nation from the enemy, it is essential that the patriots identify the enemy. The patriots also develop the art of Threat Perception. Whwerefrom is the Threat to the Nation developing? In 1999, none in India could perceive the threat from Pakistan in Kargil. The enemy kept on building bases in our territory and we were oblivious of it. It cost us dearly in the form of human lives and a dent in our military preparedness. Thanks to the young officers and Jawans we could save the day. As many as four Param Vir Chakras were awarded, two posthumously to officers and two to Jawans who are alive and continuing to serve the Nation while still wearing uniform.
The Internal Threat is sometimes as deadly as the External Threat. The fifth columnists and traitors collude with the enemy to weaken the country by blowing up ammunition depots and oil dumps. These activities weaken the national morale, deplete our war material and bolster enemy’s morale. The threat from traitors must be identified and the elements sympathetic to enemy must be brought to book and put behind bars after a summary trial. The enemy agents or terrorists caught by police and people should be tried summarily and hanged. A repetition of Kasab trial will make us a laughing stock in the eye of the world. Similarly not hanging Afzal Guru till death despite the Supreme Court order shows that some politicians give precedence to the vote-bank politics over national interests. Such mind sets weaken the will of the nation.
Chanakya, the great master of statecraft even advocated making the short shrift of the enemy brass through use of Vish kanyas or the poison girls whose one kiss was enough to put the enemy general to sleep for ever
The situation developing on borders must be under constant review. Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati says in Satyarth Prakash that the national defence is a continuous process. The ever growing bon-homie between China and Pakistan is a cause of concern for the Indian Nation and the State.
Security leads to Prosperity. If the Nation is secure, it will become prosperous. There are a number of roadblocks to achieve our goal of a prosperous Bharat. Among them CORRUPTION at all levels walks away with the cake. The Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary form three pillars of our democratic state. Unfortunately, all the three pillars are infested with corrupt men and women. With the result the Nation is weakened beyond redemption unless there is a People’s Uprising and the corrupt people are hanged by the nearest lamp post after a summary trial.
The second roadblock is: Ignoring the Constitutional provision of EQUALITY BEFORE LAW. However high you may ever be, the Law is above you – that is the guiding principle. The politician-cum police-cum bureaucracy nexus has rendered the constitutional provisions ineffective. SPS Rathore, DG Police of Haryana turned a molester of a teenage girl and he negative provisions of law for 19 years. The big shots of the State colluded with the criminal to harass the complainant and drove the poor girl to committing suicide. Can a nation like ours be strong when a shameful saga like that of Ruchika is swept under the carpet. Thanks to the Judiciary and the Media, we see some light at the end of the tunnel.
The third but not the last roadblock is Ever growing population of Bharat. The votebank politics prevents effective family planning. The less said the better it would be.
Thus a weak nation with a weak army whose fighting capacity is reduced 50 per cent for lack of weapons and equipment and increasing corruption do not augur well for our Bharat that was once called Mahan or Great. A people’s revolution is needed to resurrect the Nation from the dark abyss that it has sunk into. May Param Pita Parmatma help us!
WIDENED HORIZON
Of course, after the stage of the Nation, there is entire mankind to be taken care of. The sixth commandment of the Arya Samaj says that it is our duty to look after the welfare of the humanity, their physical,spiritual and social welfare. The Sanskrit sloka goes thus :
AYAM NIJ PAROVETI GANANA LAGHU CHETSAM;
UDAAR CHARITANAM TU VAUDHAIV KUTUMBKAM.
Rendered into English it would run thus - to call an object mine and another yours -that is done by the narrow minded. The broad minded people treat the whole world as ONE FAMILY.
Let us proceed from the known to the unknown. Let us begin with reforming Bharat and curing her of all ills before we proceed to cure the entire humanity. Swami Ramdev, the Yoga Guru, has launched a movement Bharat Swabhiman – under which the sense of pride in our motherland that is presently in slumber will be awakened. The ills like corruption and flouting of provisions of the constitution can be cured by changing the system that breeds the ills. Frankly speaking, for six decades plus we have been carrying on with the old British system of administration where welfare of common man had no place. Unless the system is changed through constitutional means, the Nation will not be strong. Let us launch a people’s movement to bring in Change for the Better.
There lies the real happiness of Man. Happiness lies in giving away and not in coveting. Earn with one hundred hands but give away in charity with a thousand hands - that is the root of Human Happiness emanating from observing Dharma at the social and national planes wherein the Common Man will be in focus and not the police or politicians. Thereafter we will be able to say with a sense of pride in the nation: SATYAMEV JAYATE.
AUM SHANTIH SHANTIH SHANTIH.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303,INDIA Mobile -0091-9811173590.
Email – upvanom@yahoo.com
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
VISHWA VED SAMMELAN
AUM
WOMEN LEAD AT THE INTERNATIONAL VEDIC CONFERENCE
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
There was a time in India, not long ago, when women were not permitted by the Hindu priests to read Vedas, the most ancient scriptures in the library of MAN. Indeed it was heartening to see that at the Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar, at the Vedic Conference, out of 1500 research papers presented and read, more than half were those of women. Indeed a marvellous show it was. The credit for this socio-religious revolution goes to Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati who opened the doors to the Vedas to the entire mankind, irrespective of caste, creed, region or religion.
The Rishivar who wrote his commentary on the Vedas in Hindi, common man's language, said that the Vedas themselves give the right to ONE AND ALL to read the Ved Mantras and meditate. The Vedas, thereafter, became popular all over the country and later the world too.
The Gurukul was founded by Swami Shraddhanand, a disciple of Swami Dayanand and it has done a yeoman's service in the field of education. It has blossomed into a Deemed University and organises intellectual seminars and literary conferences on all issues and topics that serve the cause of education and ameliorate the living conditions of Man leading the humanity to health and happiness.
The delegates who had come from various universities of India were well looked after. They were well billeted, dined and were given food for thought too. The Ved sammelan was held from 20th November to 22nd November 09 on the premises of the Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, India. It was a treat to the mind of man.
At the inauguration ceremony the chief guest was Swami Ramdev Maharaj. His august personality and his style of lecture impressed one and all. He was present at the Havan too at the yajnashala and made a short speech there also to bless the intelligentsia and common folks alike. Swami Ramdev Maharaj had invited all the delegates to his Ashram, the PATANJALI YOGPEETH, the campus hosts and boasts of a university too. The great Yoga Rishi regaled them with interesting anecdotes and Vedic tales. The Swami hosted a sumptuous vegetarian dinner and in the Vedic tradition gave a good DAKSHINA to one and all. The celebrites on the dais were honoured with a shawl each and literature on the Bharat Swabhiman Abhiyan and Vyavastha Parivartan was given too. It may be said that it was a unique experience of the Vedic delegates to have seen and heard Swami Ramdev Maharaj from close quarters. Indeed it was an experience of a lifetime, so said many delegates, both men and women.
Swami Satya Mitranand Saraswati was another guest of honour at the inaugural ceremony and his speech was a stirring one. He gave a clarion call to all Indians to rally round the OM DHWAJ to work for the betterment of Bharat Mata and root out corruption and terrorism plaguing the country at present.
The credit for making the Ved Sammelan a grand success goes to Professor Mahavir Ji, Head of the Sanskrit Department, Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyaya and also Acharya of the Vishwavidyalaya, Prof Ved Prakash Shastri whose brainchild the Vishwa Ved sammelan was. Professor Swatantra Kumar, Kulpati of the Gurukul was the guiding hand and the leading light who made it a point to be everywhere where a major activity was going on. Of course, organising such a big event needed a team work and a good team of dedicated soldier-scholars was there working selflessly day and night. The dividing line between departments and faculties was obliterated as the Veda is the guiding light of one and all. Prof Rajendra Kumar of the Engineering Department, Dr Roop kishore of the Veda department or Dr Purohit of the Physics department, not forgetting Harish Gururani, baby of the Sanskrit department and now a Ph.D. himself – they all worked for the Veda sammelan as if they all belonged to the Veda department. Prof Mahavir who doubled as the compere at every function thanked them all and had all selfless team mates honoured at the Samapan Samaroh which was an in-house function. While we have made a mention of some stalwarts of the Veda Vibhag and the Sanskrit Vibhag, amention may be made of a delegate who like some others read his paper in Sanskrit. He was Dr Krishna Narain Pandey, Joint Director Rajbhasha in the Directorate general of AIR. He read his paper in simple Sanskrit which the non-Sanskrit knowing staff and students present in that session followed effortlessly. Another hallmark was that the delegates who nag presenters of papers were just silent in appreciation of Dr Pande’s Sanskrit.
The three -day Veda sammelan attracted scholars from France, America and some other countries too. Most of them said that they were non-resident Indians and had felt deeply attached to the Vedic dharm as propounded by Mahrishi Dayanand Saraswati. A feedback was taken by the organisors informally and it was found that there was no lacuna worth reporting. Among the delegates were Dr Pratibha Shukla and Dr Aruna Shukla, the former from Hariyana and the latter from the Punjab, who gave similar comments about their experiences and praised the sammelan for letting delegates have an interaction with saints and seers mentioned heretofore and scholars like Swami Govind Giri and a celebrity like Acharya Balkrishna ji, Vice-Chancellor of the Patanjali Yogpeeth Vishwavidyalaya, Maharishi Dayanand gram. Some media persons did go round tlaking to delegates freely about their trails and tribulations during the international Vedic conference but they drew a blank. Both the print and the electronic media had a word of praise for the good work done. Indeed the Hindi press was as supportive as ever and published many photographs and short interviews of non-celebrites too.
The soul of Swami Shraddhanand Ji, wherever and in whatever form it may be, will feel elated that the Veda prachar that he advocated through the Gurukulas from the Lahore days, is being successfully carried on by his favourite Gurukul Kangri that has blossomed into a deemed university where every department is committed to teaching the Vedic Thought enunciated by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati.
On a successful completion of the three-day Vishwa Ved Sammelan, there was not even a single soul who would not say that the Gurukul Kangri gave him the Vedic knowledge and spiritual light and delight in three days what he had aspired for all his life. Indeed it was a delightful Vedic interaction and a gainful experience of a lifetime.
_______________________________
UPVANOM, 609, Sector 29, NOIDA-201303,INDIA. Mobile - 0091-9811173590.
WOMEN LEAD AT THE INTERNATIONAL VEDIC CONFERENCE
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
There was a time in India, not long ago, when women were not permitted by the Hindu priests to read Vedas, the most ancient scriptures in the library of MAN. Indeed it was heartening to see that at the Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar, at the Vedic Conference, out of 1500 research papers presented and read, more than half were those of women. Indeed a marvellous show it was. The credit for this socio-religious revolution goes to Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati who opened the doors to the Vedas to the entire mankind, irrespective of caste, creed, region or religion.
The Rishivar who wrote his commentary on the Vedas in Hindi, common man's language, said that the Vedas themselves give the right to ONE AND ALL to read the Ved Mantras and meditate. The Vedas, thereafter, became popular all over the country and later the world too.
The Gurukul was founded by Swami Shraddhanand, a disciple of Swami Dayanand and it has done a yeoman's service in the field of education. It has blossomed into a Deemed University and organises intellectual seminars and literary conferences on all issues and topics that serve the cause of education and ameliorate the living conditions of Man leading the humanity to health and happiness.
The delegates who had come from various universities of India were well looked after. They were well billeted, dined and were given food for thought too. The Ved sammelan was held from 20th November to 22nd November 09 on the premises of the Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, India. It was a treat to the mind of man.
At the inauguration ceremony the chief guest was Swami Ramdev Maharaj. His august personality and his style of lecture impressed one and all. He was present at the Havan too at the yajnashala and made a short speech there also to bless the intelligentsia and common folks alike. Swami Ramdev Maharaj had invited all the delegates to his Ashram, the PATANJALI YOGPEETH, the campus hosts and boasts of a university too. The great Yoga Rishi regaled them with interesting anecdotes and Vedic tales. The Swami hosted a sumptuous vegetarian dinner and in the Vedic tradition gave a good DAKSHINA to one and all. The celebrites on the dais were honoured with a shawl each and literature on the Bharat Swabhiman Abhiyan and Vyavastha Parivartan was given too. It may be said that it was a unique experience of the Vedic delegates to have seen and heard Swami Ramdev Maharaj from close quarters. Indeed it was an experience of a lifetime, so said many delegates, both men and women.
Swami Satya Mitranand Saraswati was another guest of honour at the inaugural ceremony and his speech was a stirring one. He gave a clarion call to all Indians to rally round the OM DHWAJ to work for the betterment of Bharat Mata and root out corruption and terrorism plaguing the country at present.
The credit for making the Ved Sammelan a grand success goes to Professor Mahavir Ji, Head of the Sanskrit Department, Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyaya and also Acharya of the Vishwavidyalaya, Prof Ved Prakash Shastri whose brainchild the Vishwa Ved sammelan was. Professor Swatantra Kumar, Kulpati of the Gurukul was the guiding hand and the leading light who made it a point to be everywhere where a major activity was going on. Of course, organising such a big event needed a team work and a good team of dedicated soldier-scholars was there working selflessly day and night. The dividing line between departments and faculties was obliterated as the Veda is the guiding light of one and all. Prof Rajendra Kumar of the Engineering Department, Dr Roop kishore of the Veda department or Dr Purohit of the Physics department, not forgetting Harish Gururani, baby of the Sanskrit department and now a Ph.D. himself – they all worked for the Veda sammelan as if they all belonged to the Veda department. Prof Mahavir who doubled as the compere at every function thanked them all and had all selfless team mates honoured at the Samapan Samaroh which was an in-house function. While we have made a mention of some stalwarts of the Veda Vibhag and the Sanskrit Vibhag, amention may be made of a delegate who like some others read his paper in Sanskrit. He was Dr Krishna Narain Pandey, Joint Director Rajbhasha in the Directorate general of AIR. He read his paper in simple Sanskrit which the non-Sanskrit knowing staff and students present in that session followed effortlessly. Another hallmark was that the delegates who nag presenters of papers were just silent in appreciation of Dr Pande’s Sanskrit.
The three -day Veda sammelan attracted scholars from France, America and some other countries too. Most of them said that they were non-resident Indians and had felt deeply attached to the Vedic dharm as propounded by Mahrishi Dayanand Saraswati. A feedback was taken by the organisors informally and it was found that there was no lacuna worth reporting. Among the delegates were Dr Pratibha Shukla and Dr Aruna Shukla, the former from Hariyana and the latter from the Punjab, who gave similar comments about their experiences and praised the sammelan for letting delegates have an interaction with saints and seers mentioned heretofore and scholars like Swami Govind Giri and a celebrity like Acharya Balkrishna ji, Vice-Chancellor of the Patanjali Yogpeeth Vishwavidyalaya, Maharishi Dayanand gram. Some media persons did go round tlaking to delegates freely about their trails and tribulations during the international Vedic conference but they drew a blank. Both the print and the electronic media had a word of praise for the good work done. Indeed the Hindi press was as supportive as ever and published many photographs and short interviews of non-celebrites too.
The soul of Swami Shraddhanand Ji, wherever and in whatever form it may be, will feel elated that the Veda prachar that he advocated through the Gurukulas from the Lahore days, is being successfully carried on by his favourite Gurukul Kangri that has blossomed into a deemed university where every department is committed to teaching the Vedic Thought enunciated by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati.
On a successful completion of the three-day Vishwa Ved Sammelan, there was not even a single soul who would not say that the Gurukul Kangri gave him the Vedic knowledge and spiritual light and delight in three days what he had aspired for all his life. Indeed it was a delightful Vedic interaction and a gainful experience of a lifetime.
_______________________________
UPVANOM, 609, Sector 29, NOIDA-201303,INDIA. Mobile - 0091-9811173590.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Hillary Clinton Makes Surprise Visit To Afghanistan For Karzai Inauguration
AUM.
It is indeed a good idea that Hillary Clinton attend the swearing in ceremony of president Hamid karzai. The Afghans will feel encouraged that the US Secretary of State attended notwithstanding the threat of the terror outfits.
Secondly, Hamid karzai will not only feel important but also will have the overseeing eyes of an important functionary of the United States. The perennial problem of corruption at various levels of the government in Afghanistan is sapping the nation's energy and is in turn encouragfing the islamist terror outfits.
Rooting out corruption should be the top priority of the new government when Karzai begins his second term in office. Much has been said about the corrupt practices in voting. It should be left behind and a new chapter should herald a new sun rise in Afghanistan.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
Thursday, November 5, 2009
BRIDGING THE GENERATION GAP
TALKING TO TEENAGERS
- By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant, VSM
The ever green generation gap is growing and growing. The teenagers and the senior citizens apparently do not have much in common. The generation in between, that is, parents of teenagers have a lot to do with their teenaged sons and daughters and it is equally true the other way round. However, the proverbial communication gap is now too fashionable to go away. In fact it has almost become a fad and is being nursed. However, if one looks at the future of human society one will indeed be concerned about the ill health of the society as such. The society rests on the youth, middle aged and the aged. If these three segments of the society do not find anything in common among them, what are they going to converse . Even talking about the weather will be of little interest under the prevailing circumstances. The global warming too will fail to break the ice between the teenagers and the parents, parents and the grandparents. Talking to teenagers is not a difficult proposition. It is not a piece of cake either. A deliberate attempt is needed on the part of the parents and grandparents to bring the teenagers in line. The values of society have to be transmitted to teenagers in such a way that they comprehend them, assimilate them and live by them. Let us first talk about the basic values of life to be introduced to teenagers so that they voluntarily accept them and practice them.
The basic values of social life comprise independence of thought and expression, liberty, equality and fraternity, individual and community action to achieve results and enhance social efficiency. By and large all major religions incorporate them and expect their followers to live by these tenets. The Vedas, the most ancient scriptures in the library of mankind have summed up the aim of social efficiency for the youth in one word ``Manurbhav,’’ that is become good human beings. If the teenagers take to this voluntarily and practice what the teachers teach, many ills of the present day society will ipso facto disappear. At first sight this may appear to be a Utopian dream which may not be realized but on a close examination it will be crystal clear that making a good human being out of the basic material called man is a pragmatic idea. Idea is fine but how do we go about implementing it?
The aged citizens or the senior citizens will find it more convenient to communicate with the youth provided they avoid the pitfall of narrating their own ancient experiences to Generation Next. Besides taking the help of teachers in classrooms from nursery to university, it is the senior citizens on whose shoulders will fall the onerous responsibility of talking to teenagers and keeping them within the fold. After all the senior citizens have already discharged their personal duties of bringing up their own children and should now bring up not only their own grand children but grandchildren of others too. Of course, the primary job will be that of capturing the imagination and bringing about a meeting of minds of generations which are almost half a century apart. The most effective tool of this task is a four letter word called LOVE. The senior citizens should not only love teenagers as their own kith and kin but also let them feel the love. In due course of time it will be two- way traffic. Talking to the teenagers will pay rich dividends and the teenagers will confide in the senior citizens to the extent of discussing their sweet hearts. When love and trust rise to this high level, the ground is ready for sowing the seeds of human values which senior citizens wish to pass on to generation next.
An atmosphere of intensive receptivity in the two distinctly different age groups is to be created after the foundation of love is laid. Togetherness is an important tool to achieve this. Who has the time, one may ask. Well, you get nothing for nothing. To achieve something you have to give something. If you cannot give time to teenagers how are you going to talk to them and help them imbibe human values which are so basic to the smooth running of the civilized social order. Indeed these human values are the foundation of the civilized society. If the dialogue between the teenagers and senior citizens breaks down for good, the civilized society will return to the state of complete chaos. Men and women will start behaving like primitives. No one will show any respect for human life, what to say of property. Do we want to revert to that chaotic state? If not let us get down to business of attracting the youth by talking to them and helping them imbibe human values. Sometimes, some cynics talk of transmission of values through text books alone and feel this all can be done in class rooms . Little do they realize that a class of boys and girls is not like a herd of animals that can be driven through brute force. Each boy or girl should be treated as an individual. Individual differences in physical and mental make up should be recognized and addressed too. Even the spiritual needs should be attended to in order to help teenagers develop well rounded personalities. Reverting to the role of a teacher in a classroom, he or she will complement the efforts of the parents and the grandparents at home. The Shatpath Brahman has elucidated it beautifully in just one sentence: Matriman Pitriman Acharyavan Purusho Ved. The parents, even the grandparents or a senior citizen in the form of a vanprasthi or a sanyasi (those who have started treating the entire world as their own family and care for the entire humanity) and of course the Acharya, that is, the teacher who becomes a role model for teenagers are the pivots on whom the life of the youth will be shaped. Thus talking to teenagers is not the job of a single individual but all those individuals who are close to them and have acquired meaningful experience of life which can be passed on to generation next. Let us now take a look at the process and the tools which will be helpful in talking to teenagers. To my mind, music takes precedence over everything else. One need not be a Mozart or a Beethoven to be in love with music. One should know the ABC of music so that the assembly of teenagers and senior citizens as well as middle aged men and women can sing a chorus together. While out on hikes, treks and picnic ,singing together brings in emotional cohesion. When the spirits are down in the dumps, an appropriate note of music is helpful in raising the spirits again. Shakespeare had said in a different context: If music be the food of love, play on. Irrespective of the change of context music should and can still be played on to bring different generations together emotionally.
A short while ago a reference was made to creating an atmosphere for interior receptivity. This can be done not only by words alone but by action. Showing concern for each other’s health in the form of advice, medication and tender loving care (TLC) go a long way in bringing different generations together. Playing simple games is always helpful. Of course, age of the players has to be taken into consideration. Spiritual togetherness, that is, reciting a Ved mantra or delivering a simple sermon ,without sermonizing, will help in imbibing virtues like fearlessness, honesty, compassion and becoming humane. A family that prays together stays together. Let it be a non denominational prayer to steel ones own nerves without giving rise to bickering. After all talking to teenagers is not as difficult a task as it looks initially. It is indeed achievable. We must achieve the aim to let the human social order survive and flourish.
-Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant, VSM
- By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant, VSM
The ever green generation gap is growing and growing. The teenagers and the senior citizens apparently do not have much in common. The generation in between, that is, parents of teenagers have a lot to do with their teenaged sons and daughters and it is equally true the other way round. However, the proverbial communication gap is now too fashionable to go away. In fact it has almost become a fad and is being nursed. However, if one looks at the future of human society one will indeed be concerned about the ill health of the society as such. The society rests on the youth, middle aged and the aged. If these three segments of the society do not find anything in common among them, what are they going to converse . Even talking about the weather will be of little interest under the prevailing circumstances. The global warming too will fail to break the ice between the teenagers and the parents, parents and the grandparents. Talking to teenagers is not a difficult proposition. It is not a piece of cake either. A deliberate attempt is needed on the part of the parents and grandparents to bring the teenagers in line. The values of society have to be transmitted to teenagers in such a way that they comprehend them, assimilate them and live by them. Let us first talk about the basic values of life to be introduced to teenagers so that they voluntarily accept them and practice them.
The basic values of social life comprise independence of thought and expression, liberty, equality and fraternity, individual and community action to achieve results and enhance social efficiency. By and large all major religions incorporate them and expect their followers to live by these tenets. The Vedas, the most ancient scriptures in the library of mankind have summed up the aim of social efficiency for the youth in one word ``Manurbhav,’’ that is become good human beings. If the teenagers take to this voluntarily and practice what the teachers teach, many ills of the present day society will ipso facto disappear. At first sight this may appear to be a Utopian dream which may not be realized but on a close examination it will be crystal clear that making a good human being out of the basic material called man is a pragmatic idea. Idea is fine but how do we go about implementing it?
The aged citizens or the senior citizens will find it more convenient to communicate with the youth provided they avoid the pitfall of narrating their own ancient experiences to Generation Next. Besides taking the help of teachers in classrooms from nursery to university, it is the senior citizens on whose shoulders will fall the onerous responsibility of talking to teenagers and keeping them within the fold. After all the senior citizens have already discharged their personal duties of bringing up their own children and should now bring up not only their own grand children but grandchildren of others too. Of course, the primary job will be that of capturing the imagination and bringing about a meeting of minds of generations which are almost half a century apart. The most effective tool of this task is a four letter word called LOVE. The senior citizens should not only love teenagers as their own kith and kin but also let them feel the love. In due course of time it will be two- way traffic. Talking to the teenagers will pay rich dividends and the teenagers will confide in the senior citizens to the extent of discussing their sweet hearts. When love and trust rise to this high level, the ground is ready for sowing the seeds of human values which senior citizens wish to pass on to generation next.
An atmosphere of intensive receptivity in the two distinctly different age groups is to be created after the foundation of love is laid. Togetherness is an important tool to achieve this. Who has the time, one may ask. Well, you get nothing for nothing. To achieve something you have to give something. If you cannot give time to teenagers how are you going to talk to them and help them imbibe human values which are so basic to the smooth running of the civilized social order. Indeed these human values are the foundation of the civilized society. If the dialogue between the teenagers and senior citizens breaks down for good, the civilized society will return to the state of complete chaos. Men and women will start behaving like primitives. No one will show any respect for human life, what to say of property. Do we want to revert to that chaotic state? If not let us get down to business of attracting the youth by talking to them and helping them imbibe human values. Sometimes, some cynics talk of transmission of values through text books alone and feel this all can be done in class rooms . Little do they realize that a class of boys and girls is not like a herd of animals that can be driven through brute force. Each boy or girl should be treated as an individual. Individual differences in physical and mental make up should be recognized and addressed too. Even the spiritual needs should be attended to in order to help teenagers develop well rounded personalities. Reverting to the role of a teacher in a classroom, he or she will complement the efforts of the parents and the grandparents at home. The Shatpath Brahman has elucidated it beautifully in just one sentence: Matriman Pitriman Acharyavan Purusho Ved. The parents, even the grandparents or a senior citizen in the form of a vanprasthi or a sanyasi (those who have started treating the entire world as their own family and care for the entire humanity) and of course the Acharya, that is, the teacher who becomes a role model for teenagers are the pivots on whom the life of the youth will be shaped. Thus talking to teenagers is not the job of a single individual but all those individuals who are close to them and have acquired meaningful experience of life which can be passed on to generation next. Let us now take a look at the process and the tools which will be helpful in talking to teenagers. To my mind, music takes precedence over everything else. One need not be a Mozart or a Beethoven to be in love with music. One should know the ABC of music so that the assembly of teenagers and senior citizens as well as middle aged men and women can sing a chorus together. While out on hikes, treks and picnic ,singing together brings in emotional cohesion. When the spirits are down in the dumps, an appropriate note of music is helpful in raising the spirits again. Shakespeare had said in a different context: If music be the food of love, play on. Irrespective of the change of context music should and can still be played on to bring different generations together emotionally.
A short while ago a reference was made to creating an atmosphere for interior receptivity. This can be done not only by words alone but by action. Showing concern for each other’s health in the form of advice, medication and tender loving care (TLC) go a long way in bringing different generations together. Playing simple games is always helpful. Of course, age of the players has to be taken into consideration. Spiritual togetherness, that is, reciting a Ved mantra or delivering a simple sermon ,without sermonizing, will help in imbibing virtues like fearlessness, honesty, compassion and becoming humane. A family that prays together stays together. Let it be a non denominational prayer to steel ones own nerves without giving rise to bickering. After all talking to teenagers is not as difficult a task as it looks initially. It is indeed achievable. We must achieve the aim to let the human social order survive and flourish.
-Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant, VSM
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
VANDE MATARAM - NATIONAL SONG OF INDIA
VSM awardee's note: Vande Mataram: Brig. Chitranjan Sawant
VANDE MATARAMBy Brig Chitranjan Sawant,VSM Vande Mataram had indeed worked like a Ved mantra. This is what the author and poet, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya had prophesied in answer to the criticism that the words used in the song were too difficult to pronounce. He said to his critics "I may not live to see its popularity, but this song will be sung by every Indian like a Ved mantra". How true his words were. The history of the Indian freedom struggle bears a testimony to it. Vande Mataram has spontaneity and emotional appeal to arouse patriotism even in a slavish heart. The song has the capability to transcend barriers of caste, creed, region and religion. It was sung with gusto by patriotic Indians throughout the length and breadth of Bharat. When the song was sung , with the fading notes of the last stanza, the emotionally surcharged crowd of men and women would raise the slogan : Bharat Mata Ki Jai. The sound and the echo shook the mighty British Empire to its foundation. Bankim babu wrote Vande Mataram in one sitting in his native village, Naihati, just a few miles away from the metropolis, Calcutta..It was Akshay Naomi which fell on a Sunday on 7 November 1875 and Bankim babu, a Deputy Collector of the British Raj was relaxing in his ancestral home. His mind and heart were in turmoil. The English masters were forcing their own national anthem, God Save the Queen, down the throat of all Indians. Bankim babu felt the divine inspiration and words came pouring out of his heart and on to his pen. An immortal song, Vande Mataram, stood composed. It was seven years later that Vande Mataram was incorporated in the famous novel of the author, Anand Math, dealing with the history of the Sanyasi uprising in Dacca, North Bengal and other places from 1763 to 1780. The Dharm Yudh was against the foreign domination. The English and their collaborators were targeted. The saints uprising has inspired the youth of Bengal ever since. Indeed, it was a never fading source of inspiration for the patriots all over Bharat No less a person than Gurudev Ravindra Nath Tagore lent his voice to Vande Mataram when he sang it in the session of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta in 1896. It was a stirring moment, although the tempo was rather slow compared to that of the rendering of Vande Mataram by Lata Mangeshkar in the movie, Anand Math. Nevertheless, Vande Mataram had come out of the rural landscape to play its all important role on the national stage. Bengal loved the song and the rest of India was not far behind. Vande Mataram was sung in many tunes, in many languages by many men and women voluntarily. North, South, East and West of India were equally involved. 1905 was the high noon of the national fervour that Vande Mataram generated. Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy, passed a decree dividing Bengal into two parts, east and west. The British are at their best when they play the game called, Divide and Rule. However, it was rather unfortunate for the rulers that the Bang Bhang united India as a whole. Men and women of all faiths walked the streets of towns and talukas of Bengal singing Vande Mataram with religious fervour. It was a sight to be seen to be believed. The decree of Curzon was rescinded. But the British were back to their game of dividing the united people. They made some elements believe that singing Vande Mataram was a sign of Hindu domination. Their trick worked. The bogey of religion took its toll. The Muslim League was born. No one was happier than the British masters. The Indian National Congress, at its Varanasi session , adopted Vande Mataram as the national song on 7th September 1905. The cohesive spirit that the song generated could not be lost sight of by the national leaders. The momentous decision was taken unanimously a century ago. Since then the national song is sung at all sessions not only of the Congress but also the Bhartiya Janata Party and some others. It is sung in the closing session of the parliament too. Truly national in word and deed. Vande Mataram has all along been a song of patriotism and unification. Gandhi and Jinnah sang it together on the Congress platform till the latter quit the Congress as he was a non-believer in the principle of Swaraj . Of course, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Shri Purshottam Das Tandon, born rivals, were in the forefront in singing Vande Mataram at the beginning of the session everywhere. Shri Rafi Ahmad Kidwai , out and out a nationalist, never had a second thought about singing Vande Mataram. Nevertheless, the divisive forces were working overtime at the behest of their British masters to upset the applecart. How sad, the mischief mongers had their way. The rest is history. Is history repeating itsef ? Time alone will tell. Singing Vande Mataram the Indian people had waged the war of Independence non-violently. The song was all along the National Anthem to the rank and file of freedom fighters. A committee comprising Nehru, Azad, Subhash Bose and Narendra Dev had said that the first two stanzas of the song had no reference to any religion and should be our anthem. It came as a rude shock when the controversial decision to make Jana Gana Mana the national anthem was announced on 24 January 1950. However, the words of Dr Rajendra Prasad, President of the Constituent Assembly, came as a soothing balm. He said, "…the song Vande Mataram , which has played a historic part in the struggle for Indian freedom, shall be honoured equally with Jana Gana mana and shall have equal status with it."Taking a look at the English translation of Vande Mataram, done by Shree Aurobindo, one may safely surmise that the storm in a tea cup brewing at the behest of separatists will blow away and patriotism will prevail. The stanzas of the song are given below : Mother, I bow to Thee !Rich with thy hurrying streamsBright with orchard gleams.Cool with thy winds of delightGreen fields waving Mother of might,Mother free.Glory of moonlight dreams,Over thy branches and lordly streams,Clad in thy blossoming trees,Mother, giver of easeLaughing low and sweet!Mother I kiss thy feet,Speaker sweet and low!Mother, to thee I bowIndeed the original song in Bangala with a rich dose of Sanskrit words is soul stirring. Although the British government in India had banned the national song Vande Mataram, it surfaced and resurfaced. The British failed in suppressing the spirit of independence. The Indians won their freedom. Let us now all sing in unison the song of the People, VANDE MATARAM.________________________Upvan, 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303, INDIA Mobile : 9811173590
VANDE MATARAMBy Brig Chitranjan Sawant,VSM Vande Mataram had indeed worked like a Ved mantra. This is what the author and poet, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya had prophesied in answer to the criticism that the words used in the song were too difficult to pronounce. He said to his critics "I may not live to see its popularity, but this song will be sung by every Indian like a Ved mantra". How true his words were. The history of the Indian freedom struggle bears a testimony to it. Vande Mataram has spontaneity and emotional appeal to arouse patriotism even in a slavish heart. The song has the capability to transcend barriers of caste, creed, region and religion. It was sung with gusto by patriotic Indians throughout the length and breadth of Bharat. When the song was sung , with the fading notes of the last stanza, the emotionally surcharged crowd of men and women would raise the slogan : Bharat Mata Ki Jai. The sound and the echo shook the mighty British Empire to its foundation. Bankim babu wrote Vande Mataram in one sitting in his native village, Naihati, just a few miles away from the metropolis, Calcutta..It was Akshay Naomi which fell on a Sunday on 7 November 1875 and Bankim babu, a Deputy Collector of the British Raj was relaxing in his ancestral home. His mind and heart were in turmoil. The English masters were forcing their own national anthem, God Save the Queen, down the throat of all Indians. Bankim babu felt the divine inspiration and words came pouring out of his heart and on to his pen. An immortal song, Vande Mataram, stood composed. It was seven years later that Vande Mataram was incorporated in the famous novel of the author, Anand Math, dealing with the history of the Sanyasi uprising in Dacca, North Bengal and other places from 1763 to 1780. The Dharm Yudh was against the foreign domination. The English and their collaborators were targeted. The saints uprising has inspired the youth of Bengal ever since. Indeed, it was a never fading source of inspiration for the patriots all over Bharat No less a person than Gurudev Ravindra Nath Tagore lent his voice to Vande Mataram when he sang it in the session of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta in 1896. It was a stirring moment, although the tempo was rather slow compared to that of the rendering of Vande Mataram by Lata Mangeshkar in the movie, Anand Math. Nevertheless, Vande Mataram had come out of the rural landscape to play its all important role on the national stage. Bengal loved the song and the rest of India was not far behind. Vande Mataram was sung in many tunes, in many languages by many men and women voluntarily. North, South, East and West of India were equally involved. 1905 was the high noon of the national fervour that Vande Mataram generated. Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy, passed a decree dividing Bengal into two parts, east and west. The British are at their best when they play the game called, Divide and Rule. However, it was rather unfortunate for the rulers that the Bang Bhang united India as a whole. Men and women of all faiths walked the streets of towns and talukas of Bengal singing Vande Mataram with religious fervour. It was a sight to be seen to be believed. The decree of Curzon was rescinded. But the British were back to their game of dividing the united people. They made some elements believe that singing Vande Mataram was a sign of Hindu domination. Their trick worked. The bogey of religion took its toll. The Muslim League was born. No one was happier than the British masters. The Indian National Congress, at its Varanasi session , adopted Vande Mataram as the national song on 7th September 1905. The cohesive spirit that the song generated could not be lost sight of by the national leaders. The momentous decision was taken unanimously a century ago. Since then the national song is sung at all sessions not only of the Congress but also the Bhartiya Janata Party and some others. It is sung in the closing session of the parliament too. Truly national in word and deed. Vande Mataram has all along been a song of patriotism and unification. Gandhi and Jinnah sang it together on the Congress platform till the latter quit the Congress as he was a non-believer in the principle of Swaraj . Of course, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Shri Purshottam Das Tandon, born rivals, were in the forefront in singing Vande Mataram at the beginning of the session everywhere. Shri Rafi Ahmad Kidwai , out and out a nationalist, never had a second thought about singing Vande Mataram. Nevertheless, the divisive forces were working overtime at the behest of their British masters to upset the applecart. How sad, the mischief mongers had their way. The rest is history. Is history repeating itsef ? Time alone will tell. Singing Vande Mataram the Indian people had waged the war of Independence non-violently. The song was all along the National Anthem to the rank and file of freedom fighters. A committee comprising Nehru, Azad, Subhash Bose and Narendra Dev had said that the first two stanzas of the song had no reference to any religion and should be our anthem. It came as a rude shock when the controversial decision to make Jana Gana Mana the national anthem was announced on 24 January 1950. However, the words of Dr Rajendra Prasad, President of the Constituent Assembly, came as a soothing balm. He said, "…the song Vande Mataram , which has played a historic part in the struggle for Indian freedom, shall be honoured equally with Jana Gana mana and shall have equal status with it."Taking a look at the English translation of Vande Mataram, done by Shree Aurobindo, one may safely surmise that the storm in a tea cup brewing at the behest of separatists will blow away and patriotism will prevail. The stanzas of the song are given below : Mother, I bow to Thee !Rich with thy hurrying streamsBright with orchard gleams.Cool with thy winds of delightGreen fields waving Mother of might,Mother free.Glory of moonlight dreams,Over thy branches and lordly streams,Clad in thy blossoming trees,Mother, giver of easeLaughing low and sweet!Mother I kiss thy feet,Speaker sweet and low!Mother, to thee I bowIndeed the original song in Bangala with a rich dose of Sanskrit words is soul stirring. Although the British government in India had banned the national song Vande Mataram, it surfaced and resurfaced. The British failed in suppressing the spirit of independence. The Indians won their freedom. Let us now all sing in unison the song of the People, VANDE MATARAM.________________________Upvan, 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303, INDIA Mobile : 9811173590
Monday, November 2, 2009
WAR OF WORDS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN
AUM
WAR OF WORDS BETWEEN INDIA & PAKISTAN
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The newspaper readers devoted to the print media do not wish to miss a single line on the political page and international page. There is an interesting feature in the India-Pakistan relationship that a feature writer would like to present in the most humorous way so that humour of healthy nature tickles men and women across the Wagah border. That is the place where one can officially cross over from one country to the other provided relevant papers are in order. Failing that one just feels free to cross over from any point in the porous border. If caught, just grease the palm of the border guard who may even thank you for your generosity.
It was the Interior minister of Pakistan, Abdul Rahman Malik, who fired the first shot. In a press conference, he went on record and said that the bomb blasts and civil cum political unrest in Pakistan are generated by the Taliban. So far so good and no one, east or west of the Suez canal, could object to this statement of fact. However, where he crossed the Lakshman rekha was when he declared as a Mr Knowall that it was India that provided all kinds of help and guidance to the Taliban terrorists to destabilise Pakistan. Some politicians shoot from the hip but old Rahman shot from the mouth. It is learnt that even India-haters and India baiters in Pakistan found it hard to swallow this line of the interior minister of Pakistan. There is not even an iota of evidence to substantiate what the interior minister of Pakistan had said in public. Some sober men thought that the minister was fresh from a diplomatic party where booze flows like water and, therefore, he was not to blame for being a bit high.
However, this wild statement made on the soil of Pakistan surpassed any of the wildest shots of cowboys in the wild west in Texas. Catching a straw in the wind, P Chidambaram, home minister of India thought it was an opportune moment to grab a headline in the international newspapers. He declared from the housetops that any terrorist misadventure by Pakistan on the soil of India would be given a fitting reply. That statement sent conscientious news reporters to the major cantonments in India to see and report any large scale movement of troops. None, my dear, none, said an old hat in an old cantonment.
The BSF and the CRPF that come directly under the home minister were not aware of any orders asking them to rush to the Pakistan border post haste. Obviously, Chidambaram had made this brave statement in the Meenakshi temple town of Madurai in Tamilnadu for the consumption of vegetarian men and women in his parliamentary constituency to ginger them up and be ready for any eventuality. Chidambaram was applauded by citizens down south because he had given a fitting reply to Rahman of Pakistan( not to be mixed up with our boy back home who is busy with composing a lullaby for warring groups of Tamil parties). Indeed it was more than a befitting reply from a knight in shining armour. It was RDX poised to have the better of TNT.
The political analysts are of the opinion that a war of words is any day better than a battle of tanks or clash of missiles with nuclear war heads. Let us thank the Almighty that the peaceful citizens are safe while politicians in the home departments of India and Pakistan are pouring ink on white paper and leaving children confused and adults laughing in their sleeves.
Well, the battle between two stalwarts has just been joined in. Indeed the lawyer from South India is an intellectual whereas personal information about the challenger across the border is rather scanty. He has just made a debut on the South Asian stage when he shot himself in the foot. You see, illegal ammunition in Pakistan is in plenty and is sold like red meat at every street corner. No wonder there are so many shooting incidents that the pressmen find it hard to cover.
Let us leave the warring ministers of both the countries alone so that they have an opportunity to be cool and sort out the nagging problems for ever.
UPVAN, 609, Sector 29, Noida-201303, INDIA.
Mobile : 0091-9811173590.
Email sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
A DOUBTING THOMAS
AUM
A DOUBTING THOMAS DESTROYS SELF AND SOCIETY
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
This morning( 28 Oct 09) in Kabul, Afghanistan there were a number of bomb blasts and explosions of possibly IEDs or Improvised Explosive Devices that may be more deadly than the TNT or ordinary explosives. About 6 AM just before the crack of dawn, five or six Taliban terrorists entered a UN guest house where foreign employees of the United Nations were billeted. The guest house is located near the Presidential Palace of Hamid Karzai in a high security zone. There was a lot of gunfire of automatic weapons accompanied by explosions. Six to seven foreigners were killed on the spot and on top of that three UN employees were also done to death. In a separate incident the Taliban terrorists attacked a hotel frequented by foreigners and destroyed whatever they could lay their hands on. The sound of gunfire and explosions could be heard much after the security forces and the Afghan police had arrived on the scene.
The Taliban terrorists took the responsibility of this carnage and also said that this was just a curtain raiser of the actual play of theirs that they were staging just ten days before the run off of the presidential polls. Apparently the terrorists have the upper hand in Afghanistan and not only call the shots but can strike at will wherever and whenever they wish to. Capital city Kabul with numerous security rings is no exception. One may recall that the US forces led NATO have been in Afghanistan for eight years now and there have been many think tanks advising the local commanders how to prosecute the war. There is neither dearth of arms and ammunition nor of transport facility with the NATO forces. And yet the rag-tag local militia of Afghans is neither overawed nor deterred by the might of America. It is the US four- star general who petitions his President for a surge of forces to the tune of 40,000.The President of the United States is dithering. The Afghans may be aided and abetted by other terror groups from Pakistan, Chechnia, Palestine and so on but they have not gone public with the crying need for more militants or modern weapon system. It is a point to ponder.
WHO IS THE DOUBTING THOMAS
President George Bush had decided to intervene in the situation then obtaining in Afghanistan. The ghastly attacks on the American twin towers in New York had taken place and it dealt a massive blow to the American prestige besides causing loss of life and property. The American Intelligence gave proof that the 9/11 attack on America was planned by the Al Qaida, assisted by the Taliban, in Afghanistan by foes of America led by Osama bin-Laden. It was, therefore, decided to destroy the haven of terror so that there is no repetition of 9/11 attack. After arrival of the US forces, the terror hub shifted to Pakistan from Afghanistan and the present friends of Americans, that is Pakistan aided and abetted the dreaded foe, the Al Qaida and the Taliban. The Pakistan Army even provided a safe passage to the Al Qaida and the Taliban from the Tora-Bora caves in Afghanistan to the new haven in AFPAK borders. The difficult terrain there became a safe shelter for the Islamist terrorists. The situation is no different now. Osama roams around in those hills, dales, ravines and dry creeks as a free man. The Pakistan government accepted huge amounts of American money without delivering the goods. The main aim of Pakistan was to gain modern weapon system and money that it could use against India as it had been doing all along. Thus what commenced as a HALAL turned into a HARAM because of Pakistan’s intentions to cheat on their friend, USA. The Americans could see through the Pakistan’s game but they had no choice as they needed an Islamic country to support them in staying on in Afghanistan and Iraq. The nagging doubt about intention of Pakistan lingered on. Indeed that explains so many riders on the massive aid to Pakistan now in 2009, mainly to ensure that it is used for fighting against terror, and not for stockpiling arms and ammunition to be used against India at a later date.
DETERMINATION TO EXTERMINATE TERROR
Selection of AIM is the most important factor before going to war. Maintenance of AIM is equally important. Having done that the commanders at all levels and subsequently the troops have to plan, prepare and prosecute WAR on TERROR with determination. One need not entertain doubt about the ethics of war or about the outcome of war. Doing that at any stage after the battle has been joined is like handing over the victory to the enemy on a silver platter. The commander and his soldiers have to go on fighting with determination irrespective of the strength of the enemy or the tactics that the enemy is using. Indeed, a change in the battle plan may be effected but no one should question the very idea of waging a war on terror. This kind of question will amount to blasphemy and must not be permitted. The other day an ex-Marine Captain and now a diplomat, Hoh, resigned from service because he thought that the presence of Americans in Afghanistan was promoting terrorism instead of destroying it. He wanted his country to quit the scene. What a disastrous course of action he is suggesting at this stage?
The American public back home always pressed for termination of war. “Bring the Boys Home”, that has been the slogan. One may recall that similar slogans were raised during the Vietnam war. Doubts about American success were expressed every now and then. The US forces pulled out and the Americans lost the war. The Islamist terrorists are paying attention to propaganda so that lurking doubts in American minds forces the President of the United States to withdraw from Afghanistan. The doubting Thomas would hand over Afghanistan to Islamist terrorists and Pakistan would control them as was the case after the Soviet withdrawal.
Yogeshwar Shri Krishna,agreat leader and a patriot to his finger tips, has given the most sagacious advice to a Yodha or a warrior and a Senapati or commander-in-chief like Arjuna who was dithering from killing the enemy, in these words :
“HATO WA PRAPSYASI SWARGAM, JITWA WA BHOKSHYASE MAHIM
TASMAAD UTTISHTHA KAUNTEYA, YUDHYAY KRIT NISHCHAYAH”
Shri Krishna, a great statesman and master of statecraft advised Arjuna, the famous archer that when you join a battle, either you are slain and then your soul goes to Heaven or you win and then enjoy the fruits of victory in the form of perks and privileges offered by a State, and, therefore, arise you son of Kunti and WAGE WAR WITH DETERMINATION’.
The emphasis is on Determination – a warrior must fight and defeat the enemy. At the stage of joining a battle, one must not entertain any doubt about its legitimacy or outcome.
In Afghanistan during the last couple of years, Americans spent more time and energy about making plans to go home than on exterminating the Taliban terrorists. The Afghan war has never been considered seriously as an American war. On the other hand, the Al Qaida and the Taliban terrorists fought before and have been fighting now with determination because the Afghan war will make them or break them. Their future lies in winning the war in Afghanistan and, therefore, the terrorists have put their heart and soul in it.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303, INDIA. Mobile : 0091-9811173590.
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com. Phone – 0091-120-2454622.
A DOUBTING THOMAS DESTROYS SELF AND SOCIETY
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
This morning( 28 Oct 09) in Kabul, Afghanistan there were a number of bomb blasts and explosions of possibly IEDs or Improvised Explosive Devices that may be more deadly than the TNT or ordinary explosives. About 6 AM just before the crack of dawn, five or six Taliban terrorists entered a UN guest house where foreign employees of the United Nations were billeted. The guest house is located near the Presidential Palace of Hamid Karzai in a high security zone. There was a lot of gunfire of automatic weapons accompanied by explosions. Six to seven foreigners were killed on the spot and on top of that three UN employees were also done to death. In a separate incident the Taliban terrorists attacked a hotel frequented by foreigners and destroyed whatever they could lay their hands on. The sound of gunfire and explosions could be heard much after the security forces and the Afghan police had arrived on the scene.
The Taliban terrorists took the responsibility of this carnage and also said that this was just a curtain raiser of the actual play of theirs that they were staging just ten days before the run off of the presidential polls. Apparently the terrorists have the upper hand in Afghanistan and not only call the shots but can strike at will wherever and whenever they wish to. Capital city Kabul with numerous security rings is no exception. One may recall that the US forces led NATO have been in Afghanistan for eight years now and there have been many think tanks advising the local commanders how to prosecute the war. There is neither dearth of arms and ammunition nor of transport facility with the NATO forces. And yet the rag-tag local militia of Afghans is neither overawed nor deterred by the might of America. It is the US four- star general who petitions his President for a surge of forces to the tune of 40,000.The President of the United States is dithering. The Afghans may be aided and abetted by other terror groups from Pakistan, Chechnia, Palestine and so on but they have not gone public with the crying need for more militants or modern weapon system. It is a point to ponder.
WHO IS THE DOUBTING THOMAS
President George Bush had decided to intervene in the situation then obtaining in Afghanistan. The ghastly attacks on the American twin towers in New York had taken place and it dealt a massive blow to the American prestige besides causing loss of life and property. The American Intelligence gave proof that the 9/11 attack on America was planned by the Al Qaida, assisted by the Taliban, in Afghanistan by foes of America led by Osama bin-Laden. It was, therefore, decided to destroy the haven of terror so that there is no repetition of 9/11 attack. After arrival of the US forces, the terror hub shifted to Pakistan from Afghanistan and the present friends of Americans, that is Pakistan aided and abetted the dreaded foe, the Al Qaida and the Taliban. The Pakistan Army even provided a safe passage to the Al Qaida and the Taliban from the Tora-Bora caves in Afghanistan to the new haven in AFPAK borders. The difficult terrain there became a safe shelter for the Islamist terrorists. The situation is no different now. Osama roams around in those hills, dales, ravines and dry creeks as a free man. The Pakistan government accepted huge amounts of American money without delivering the goods. The main aim of Pakistan was to gain modern weapon system and money that it could use against India as it had been doing all along. Thus what commenced as a HALAL turned into a HARAM because of Pakistan’s intentions to cheat on their friend, USA. The Americans could see through the Pakistan’s game but they had no choice as they needed an Islamic country to support them in staying on in Afghanistan and Iraq. The nagging doubt about intention of Pakistan lingered on. Indeed that explains so many riders on the massive aid to Pakistan now in 2009, mainly to ensure that it is used for fighting against terror, and not for stockpiling arms and ammunition to be used against India at a later date.
DETERMINATION TO EXTERMINATE TERROR
Selection of AIM is the most important factor before going to war. Maintenance of AIM is equally important. Having done that the commanders at all levels and subsequently the troops have to plan, prepare and prosecute WAR on TERROR with determination. One need not entertain doubt about the ethics of war or about the outcome of war. Doing that at any stage after the battle has been joined is like handing over the victory to the enemy on a silver platter. The commander and his soldiers have to go on fighting with determination irrespective of the strength of the enemy or the tactics that the enemy is using. Indeed, a change in the battle plan may be effected but no one should question the very idea of waging a war on terror. This kind of question will amount to blasphemy and must not be permitted. The other day an ex-Marine Captain and now a diplomat, Hoh, resigned from service because he thought that the presence of Americans in Afghanistan was promoting terrorism instead of destroying it. He wanted his country to quit the scene. What a disastrous course of action he is suggesting at this stage?
The American public back home always pressed for termination of war. “Bring the Boys Home”, that has been the slogan. One may recall that similar slogans were raised during the Vietnam war. Doubts about American success were expressed every now and then. The US forces pulled out and the Americans lost the war. The Islamist terrorists are paying attention to propaganda so that lurking doubts in American minds forces the President of the United States to withdraw from Afghanistan. The doubting Thomas would hand over Afghanistan to Islamist terrorists and Pakistan would control them as was the case after the Soviet withdrawal.
Yogeshwar Shri Krishna,agreat leader and a patriot to his finger tips, has given the most sagacious advice to a Yodha or a warrior and a Senapati or commander-in-chief like Arjuna who was dithering from killing the enemy, in these words :
“HATO WA PRAPSYASI SWARGAM, JITWA WA BHOKSHYASE MAHIM
TASMAAD UTTISHTHA KAUNTEYA, YUDHYAY KRIT NISHCHAYAH”
Shri Krishna, a great statesman and master of statecraft advised Arjuna, the famous archer that when you join a battle, either you are slain and then your soul goes to Heaven or you win and then enjoy the fruits of victory in the form of perks and privileges offered by a State, and, therefore, arise you son of Kunti and WAGE WAR WITH DETERMINATION’.
The emphasis is on Determination – a warrior must fight and defeat the enemy. At the stage of joining a battle, one must not entertain any doubt about its legitimacy or outcome.
In Afghanistan during the last couple of years, Americans spent more time and energy about making plans to go home than on exterminating the Taliban terrorists. The Afghan war has never been considered seriously as an American war. On the other hand, the Al Qaida and the Taliban terrorists fought before and have been fighting now with determination because the Afghan war will make them or break them. Their future lies in winning the war in Afghanistan and, therefore, the terrorists have put their heart and soul in it.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303, INDIA. Mobile : 0091-9811173590.
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com. Phone – 0091-120-2454622.
Friday, October 23, 2009
PAKISTAN- A COUNTRY DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF
AUM
A COUNTRY DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
Pakistan is at war. It is not a declared war but everyone, one and all, both the natives and the foreigners know that a war is going on. The Pakistan Army is dead serious on eliminating the menace of terrorism. However, other citizens like teachers, bureaucrats and ordinary citizens are not convinced that the Army is serious about its business vis-a-vis terrorism. Nevertheless, in the heart and mind, a guide escorting some brave foreign tourists is convinced that this is not the best of times to see Taxila’s Buddhist university of yore or the Anarkali Bazar of Lahore today. But he has to earn his daily bread and this is the cleanest way of doing so.
WHERE IS THE ENEMY
It is an undeclared war. No unit has identified an enemy. A circular floated by General Headquarters has just arrived. It defines the enemy and asks all ranks not to have any dealings with the defined enemy. A person, male or female of any age, who challenges the concept and formation of Pakistan and is waging a war against Pakistan or is prepared to wage a war, and with this common intent assembles and organises them to go on a raid to destabilise the country, will be called an enemy of the State of Pakistan and will be brought before a court of law to stand trial. On conviction, such a person will be hanged till death. The body will be handed over to the next of kin for performance of last rites.
Who runs the government of Pakistan? It is a sensitive issue and is never discussed in an open space. In the lighter vein, one may say that three A’s run the show –America, Army and Allah –and in the same order of importance. America has loosened its purse strings and gives a soft loan to Pakistan to the tune of 1.25 billion dollars per year. He who pays the piper, dictates the tune – the age old saying is true to situation even today. Army has run the government most of the time since independence and knows the finer nuances of administration. One of the major reasons why the Pakistan army lost the 1971 war and surrendered unconditionally to India was their distaste for the devilish business of fighting and their penchant for a cushy job like governance of the country. Be that as it may, the Pakistan Army still runs the show by using remote control. There is a civil administration with a President, a Prime Minister and an elected legislature. They know their limitations and do not wish to cross the Lakshman Rekha. No one in his senses expects a powerful Army Chief like General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to take orders from a playboy President, Asif Ali Zardari. In any case, the two are not on talking terms.
Thus here is a government where the right hand does not know what the left is doing. Here is a country where the people are badly divided on sectarian lines like the Shiite, the Sunni, the Ahmediyas and what have you. The minorities like the Hindus, the Sikhs and the Christians do not matter in Pakistan. Their national flag has a white strip to represent the hapless minorities and that is the end of it. The residents of the tribal belt come under a separate administration called the FATA or Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The British in India had kept them divided so that they gain no political strength. Since Independence on 14 August 1947, the government of Pakistan made no endeavour to improve their educational, economic or political condition and they are where they were more than 62 years ago. Since no effort was made for their integration, the process of disintegration gained momentum. The tribes like Mehsuds, Waziri, Yusufzai, Tadjiks and what have you who were fiercely independent by nature gained more momentum through the barrel of the gun. The British Indian Army of the undivided India had found it difficult to control what is now called FATA through force and they bought their silence through hard cash. The situation is no better now; rather it is worse. The invisible enemy lies in wait for the regular army in the hills and dales, jungles and ravines of the unforgiving terrain of Waziristan.
WATERLOO OF FOREIGN FORCES
Alexander’s invincible phalanxes had found it difficult to hold the ground in the areas called FATA today. The mighty Mughals ruling from Delhi lost the humorist general, Raja Birbal in the process of suppressing the revolt of these tribal people. The tribal loyalties are strong and the entire tribe goes out to the rescue of an individual or a family in distress. Even Tadjiks and Waziris come to the active aid of Mehsuds, notwithstanding tribal rivalries. Of late, Pakistan had been trying hard to play one tribe against the other but had no appreciable success. With modern system of surveillance, an organised regular army has gained more strength. Baitullah Mehsud, the tribal chief and head of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan was thus killed by a missile fired from an American drone while sleeping in the open terrace with his young second wife. While making an attempt to sire a son, he lost his life. His place is now taken over by Hakimullah Mehsud who has vowed a revenge for loss of his predecessor.
As is well known to those who have been following the strategy of the Taliban and the Pakistan Army, it is the United States of America that had been pressurising the Pakistan government to make a decision to eliminate the Taliban leadership and proceed against Islamist terrorism with determination. The Americans increased the aid money to Pakistan but kept an eye on the recipients ’budgeting. It is an open secret that General Kayani is unhappy with the strings attached to the US aid and was in favour of declining to accept it. President Zardari, however, did not wish to alienate the Americans and has accepted both the aid and strings. The US pressure on Pakistan worked and in June 2009 a firm decision was taken to fight it out with a one-time brothers-in-arms, the Taliban. However, it took time to mobilise two divisions of 28000 men and deploy them in the battle zone. Thus it was not until 16 October 09 that a ground attack code named “ Rahe Nijaat”or Road of Deliverance, was launched. The air attacks by helicopter gunships and fighter jets had been going on for quite some time. The troops were needed to hold the ground snatched from the Taliban. Should the Pakistan Army make a decision to penetrate deep into the jungles or the hills and dry ravines, they will have to constantly keep an eye on the Terrain, the Weather and the attitude of non-Mehsud tribes towards the ongoing armed confrontation. The winter is not far behind and a snowfall may be expected in November-December 2009.
PROGRESS OF BATTLE
Let us admit right at the beginning that there is no transparency in the battle procedure and progress of battle. The whole process is opaque. The press briefing by the PRO confuses the scribes more and removes doubts less. Whatever little information comes out of the battle zone is rather scanty and paints only the army in good light. The Taliban is shown as the losing force. However, the press corps knows that had the Army been so efficient and powerful, the Taliban would have been exterminated long ago. But they are still alive and kicking. The government spokesman says that only 17 soldiers lost their life but more than 90 Taliban were killed in a fierce fire fight. Anyway, the media has no means of checking the truth or otherwise of this report.
Some refugees who came out of the dense jungles and ravines did mention that most of the residential areas have been vacated by the local tribesmen. At the same time they did not confirm any large scale movement of army officers and soldiers on footpaths or cart roads leading into the ravines and broken terrain. One may safely surmise that the fierce hand to hand battle between the army men and the tribesmen has not yet begun. It may be mentioned that in 2004 and twice thereafter the Pakistan army had closed in on the tribal people but they were beaten back by the tribal fighters. The Army Headquarters was forced to negotiate and propitiate the tribal fighters every time. Naturally, the Pakistan army officers and soldiers did not cover themselves with glory in these face offs. No wonder, the Army is still testing the waters before taking a plunge. The million dollar question is; how long?
Since the Wajiristan warfront is getting more and more opaque, we have little choice but to sign off for now. We promise to return when there is some worthwhile report to bring to our readers who are real connoisseurs of news and views.
UPVAN, 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303, INDIA. Mobile 0091-9811173590.
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com Phone ; 0091-120-2454622.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
SECOND RUNOFF INAFGHANISTAN
AUM
WHO WILL RUN AFGHANISTAN NOW
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
Hamid Karzai should not discharge the duties of president of Afghanistan, say some constitutional experts. His term of office is over. For a second term,he is not qualified in the polling of votes in August 09. Although he had polled 54 percent but some boots had reported fraudulent polling and counting. When nearly one-third of the votes polled by Karzai were declared bogus, Karzai could not claim to succeed himself for a second term. Of course, he has complained that what was his legally has now been stolen away from him. But the UN backed election commission found enough evidence to discredit polling in several booths in the southern Afghanistan.
Who will govern Afghanistan now? There is a consensus building for a coalition and power sharing between the candidate who polled the highest number of votes on 20 August and the runners up. In other words Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah would jointly govern Afghanistan until a second run off in the spring of 2010. A second round of election for presidentship is not possible now as the winter sets in and heavy snowfall would block passage. In the war ravaged country an election before a thaw may prove to be a disaster.
One may recall that in the August 09 election the Taliban had killed some afghans who went to vote. In some cases fingers of those who had voted were cut off. In winter, the law and order will be hard to enforce. The constitutional experts say that hamid Karzai must not be allowed to continue as president as it would demoralise the opposition parties and weaken the fight against the Taliban terrorists. Therefore, an honourable solution in accordance with the will of people is to let Karzai and Abdullah share power and provide a clean government to people until Afghanistan goes to polls to elect a new president. The electoral battle would be fought between karzai and Abdullah and looking at the trends it can be safely surmised that Hamid karzai would receive 21 gun salute when he is sworn in as the President of Afghanistan for a second term.
WHO WILL RUN AFGHANISTAN NOW
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
Hamid Karzai should not discharge the duties of president of Afghanistan, say some constitutional experts. His term of office is over. For a second term,he is not qualified in the polling of votes in August 09. Although he had polled 54 percent but some boots had reported fraudulent polling and counting. When nearly one-third of the votes polled by Karzai were declared bogus, Karzai could not claim to succeed himself for a second term. Of course, he has complained that what was his legally has now been stolen away from him. But the UN backed election commission found enough evidence to discredit polling in several booths in the southern Afghanistan.
Who will govern Afghanistan now? There is a consensus building for a coalition and power sharing between the candidate who polled the highest number of votes on 20 August and the runners up. In other words Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah would jointly govern Afghanistan until a second run off in the spring of 2010. A second round of election for presidentship is not possible now as the winter sets in and heavy snowfall would block passage. In the war ravaged country an election before a thaw may prove to be a disaster.
One may recall that in the August 09 election the Taliban had killed some afghans who went to vote. In some cases fingers of those who had voted were cut off. In winter, the law and order will be hard to enforce. The constitutional experts say that hamid Karzai must not be allowed to continue as president as it would demoralise the opposition parties and weaken the fight against the Taliban terrorists. Therefore, an honourable solution in accordance with the will of people is to let Karzai and Abdullah share power and provide a clean government to people until Afghanistan goes to polls to elect a new president. The electoral battle would be fought between karzai and Abdullah and looking at the trends it can be safely surmised that Hamid karzai would receive 21 gun salute when he is sworn in as the President of Afghanistan for a second term.
DEFEAT OR VICTORY IN WAZIRISTAN
AUM
WAZIRISTAN WAR : DEFEAT AND VICTORY
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The Waziristan war has reached a virtual stalemate so soon. The Pakistan Army is neither winning nor losing. Many a doubting Thomas surmises that the officers and soldiers are not going full steam ahead because they treat the Taliban terrorists as their kith and kin. I must hasten to add that this is one view of the battle scenario. The other view is that the Army is fighting its battles professionally and while they are killing the tribesmen, they are saving their own comrades-in-arms and pulling them out of the jaws of death. In any case the military situation is not clear to scribes too. The rumour mill is working overtime because not much news is doled out in official press briefings. Will someone from the fourth estate please impress upon the Army spokesman that the Media – both print and electronic-is a force multiplier. Embrace them and shun them not.
The reports trickling from the battle front mention that the Army is using heavy gunships to pound the tribal terrorists from the sky, and also use light tanks in the frontal attack on the plain and smooth ground. There is no hitting below the belt unlike what Pakistan had done in the Kargil war. The battle is a kind of modern Mahabharat where the righteous have to kill the wayward ones to uphold the DHARMA – the sacred duty to the State. The Army is tasked to do that against the Taliban. Not doing so will be ADHARMA.
NO WIN-WIN SITUATION
In the plains and later in the rugged hills or jungles of Waziristan an outright win is next to impossible. One knows that the Army has big guns and can effectively neutralise long distance targets. What will they do thereafter? It is holding the ground by the infantry or the Special Forces where the problem comes. The local tribesmen who have resolutely refused to support the central forces or provide a back-up to the Army will start harassing soldiers and not let them plan anything anytime. It was a similar situation in the 19th century during the Anglo-Afghan wars. The Soviets in 1980s fared no better. The tanks then and the heavy tanks now will do no better facing anti-tank rockets or rifle propelled grenades. Seeing a burning tank with the crew inside is very demoralising for regular army soldiers.
General Winter will soon usher in his forces to browbeat the army sepoys who are mostly from the plains of the Punjab. The snowfall in Waziristan is a phenomenon not witnessed by an average Punjabi from Lahore or Multan and he is likely to get unnerved. Assessing the terrible winter situation, the Pakistan Army is racing against time. The present fight to finish must be really finished before the first fall of snow. The military historians may recall the sad plight of the Napoleonic army in Moscow and that of the German soldiers in Stalingrad after the heavy snowfall in severe winter. The battle hardened French and German soldiers could not take it then, will the Pakistan army sepoys be able to bear it now? The generals from Pakistan’s Punjab see no light at the end of the tunnel in Waziristan.
Unable to face the heavy weapon system and terrible fire power of an organised Army, the Taliban terrorists will melt away and merge into the common crowd as they did in Afghanistan in 2001. But they will resurface and bring down harassing fire on soldiers every now and then, be it bath time or meal time or time to enjoy forty winks of post-lunch siesta. No rest, no relaxation and no peace of mind for soldiers who will suffer from battle fatigue and Taliban will tire them out paving the path of their exit from the battle zone. The writing is on the wall. It is for the Pakistan army Generals to read it.
The Pakistan government may (not -will) win the limited war but they are bound to lose the unlimited peace. As it is the people of the tribal areas of Pakistan feel alienated from the people of Pakistan and a shooting war will make matters worse. Residents of FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) feel that they are second class citizens of Pakistan. No serious effort was ever made by the govt in Islamabad to emotionally integrate them with the rest of Pakistan. Now a military action will further alienate them. If the army is asked to launch a campaign to win the hearts and minds of the Mehsud tribe of South Waziristan, in 4 cases out of five it may end up in a fiasco.
As the war in South Waziristan prolongs the eternal anti-army factors – cold weather, rugged terrain and emotionally hostile local tribesmen – will come into play. The army generals and the Taliban terrorists will perhaps have no alternative but to sit at a round table and negotiate peace leading to possibly a second dismemberment of Pakistan.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303. INDIA. 0091-9811173590.
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com upvanom@yahoo.com
WAZIRISTAN WAR : DEFEAT AND VICTORY
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The Waziristan war has reached a virtual stalemate so soon. The Pakistan Army is neither winning nor losing. Many a doubting Thomas surmises that the officers and soldiers are not going full steam ahead because they treat the Taliban terrorists as their kith and kin. I must hasten to add that this is one view of the battle scenario. The other view is that the Army is fighting its battles professionally and while they are killing the tribesmen, they are saving their own comrades-in-arms and pulling them out of the jaws of death. In any case the military situation is not clear to scribes too. The rumour mill is working overtime because not much news is doled out in official press briefings. Will someone from the fourth estate please impress upon the Army spokesman that the Media – both print and electronic-is a force multiplier. Embrace them and shun them not.
The reports trickling from the battle front mention that the Army is using heavy gunships to pound the tribal terrorists from the sky, and also use light tanks in the frontal attack on the plain and smooth ground. There is no hitting below the belt unlike what Pakistan had done in the Kargil war. The battle is a kind of modern Mahabharat where the righteous have to kill the wayward ones to uphold the DHARMA – the sacred duty to the State. The Army is tasked to do that against the Taliban. Not doing so will be ADHARMA.
NO WIN-WIN SITUATION
In the plains and later in the rugged hills or jungles of Waziristan an outright win is next to impossible. One knows that the Army has big guns and can effectively neutralise long distance targets. What will they do thereafter? It is holding the ground by the infantry or the Special Forces where the problem comes. The local tribesmen who have resolutely refused to support the central forces or provide a back-up to the Army will start harassing soldiers and not let them plan anything anytime. It was a similar situation in the 19th century during the Anglo-Afghan wars. The Soviets in 1980s fared no better. The tanks then and the heavy tanks now will do no better facing anti-tank rockets or rifle propelled grenades. Seeing a burning tank with the crew inside is very demoralising for regular army soldiers.
General Winter will soon usher in his forces to browbeat the army sepoys who are mostly from the plains of the Punjab. The snowfall in Waziristan is a phenomenon not witnessed by an average Punjabi from Lahore or Multan and he is likely to get unnerved. Assessing the terrible winter situation, the Pakistan Army is racing against time. The present fight to finish must be really finished before the first fall of snow. The military historians may recall the sad plight of the Napoleonic army in Moscow and that of the German soldiers in Stalingrad after the heavy snowfall in severe winter. The battle hardened French and German soldiers could not take it then, will the Pakistan army sepoys be able to bear it now? The generals from Pakistan’s Punjab see no light at the end of the tunnel in Waziristan.
Unable to face the heavy weapon system and terrible fire power of an organised Army, the Taliban terrorists will melt away and merge into the common crowd as they did in Afghanistan in 2001. But they will resurface and bring down harassing fire on soldiers every now and then, be it bath time or meal time or time to enjoy forty winks of post-lunch siesta. No rest, no relaxation and no peace of mind for soldiers who will suffer from battle fatigue and Taliban will tire them out paving the path of their exit from the battle zone. The writing is on the wall. It is for the Pakistan army Generals to read it.
The Pakistan government may (not -will) win the limited war but they are bound to lose the unlimited peace. As it is the people of the tribal areas of Pakistan feel alienated from the people of Pakistan and a shooting war will make matters worse. Residents of FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) feel that they are second class citizens of Pakistan. No serious effort was ever made by the govt in Islamabad to emotionally integrate them with the rest of Pakistan. Now a military action will further alienate them. If the army is asked to launch a campaign to win the hearts and minds of the Mehsud tribe of South Waziristan, in 4 cases out of five it may end up in a fiasco.
As the war in South Waziristan prolongs the eternal anti-army factors – cold weather, rugged terrain and emotionally hostile local tribesmen – will come into play. The army generals and the Taliban terrorists will perhaps have no alternative but to sit at a round table and negotiate peace leading to possibly a second dismemberment of Pakistan.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303. INDIA. 0091-9811173590.
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com upvanom@yahoo.com
Monday, October 19, 2009
WAZIRISTAN WAR : VICTORY OR DEFEAT
AUM
WAZIRISTAN WAR : DEFEAT AND VICTORY
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The Waziristan war has reached a virtual stalemate so soon. The Pakistan Army is neither winning nor losing. Many a doubting Thomas surmises that the officers and soldiers are not going full steam ahead because they treat the Taliban terrorists as their kith and kin. I must hasten to add that this is one view of the battle scenario. The other view is that the Army is fighting its battles professionally and while they are killing the tribesmen, they are saving their own comrades-in-arms and pulling them out of the jaws of death. In any case the military situation is not clear to scribes too. The rumour mill is working overtime because not much news is doled out in official press briefings. Will someone from the fourth estate please impress upon the Army spokesman that the Media – both print and electronic-is a force multiplier. Embrace them and shun them not.
The reports trickling from the battle front mention that the Army is using heavy gunships to pound the tribal terrorists from the sky, and also use light tanks in the frontal attack on the plain and smooth ground. There is no hitting below the belt unlike what Pakistan had done in the Kargil war. The battle is a kind of modern Mahabharat where the righteous have to kill the wayward ones to uphold the DHARMA – the sacred duty to the State. The Army is tasked to do that against the Taliban. Not doing so will be ADHARMA.
NO WIN-WIN SITUATION
In the plains and later in the rugged hills or jungles of Waziristan an outright win is next to impossible. One knows that the Army has big guns and can effectively neutralise long distance targets. What will they do thereafter? It is holding the ground by the infantry or the Special Forces where the problem comes. The local tribesmen who have resolutely refused to support the central forces or provide a back-up to the Army will start harassing soldiers and not let them plan anything anytime. It was a similar situation in the 19th century during the Anglo-Afghan wars. The Soviets in 1980s fared no better. The tanks then and the heavy tanks now will do no better facing anti-tank rockets or rifle propelled grenades. Seeing a burning tank with the crew inside is very demoralising for regular army soldiers.
General Winter will soon usher in his forces to browbeat the army sepoys who are mostly from the plains of the Punjab. The snowfall in Waziristan is a phenomenon not witnessed by an average Punjabi from Lahore or Multan and he is likely to get unnerved. Assessing the terrible winter situation, the Pakistan Army is racing against time. The present fight to finish must be really finished before the first fall of snow. The military historians may recall the sad plight of the Napoleonic army in Moscow and that of the German soldiers in Stalingrad after the heavy snowfall in severe winter. The battle hardened French and German soldiers could not take it then, will the Pakistan army sepoys be able to bear it now? The generals from Pakistan’s Punjab see no light at the end of the tunnel in Waziristan.
Unable to face the heavy weapon system and terrible fire power of an organised Army, the Taliban terrorists will melt away and merge into the common crowd as they did in Afghanistan in 2001. But they will resurface and bring down harassing fire on soldiers every now and then, be it bath time or meal time or time to enjoy forty winks of post-lunch siesta. No rest, no relaxation and no peace of mind for soldiers who will suffer from battle fatigue and Taliban will tire them out paving the path of their exit from the battle zone. The writing is on the wall. It is for the Pakistan army Generals to read it.
The Pakistan government may (not -will) win the limited war but they are bound to lose the unlimited peace. As it is the people of the tribal areas of Pakistan feel alienated from the people of Pakistan and a shooting war will make matters worse. Residents of FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) feel that they are second class citizens of Pakistan. No serious effort was ever made by the govt in Islamabad to emotionally integrate them with the rest of Pakistan. Now a military action will further alienate them. If the army is asked to launch a campaign to win the hearts and minds of the Mehsud tribe of South Waziristan, in 4 cases out of five it may end up in a fiasco.
As the war in South Waziristan prolongs the eternal anti-army factors – cold weather, rugged terrain and emotionally hostile local tribesmen – will come into play. The army generals and the Taliban terrorists will perhaps have no alternative but to sit at a round table and negotiate peace leading to possibly a second dismemberment of Pakistan.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303. INDIA. 0091-9811173590.
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com upvanom@yahoo.com
WAZIRISTAN WAR : DEFEAT AND VICTORY
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The Waziristan war has reached a virtual stalemate so soon. The Pakistan Army is neither winning nor losing. Many a doubting Thomas surmises that the officers and soldiers are not going full steam ahead because they treat the Taliban terrorists as their kith and kin. I must hasten to add that this is one view of the battle scenario. The other view is that the Army is fighting its battles professionally and while they are killing the tribesmen, they are saving their own comrades-in-arms and pulling them out of the jaws of death. In any case the military situation is not clear to scribes too. The rumour mill is working overtime because not much news is doled out in official press briefings. Will someone from the fourth estate please impress upon the Army spokesman that the Media – both print and electronic-is a force multiplier. Embrace them and shun them not.
The reports trickling from the battle front mention that the Army is using heavy gunships to pound the tribal terrorists from the sky, and also use light tanks in the frontal attack on the plain and smooth ground. There is no hitting below the belt unlike what Pakistan had done in the Kargil war. The battle is a kind of modern Mahabharat where the righteous have to kill the wayward ones to uphold the DHARMA – the sacred duty to the State. The Army is tasked to do that against the Taliban. Not doing so will be ADHARMA.
NO WIN-WIN SITUATION
In the plains and later in the rugged hills or jungles of Waziristan an outright win is next to impossible. One knows that the Army has big guns and can effectively neutralise long distance targets. What will they do thereafter? It is holding the ground by the infantry or the Special Forces where the problem comes. The local tribesmen who have resolutely refused to support the central forces or provide a back-up to the Army will start harassing soldiers and not let them plan anything anytime. It was a similar situation in the 19th century during the Anglo-Afghan wars. The Soviets in 1980s fared no better. The tanks then and the heavy tanks now will do no better facing anti-tank rockets or rifle propelled grenades. Seeing a burning tank with the crew inside is very demoralising for regular army soldiers.
General Winter will soon usher in his forces to browbeat the army sepoys who are mostly from the plains of the Punjab. The snowfall in Waziristan is a phenomenon not witnessed by an average Punjabi from Lahore or Multan and he is likely to get unnerved. Assessing the terrible winter situation, the Pakistan Army is racing against time. The present fight to finish must be really finished before the first fall of snow. The military historians may recall the sad plight of the Napoleonic army in Moscow and that of the German soldiers in Stalingrad after the heavy snowfall in severe winter. The battle hardened French and German soldiers could not take it then, will the Pakistan army sepoys be able to bear it now? The generals from Pakistan’s Punjab see no light at the end of the tunnel in Waziristan.
Unable to face the heavy weapon system and terrible fire power of an organised Army, the Taliban terrorists will melt away and merge into the common crowd as they did in Afghanistan in 2001. But they will resurface and bring down harassing fire on soldiers every now and then, be it bath time or meal time or time to enjoy forty winks of post-lunch siesta. No rest, no relaxation and no peace of mind for soldiers who will suffer from battle fatigue and Taliban will tire them out paving the path of their exit from the battle zone. The writing is on the wall. It is for the Pakistan army Generals to read it.
The Pakistan government may (not -will) win the limited war but they are bound to lose the unlimited peace. As it is the people of the tribal areas of Pakistan feel alienated from the people of Pakistan and a shooting war will make matters worse. Residents of FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) feel that they are second class citizens of Pakistan. No serious effort was ever made by the govt in Islamabad to emotionally integrate them with the rest of Pakistan. Now a military action will further alienate them. If the army is asked to launch a campaign to win the hearts and minds of the Mehsud tribe of South Waziristan, in 4 cases out of five it may end up in a fiasco.
As the war in South Waziristan prolongs the eternal anti-army factors – cold weather, rugged terrain and emotionally hostile local tribesmen – will come into play. The army generals and the Taliban terrorists will perhaps have no alternative but to sit at a round table and negotiate peace leading to possibly a second dismemberment of Pakistan.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303. INDIA. 0091-9811173590.
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com upvanom@yahoo.com
PAKISTAN WAGING WAR - PHONEY OR REAL
AUM
WAR IN WAZIRISTAN IN LAST TWO DAYS
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
It is the fag end of the battle on the second day in South Waziristan. The Pakistan Army wishes to show to the world that it had the better of the Taliban terrorists. On the other hand the Taliban terrorists are equally keen to exhibit their political prowess and military acumen by pinning down the leading elements of the advancing troops. At the end of the first forty eight hours, there is not much to show on the report card. The Army claims it killed 60 terrorists but does not show any dead bodies of the terrorists. The Army says it lost five soldiers but no body bags have been sent to the native places of the deceased. It is hard to believe that there is Truth in the Army's claim.
Truth is always a casualty in battle. In any case this is not the first time that the credibility of the Pakistan Army has taken a beating.
An independent military analyst will take with a pinch of salt the claim of the army top brass that eliminating the bad Taliban from South Waziristan has all ingredients of a successful military operation. Let us concede the point that a large body of troops, 28,000, is on the offensive and the general officer commanding XI Corps based in Peshawar, Lieut General Masud Alam has been put in command to plan and execute the battles. The army has an experience of combat against terrorists in Bajaur and Swat valley and their weapons, including heavy artillery, are modern; the fire power is effective and demoralising for the enemy. However, the most important factor not to be lost sight of is the fiercely independent spirit of tribesmen of South Waziristan. Right from the days of Alexander no outsider has succeeded in subjugating them after a win in battle. To the tribesmen of the area, the Pakistan Army is not only an outsider, being from the Punjab, but comprises infidels as they are lackeys of America.
Morale is to physical as ten to one; an axiom of the army all over the world. The morale of the terrorists is high as the Mullahs in the mosques exhort them day in and day out to defeat the army soldiers who are servants of an infidel state named the United States. The average soldier is also given lectures in morale but he is not convinced in his mind that the cause he is fighting for is Islamic and will take him to the heaven on attaining martyrdom. No wonder on the three occasions in the past that the army went into action in Waziristan, it lost men and material and per force had to retreat. Generals at higher levels were forced to sit at the negotiating table with the Taliban adversary who are not terrorists in the eye of even some army sympathisers.
Considering these important factors cited above, one will have to take the claims of serious fighting and victory of the army against the Taliban with a pinch of salt. No wonder the foreign news agencies writing about claims of killing terrorists in battle also write that there was no way to confirm the claim. Time alone will tell what is true and what is false. Will the Army run over South Waziristan or will the combine of tribesmen and terrorists vanquish the army that is fighting half-heartedly.
____________________________________________________________________________
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
WAR IN WAZIRISTAN IN LAST TWO DAYS
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
It is the fag end of the battle on the second day in South Waziristan. The Pakistan Army wishes to show to the world that it had the better of the Taliban terrorists. On the other hand the Taliban terrorists are equally keen to exhibit their political prowess and military acumen by pinning down the leading elements of the advancing troops. At the end of the first forty eight hours, there is not much to show on the report card. The Army claims it killed 60 terrorists but does not show any dead bodies of the terrorists. The Army says it lost five soldiers but no body bags have been sent to the native places of the deceased. It is hard to believe that there is Truth in the Army's claim.
Truth is always a casualty in battle. In any case this is not the first time that the credibility of the Pakistan Army has taken a beating.
An independent military analyst will take with a pinch of salt the claim of the army top brass that eliminating the bad Taliban from South Waziristan has all ingredients of a successful military operation. Let us concede the point that a large body of troops, 28,000, is on the offensive and the general officer commanding XI Corps based in Peshawar, Lieut General Masud Alam has been put in command to plan and execute the battles. The army has an experience of combat against terrorists in Bajaur and Swat valley and their weapons, including heavy artillery, are modern; the fire power is effective and demoralising for the enemy. However, the most important factor not to be lost sight of is the fiercely independent spirit of tribesmen of South Waziristan. Right from the days of Alexander no outsider has succeeded in subjugating them after a win in battle. To the tribesmen of the area, the Pakistan Army is not only an outsider, being from the Punjab, but comprises infidels as they are lackeys of America.
Morale is to physical as ten to one; an axiom of the army all over the world. The morale of the terrorists is high as the Mullahs in the mosques exhort them day in and day out to defeat the army soldiers who are servants of an infidel state named the United States. The average soldier is also given lectures in morale but he is not convinced in his mind that the cause he is fighting for is Islamic and will take him to the heaven on attaining martyrdom. No wonder on the three occasions in the past that the army went into action in Waziristan, it lost men and material and per force had to retreat. Generals at higher levels were forced to sit at the negotiating table with the Taliban adversary who are not terrorists in the eye of even some army sympathisers.
Considering these important factors cited above, one will have to take the claims of serious fighting and victory of the army against the Taliban with a pinch of salt. No wonder the foreign news agencies writing about claims of killing terrorists in battle also write that there was no way to confirm the claim. Time alone will tell what is true and what is false. Will the Army run over South Waziristan or will the combine of tribesmen and terrorists vanquish the army that is fighting half-heartedly.
____________________________________________________________________________
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
Sunday, October 18, 2009
FRONTAL ATTACK ON TALIBAN BY ARMY
AUM
Pakistan Army Attacks Taliban
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
THE DOOMS day for the Taliban terrorists in South Waziristan in Pakistan arrived on 16 October, 2009 when the Pakistan Army launched a full scale attack from the air and on the ground. When the reports last came in, a fierce fire fight was going on. Under orders of the Army Chief, General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani 28,000 troops were mobilised and a massive attack launched. The helicopter gunships pounded the Taliban positions from the air and destroyed their training camps.
It is a fight to finish, said an Army spokesman who declined to be identified. The point of no return for the Army came when the Taliban laid a seize to the general Headquarters of the Army in Rawalpindi and killed some senior officers including a brigadier and a colonel. Moreover, for more than a week the Taliban terrorists mounted attacks on the security forces and police outfits killing and maiming many to prove to the Pakistan civilian population that the Taliban was in control and not the army or the civil administration. Enough was enough, said the Army and launched a massive hunt for the Taliban in their citadel, South Waziristan.
The new Taliban chief,Hakimullah said that the taliban would not take the assault lying down. A fitting response will be given to the Army. it may be mentioned that the Taliban terrorists have quite a few sympathisers in the Army and the Administration. Further , there are dissensions between the army and the civil administration. It is public knowledge that the Army did not allow the Interior Minister to enter the GHQ to lay a wreath on the martyrs memorial on behalf of the president of pakistan. The point proved was that the Army is supreme in its own domain.
In South Waziristan the civilian population is leaving its home and hearth and fleeing to safer areas. More than 2 million families are likely to be displaced. Many of them have arrived in dera Ismail Khan. The situation is quite chaotic.
The Razmak base of the Army saw a road side bomb burst and killing 4 soldiers and injuring 11 of them. The number of Taliban terrorists killed in air and ground attack has touched double digits.
The Pakistan Army was left with little option but to take a hard line and do what it should have done long ago. The dilly dallying of the generals and terror sympathisers cost many lives of their compatriots. A statement of the Army Chief that the Taliban would fight shoulder to shoulder with the Pak army against India and protect Pakistan's flank had emboldened the taliban. What the army had sown it is reaping. Anyway, an attack now is better than no attack at all on the terroists.
Pakistan Army Attacks Taliban
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
THE DOOMS day for the Taliban terrorists in South Waziristan in Pakistan arrived on 16 October, 2009 when the Pakistan Army launched a full scale attack from the air and on the ground. When the reports last came in, a fierce fire fight was going on. Under orders of the Army Chief, General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani 28,000 troops were mobilised and a massive attack launched. The helicopter gunships pounded the Taliban positions from the air and destroyed their training camps.
It is a fight to finish, said an Army spokesman who declined to be identified. The point of no return for the Army came when the Taliban laid a seize to the general Headquarters of the Army in Rawalpindi and killed some senior officers including a brigadier and a colonel. Moreover, for more than a week the Taliban terrorists mounted attacks on the security forces and police outfits killing and maiming many to prove to the Pakistan civilian population that the Taliban was in control and not the army or the civil administration. Enough was enough, said the Army and launched a massive hunt for the Taliban in their citadel, South Waziristan.
The new Taliban chief,Hakimullah said that the taliban would not take the assault lying down. A fitting response will be given to the Army. it may be mentioned that the Taliban terrorists have quite a few sympathisers in the Army and the Administration. Further , there are dissensions between the army and the civil administration. It is public knowledge that the Army did not allow the Interior Minister to enter the GHQ to lay a wreath on the martyrs memorial on behalf of the president of pakistan. The point proved was that the Army is supreme in its own domain.
In South Waziristan the civilian population is leaving its home and hearth and fleeing to safer areas. More than 2 million families are likely to be displaced. Many of them have arrived in dera Ismail Khan. The situation is quite chaotic.
The Razmak base of the Army saw a road side bomb burst and killing 4 soldiers and injuring 11 of them. The number of Taliban terrorists killed in air and ground attack has touched double digits.
The Pakistan Army was left with little option but to take a hard line and do what it should have done long ago. The dilly dallying of the generals and terror sympathisers cost many lives of their compatriots. A statement of the Army Chief that the Taliban would fight shoulder to shoulder with the Pak army against India and protect Pakistan's flank had emboldened the taliban. What the army had sown it is reaping. Anyway, an attack now is better than no attack at all on the terroists.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
NEW RAILWAYS NEW DIPLOMACY
AUM
NEW RAILWAYS NEW GAME
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The name of the game is: open new railways and play new game of diplomacy. Diplomacy is the art of the impossible. A diplomat never clogs his line of communication even with the bitterest of the enemies because there is always a kind of hope of getting information that might help the home country in winning the cold war. Railways in India and elsewhere in the world have been a good means of communication. Espionage and pumping of fake currency in the adversary’s country are aims plus of running new railways. Now a piece of news emanating from Nepal has unnerved some greenhorn diplomats, albeit there is nothing to worry about.
The government of Nepal has requested the government of the People’s Republic of China to extend the Beijing-Lhasa railway line to Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. Nothing wrong with that request nor with the response that is likely to be a positive one. China might launch another adventurous project of building the new railway line from Lhasa, capital of Tibet to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The railway engineers will be adequately employed and their skills will be tested day in and day out in that rugged Himalayan terrain where the crust of earth is yet to settle down. No wonder there are landslides every now and then. This valuable experience will help the Chinese engineers in advising military engineers if the PLA has to fight a war in that inhospitable region.
SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS
There has been a flurry of intellectual activity in the strategic study circles to assess the impact of this project on the future military planning. Will the new railway line bring the People’s Liberation Army(PLA) of China too close to be comfortable. A cool headed assessment will reassure the panicky fellows that there is nothing to be afraid of. If the Chinese forces come to Kathmandu, so what? Aren’t they so close to the Indian Army troops across the Nathula pass in Sikkim? Aren’t they so close to the Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh at the Bumla pass? Rest assured, heavens won’t fall if the Beijing-Lhasa railway line is extended to Kathmandu. It may benefit Nepal economically and we Indians, as neighbours of Nepal, should be happy about it.
A STUDENT OF HISTORY WILL BE REMINDED OF ANOTHER SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEF ABOUT A NEW RAILWAY LINE BEING LAID CLOSE TO THE Red Fort in New Delhi. King Bahadur Shah Zafar, a pensioner of the East India Company represented to the Company Bahadur that the railway line running so close to the Red Fort and palaces inside may induce miscarriage among the pregnant queens. He was assured that the new railway line would bring joy and not sorrow to one and all.
The Red Indians of America had also opposed laying of new railway lines through their reservations but eventually were convinced that the new fangled thing is an instrument of economic progress.
One may recall that the very first railway line laid and used to run a train was from Bori Bunder in Bombay (now Mumbai) to Thane, a princely distance of 34 kilometers. On April 16, 1853 as many as 14 carriages pulled by three locomotives had carried 400 guests. A 21 gun salute was given to the train and the Governor’s band was in attendance. No superstitious beliefs plagued the people and the journey was a grand success.
One should take the Chinese effort in helping Nepal with the same smoothness as the Marathas took the inaugural run of the Bori Bunder-Thane railway. A step forward in any direction means progress for the Mankind. Peace brings prosperity in the region. Where prosperity prevails, poverty retreats and fades into the pages of history. A prosperous country hates to go to war with a neighbouring country because a war spells economic disaster for all concerned. Let us hope and trust that the new railway line, as and when made operational, will bring an economic boom to our kith and kin in Nepal.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA-201303, INDIA. Mobile : 0091-9811173590.
Email : upvanom@yahoo.com
NEW RAILWAYS NEW GAME
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The name of the game is: open new railways and play new game of diplomacy. Diplomacy is the art of the impossible. A diplomat never clogs his line of communication even with the bitterest of the enemies because there is always a kind of hope of getting information that might help the home country in winning the cold war. Railways in India and elsewhere in the world have been a good means of communication. Espionage and pumping of fake currency in the adversary’s country are aims plus of running new railways. Now a piece of news emanating from Nepal has unnerved some greenhorn diplomats, albeit there is nothing to worry about.
The government of Nepal has requested the government of the People’s Republic of China to extend the Beijing-Lhasa railway line to Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. Nothing wrong with that request nor with the response that is likely to be a positive one. China might launch another adventurous project of building the new railway line from Lhasa, capital of Tibet to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The railway engineers will be adequately employed and their skills will be tested day in and day out in that rugged Himalayan terrain where the crust of earth is yet to settle down. No wonder there are landslides every now and then. This valuable experience will help the Chinese engineers in advising military engineers if the PLA has to fight a war in that inhospitable region.
SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS
There has been a flurry of intellectual activity in the strategic study circles to assess the impact of this project on the future military planning. Will the new railway line bring the People’s Liberation Army(PLA) of China too close to be comfortable. A cool headed assessment will reassure the panicky fellows that there is nothing to be afraid of. If the Chinese forces come to Kathmandu, so what? Aren’t they so close to the Indian Army troops across the Nathula pass in Sikkim? Aren’t they so close to the Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh at the Bumla pass? Rest assured, heavens won’t fall if the Beijing-Lhasa railway line is extended to Kathmandu. It may benefit Nepal economically and we Indians, as neighbours of Nepal, should be happy about it.
A STUDENT OF HISTORY WILL BE REMINDED OF ANOTHER SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEF ABOUT A NEW RAILWAY LINE BEING LAID CLOSE TO THE Red Fort in New Delhi. King Bahadur Shah Zafar, a pensioner of the East India Company represented to the Company Bahadur that the railway line running so close to the Red Fort and palaces inside may induce miscarriage among the pregnant queens. He was assured that the new railway line would bring joy and not sorrow to one and all.
The Red Indians of America had also opposed laying of new railway lines through their reservations but eventually were convinced that the new fangled thing is an instrument of economic progress.
One may recall that the very first railway line laid and used to run a train was from Bori Bunder in Bombay (now Mumbai) to Thane, a princely distance of 34 kilometers. On April 16, 1853 as many as 14 carriages pulled by three locomotives had carried 400 guests. A 21 gun salute was given to the train and the Governor’s band was in attendance. No superstitious beliefs plagued the people and the journey was a grand success.
One should take the Chinese effort in helping Nepal with the same smoothness as the Marathas took the inaugural run of the Bori Bunder-Thane railway. A step forward in any direction means progress for the Mankind. Peace brings prosperity in the region. Where prosperity prevails, poverty retreats and fades into the pages of history. A prosperous country hates to go to war with a neighbouring country because a war spells economic disaster for all concerned. Let us hope and trust that the new railway line, as and when made operational, will bring an economic boom to our kith and kin in Nepal.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA-201303, INDIA. Mobile : 0091-9811173590.
Email : upvanom@yahoo.com
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
DESPERATE FOR DIRTY BOMB
AUM
DESPERATE FOR THE DIRTY BOMB
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The dirty bomb is being desperately sought for by the Al Qaida to destroy the civilised world. The civilised world is desperately keeping the nuclear weapon system out of the reach of the Islamic terror groups. A decade and a half ago Osama bin-Laden was prepared to pay 1.5 billion US dollars to acquire enriched uranium but could not find a reliable seller not dealing in spurious goods. Meanwhile Pakistan made the bomb but the American control was so tight that nuclear proliferation to Osama and his tribe was not feasible. Thanks to AQ Khan of Pakistan nuclear arsenal, some nuclear proliferation did take place and some third world countries were the beneficiaries.
The Islamic terror groups per force changed their strategy for spreading their tentacles. Now they cast their net far and wide to catch big and important fish that would be helpful in acquiring the dirty bomb. The desperation for the dirty bomb grew more and more as the terror leaders wanted it as a weapon for brow beating the western world and cause mass destruction. The theory and practice of the suicide bombing in crowded places and government posts and buildings proved effective for a limited period and purpose only. Tactically it was fine but strategically speaking, they needed something that would give spectacular results and shock the civilised world into stunning stupor leading to mental paralysis. The nuclear weapon system, especially the bomb would ideally fit into the new scenario. A committed group of specialised scientists converted to the philosophy of terror was needed by Al Qaeda to put this ideology into practice.
PATH TO PROSPERITY
A team of top notch scientists, doctors, engineers and intellectuals who would wield influence on the civil society was drafted for the purpose. The arrest this week in France by the French police of a distinguished physicist of Algerian descent living in France, blew off the lid and exposed the aforesaid plot. Dr Adlene Hicheur, an Algeria born naturalised Frenchman with deep sympathy for the cause of the Islamic terror, was arrested on charges of indulging in a criminal activity that could endanger the life and limbs of citizens leading to mass destruction. He was convinced that a total destruction of the present administrative and social set up was the only way to come out of the present logjam. Thereafter a new social order will take shape that would lead Mankind of the Islamic world on to the path of prosperity. The French physicist was so possessed by the idea of destroying the western world that he commenced his research on the “Anti-Matter Bomb” that would be more powerful than the known nuclear devices at present. Further, there will be no radiation and the terrorists using the device would be safe.
Indeed the idea was fine on paper and in principle. But it was a costly proposition. It sounded like science fiction. Therefore, the donors to the concept and making of the Anti-Matter bomb had to be convinced that their money would not go down the drain. The fabulous amount of money was withdrawn from the banks in North Africa, Maghreb and transferred to France to be handed over to Dr Adlene Hicheur. However, the French police that had been keeping track of the uncommon and unusual activities of the Doctor of Destruction swooped over his laboratory and residence to seize the objectionable material and arrest him for unlawful activity leading to mass destruction. The eminent soft spoken Physicist confessed to his links to and sympathy for Al Qaida. The French police had even arrested his brother, a chemist, but let him off without a charge as there was no evidence of his involvement in the devilish design. Before long the doctor started singing and spilled the beans exposing sinister designs of Islamic terrorists. The names of other eminent scientists are likely to come up in the course of a though investigation. It will then be revealed how deep the roots of Al Qaida have gone into the European soil.
Algeria was a French colony before it gained independence after a long and violent struggle. Right from the colonial days through the present times many Algerian Muslims have chosen to settle down in France for a better standard of living and a civilised lifestyle. Since most of the Algerians are born Muslims , they have their sympathy for men like Osama and outfits like Al Qaida. The eminent Physicist was a part of the sympathisers of the Islamic terror group planning mass destruction of the western world.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303, INDIA. Mobile : 0091-9811173590.
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
DESPERATE FOR THE DIRTY BOMB
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The dirty bomb is being desperately sought for by the Al Qaida to destroy the civilised world. The civilised world is desperately keeping the nuclear weapon system out of the reach of the Islamic terror groups. A decade and a half ago Osama bin-Laden was prepared to pay 1.5 billion US dollars to acquire enriched uranium but could not find a reliable seller not dealing in spurious goods. Meanwhile Pakistan made the bomb but the American control was so tight that nuclear proliferation to Osama and his tribe was not feasible. Thanks to AQ Khan of Pakistan nuclear arsenal, some nuclear proliferation did take place and some third world countries were the beneficiaries.
The Islamic terror groups per force changed their strategy for spreading their tentacles. Now they cast their net far and wide to catch big and important fish that would be helpful in acquiring the dirty bomb. The desperation for the dirty bomb grew more and more as the terror leaders wanted it as a weapon for brow beating the western world and cause mass destruction. The theory and practice of the suicide bombing in crowded places and government posts and buildings proved effective for a limited period and purpose only. Tactically it was fine but strategically speaking, they needed something that would give spectacular results and shock the civilised world into stunning stupor leading to mental paralysis. The nuclear weapon system, especially the bomb would ideally fit into the new scenario. A committed group of specialised scientists converted to the philosophy of terror was needed by Al Qaeda to put this ideology into practice.
PATH TO PROSPERITY
A team of top notch scientists, doctors, engineers and intellectuals who would wield influence on the civil society was drafted for the purpose. The arrest this week in France by the French police of a distinguished physicist of Algerian descent living in France, blew off the lid and exposed the aforesaid plot. Dr Adlene Hicheur, an Algeria born naturalised Frenchman with deep sympathy for the cause of the Islamic terror, was arrested on charges of indulging in a criminal activity that could endanger the life and limbs of citizens leading to mass destruction. He was convinced that a total destruction of the present administrative and social set up was the only way to come out of the present logjam. Thereafter a new social order will take shape that would lead Mankind of the Islamic world on to the path of prosperity. The French physicist was so possessed by the idea of destroying the western world that he commenced his research on the “Anti-Matter Bomb” that would be more powerful than the known nuclear devices at present. Further, there will be no radiation and the terrorists using the device would be safe.
Indeed the idea was fine on paper and in principle. But it was a costly proposition. It sounded like science fiction. Therefore, the donors to the concept and making of the Anti-Matter bomb had to be convinced that their money would not go down the drain. The fabulous amount of money was withdrawn from the banks in North Africa, Maghreb and transferred to France to be handed over to Dr Adlene Hicheur. However, the French police that had been keeping track of the uncommon and unusual activities of the Doctor of Destruction swooped over his laboratory and residence to seize the objectionable material and arrest him for unlawful activity leading to mass destruction. The eminent soft spoken Physicist confessed to his links to and sympathy for Al Qaida. The French police had even arrested his brother, a chemist, but let him off without a charge as there was no evidence of his involvement in the devilish design. Before long the doctor started singing and spilled the beans exposing sinister designs of Islamic terrorists. The names of other eminent scientists are likely to come up in the course of a though investigation. It will then be revealed how deep the roots of Al Qaida have gone into the European soil.
Algeria was a French colony before it gained independence after a long and violent struggle. Right from the colonial days through the present times many Algerian Muslims have chosen to settle down in France for a better standard of living and a civilised lifestyle. Since most of the Algerians are born Muslims , they have their sympathy for men like Osama and outfits like Al Qaida. The eminent Physicist was a part of the sympathisers of the Islamic terror group planning mass destruction of the western world.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303, INDIA. Mobile : 0091-9811173590.
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
Monday, October 12, 2009
EQUALITY BEFORE LAW
AUM
LAW IS ABOVE YOU
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
When I passed the examination for the degree of Bachelor of Laws and obtained a First Division from the University of Allahabad in the year 1954, the soothsayers predicted that I would be a judge of the High Court or a successful lawyer in due course of time. Nothing of that sort happened. The astrologer was wrong. Our hopes were dashed when I became a lawyer without a brief in a district court. My gift of the gab helped me in arguing a case or two that I got from our native village where the litigants were in penury and could not pay a reasonable fee to an established lawyer. Notwithstanding my logical legal arguments and acquittal of the accused in an Arms Act case, my hopes of a flooded flow of new legal briefs were belied. I had no touts to go round singing my praise and hooking new clients. I learnt a lesson: honesty is not always the best policy, certainly not in the domain of law.
BIG FISH AND SMALL FISH
The courts of law in India follow the British jurisprudence and administration of justice is done exactly as it is done in the United Kingdom. In that country the language of the court is English and so is the case with the litigants. On the contrary, in India while the language of courts is, by and large, English, that of the litigants it is their mother tongue which is not English. The litigants do not follow a word of what is said by the lawyers or the judge and they depend solely on the briefing done by the clerk of the counsel at the end of the day. The higher you go in judiciary, the more removed you are from the litigating people. Generally speaking, the judges in their judgements delivered in the Indian courts quote observations of learned legal luminaries from the UK or USA that do not have much in common with the situation obtaining in India. It is said that there may be miscarriage of justice because of this communication gap between the bench and the bar on one side and our hapless litigants on the other side. It is the poor people who suffer. The people find no remedy for this perennial malady of communication gap in legal language and commoner’s rustic language.
Carrying the above point forward, one finds that the rich who engage high profile counsels on paying a fabulous amount as a legal fee go scot free whatever the charge against them might have been. It is the poor who becomes voiceless because his counsel is not as articulate as the rich man’s is. Many a time one finds that the big fish goes unpunished despite being a criminal in the eye of law and it is the small fish that gets caught despite its innocence or a relatively minor crime. In such cases one finds a travesty of truth that results in miscarriage of justice. This has been happening since the time when the Anglo-Roman jurisprudence was introduced in India by the East India Company to administer justice. One comes across a case here or a case there when an individual is found guilty of murder of a person who is actually alive and kicking. Collusion of the police plays a major role in derailing justice.
EQUALITY BEFORE LAW
I had learnt by heart an axiom of jurisprudence in my law class that I recall time and again.
“However high one may ever be, the Law is above him”.
It saddens me to see that this high principle is observed more in breach than any other law of the land. The high and the mighty announce from house tops that they have good connections in the higher echelons of the society and no one dares lay his hand on the mighty wrong doer. The politicians perhaps are the worst law breakers because they have the wherewithal to get away with it. I must hasten to add that with the advent of the electronic media, the cases that are covered by reporters in depth are per force being dealt with as per law. It is the media pressure that sees the sons of politicians, who infringe laws, behind bars. Such cases are indeed few and far between. It must be stated that the principle of equality before law is flouted flagrantly now more than ever before. Perhaps the higher judiciary is not strong enough to ensure that there is equality before law.
Let us take judges of the higher judiciary. Many of them, including sitting judges of the apex court are reluctant to disclose their assets and sources of income. Further, there have been accusations by eminent jurists that some judges of the higher judiciary, including a chief justice or two, have amassed wealth and immoveable property worth more than their known sources of income. There is corruption in the higher judiciary too but the big fish goes unpunished. The case of Justice Dinakaran, Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, for buying a lot of land at throw away price, has been hanging fire for a long time. The decision of the Chief Justice of India is still awaited in the matter. Another glaring example is that of Justice Ramaswamy of the Supreme Court against whom the impeachment proceedings were started for corruption but he survived because of his political connections. On the other hand many a time a petty clerk is sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for varying periods for accepting illegal gratification of a princely sum of five rupees. Is it equality before law? Both the lawmakers and the interpreters of law must think hard on the issue and come up with a rational solution lest the society erupts in a socio-legal upheaval.
Thanks to my first class law degree, I am able to delve deep into legal issues and call a spade a spade. I thank the Almighty for saving me from serving a system of jurisprudence where the common man is most uncared for. I also thank Him for saving me from corrupt practices in and out of courts of law where they all conspire, knowingly or unknowingly, to make a hash of law of the land. Long ago someone had said” Law is an ass”, now one may be tempted to say that those who implement the law of the land make an ass of one and all.
Upvan 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303 INDIA. 0091-9811173590.
Phone : 0091-120-2454622.
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
upvanom@yahoo.com
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
RED TALIBAN IN INDIAN RED CORRIDOR
THE RED TALIBAN IN THE INDIAN RED CORRIDOR
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The Maoists in the eastern India are not only ferocious but also brutally cruel. On 30 Sep 09 they kidnapped Shri Francis Induvar, a police Inspector of the Jharkhand Police on intelligence duty from the market place, held him hostage, demanded a swap over with their top leaders like Ghandy, yadav and one more person who were in police custody . No interaction with the state government took place and the Maoists then beheaded him on 5th october. His torso was left lying across the road and the severed head was thrown away at a little distance. The Jharkhand state government says that no offer of a swap over was received by them from the Maoists. The beheading is a barbaric act and sends shock waves down the rank and file. The morale of the police jawans may be adversely affected.
The silver lining in this dark cloud has been the brave response of the late Inspector's wife, Sunita Induvar and his two teenage sons Animesh and Aniket who expressed their firm resolve not to ask the state govt to swap over their head of the family with the top Maoists. It is good that the Jharkhand government has announced a compensation of Rs ten lakh to the family of the deceased police Inspector.When the children grow up they may be offered a job in the police force.
What an irony of fate that the police personnel whom the Maoists are killing belong to the tribes and weaker sections of the society whom the Maoists profess to protect. One may recall that sometime back the Maoists had killed as many as nine women constables on duty in Garh Ciroli in Maharashtra. A very upsetting barbaric act indeed.
The Maoists have made a Red corridor from Nepal to Kerala via states like Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. They are now trying to gain a foothold in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana too. Over a period of time they have gained the sympathy and support of the neglected and ignored sections of the society. The poor people look upon the Maoists as their friends and support them in more ways than one.The Maoists have acquired sufficient number of fire arms and improvised explosive devices to deter the civil police from hunting for them in the thick forests of the states concerned.
The Central government has to lead in forming an anti-Maoist Task Force and coordinate their police action against the Maoist rebels who are now called the Red Taliban because of their barbarity. The local people must be weaned away from Maoists and motivated to support the State. Economic reforms in the region will be urgently required to be implemented.
The Police Task Force should be well trained and well armed with sophisticated weapons to be used in jungles and close quarter battles. The motivation to fight against and eliminate Maoists has to be of a high order. The police personnel should be a committed group of people who believe in fighting for and even dying for the cause of the motherland. MATRIBHOOMI before self should be their ideal and there should be a role model for them to follow. Who can be a better role model than the officers selected to lead them from the front in fighting the Red Terror.
It is well known that a force that is mercenary can never fight against and defeat highly motivated guerrillas. Last but not the least, the people's support to the Maoists must be withdrawn by the local people themselves if they are economically and emotionally integrated with the main stream of the society.
Guerrilla fighters are like fish and the people are like water. If the fish is separated from water it dies. Let the Maoists be brought to that stage where they cannot survive for lack of people's support.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA -201303, INDIA 0091-9811173590. Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
Virginity of bride and the groom
AUM
FAKING VIRGINITY TO FOOL HUSBANDS
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The Chinese people enjoy a good reputation as inventors of the newest of the new. The invention of gun powder and the paper, among other things, goes to their credit. The famous Chinese silk adorned the body and the bedroom of the high and the mighty like Julius Caesar and his successors in Rome and the pretty women like Cleopatra in Egypt who travelled to Rome to display her best and win hearts of Romans. Now in the 21st century the Chinese have come out with a new fangled device dear to hearts of girls who enjoy pre-marital sex and yet gladden their husbands on nuptial night with an intact hymen. The Chinese invented device costs just thirty US dollars. It is indeed worth buying it.
The artificial virginity kit is marketed by Gigimo, a Chinese company. When inserted it emits a blood like fluid that the gullible husbands believe to be blood coming out of the torn hymen that was intact prior to the groom copulating with the bride. In a conservative society like the ones in the Orient and the Middle-East, the artificial virginity kit is likely to be sold like hot cakes among the fair sex who now feel sexually liberated. The women’s lib movements in various parts of the world, not excluding the Arab world, have given girls mental and physical, read sexual, freedom. The end result is their ending up in bed with a boy friend for experiments in sex. In some cases it may be just a one-evening stand. The virginity, however, is lost and the broken hymen bears testimony to it. The conservative males are not yet prepared to accept a bride on a nuptial night who had had pre-marital sex. The new kit is an answer to this vexing question.
The male-dominated society in the Middle-east has, however, raised a hue and cry against the Chinese invented artificial hymen kit. The opinions expressed by them and carried by the Arabic press pointedly say that the new device will increase promiscuity in the conservative society. Thus the traditional values will go down the drain. Wives who get used to playing deception on husbands may enlarge the area of cheating on their husbands. Where will the moral values go? The female lobby has not yet openly favoured the freedom to buy or not to buy the aforesaid kit. Should they do so, they are likely to be exposed as women of loose morals. The stigma may stay on for life. To quote Shakespeare “All the perfumes of Arabia may will not sweeten the hand ”that committed the sexual sin. Generally speaking the male lobby is vociferous and the female defence is too feeble to withstand this male onslaught.
Is the male who becomes the bridegroom as pure as fresh snow? You never can tell. In this respect our Lord and our Maker did not put a physical device to test the virginity of a man. Thus the male, after committing a thousand sins goes scot free. No stigma is attached to him and no proof lingers on to bother him except his own conscience, if he has one. The male society may be educated on the subject so that they practise perfect equality between male and female in matter of pre-marital sex. It will be dream come true. The Chinese inventors will, however, lament the thought of equality of this kind permeating the fabric of a conservative society. Then their business of artificial hymen kit will bomb and the conservative world will laugh at them.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303, INDIA. 0091-9811173590.
Email – sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
FAKING VIRGINITY TO FOOL HUSBANDS
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The Chinese people enjoy a good reputation as inventors of the newest of the new. The invention of gun powder and the paper, among other things, goes to their credit. The famous Chinese silk adorned the body and the bedroom of the high and the mighty like Julius Caesar and his successors in Rome and the pretty women like Cleopatra in Egypt who travelled to Rome to display her best and win hearts of Romans. Now in the 21st century the Chinese have come out with a new fangled device dear to hearts of girls who enjoy pre-marital sex and yet gladden their husbands on nuptial night with an intact hymen. The Chinese invented device costs just thirty US dollars. It is indeed worth buying it.
The artificial virginity kit is marketed by Gigimo, a Chinese company. When inserted it emits a blood like fluid that the gullible husbands believe to be blood coming out of the torn hymen that was intact prior to the groom copulating with the bride. In a conservative society like the ones in the Orient and the Middle-East, the artificial virginity kit is likely to be sold like hot cakes among the fair sex who now feel sexually liberated. The women’s lib movements in various parts of the world, not excluding the Arab world, have given girls mental and physical, read sexual, freedom. The end result is their ending up in bed with a boy friend for experiments in sex. In some cases it may be just a one-evening stand. The virginity, however, is lost and the broken hymen bears testimony to it. The conservative males are not yet prepared to accept a bride on a nuptial night who had had pre-marital sex. The new kit is an answer to this vexing question.
The male-dominated society in the Middle-east has, however, raised a hue and cry against the Chinese invented artificial hymen kit. The opinions expressed by them and carried by the Arabic press pointedly say that the new device will increase promiscuity in the conservative society. Thus the traditional values will go down the drain. Wives who get used to playing deception on husbands may enlarge the area of cheating on their husbands. Where will the moral values go? The female lobby has not yet openly favoured the freedom to buy or not to buy the aforesaid kit. Should they do so, they are likely to be exposed as women of loose morals. The stigma may stay on for life. To quote Shakespeare “All the perfumes of Arabia may will not sweeten the hand ”that committed the sexual sin. Generally speaking the male lobby is vociferous and the female defence is too feeble to withstand this male onslaught.
Is the male who becomes the bridegroom as pure as fresh snow? You never can tell. In this respect our Lord and our Maker did not put a physical device to test the virginity of a man. Thus the male, after committing a thousand sins goes scot free. No stigma is attached to him and no proof lingers on to bother him except his own conscience, if he has one. The male society may be educated on the subject so that they practise perfect equality between male and female in matter of pre-marital sex. It will be dream come true. The Chinese inventors will, however, lament the thought of equality of this kind permeating the fabric of a conservative society. Then their business of artificial hymen kit will bomb and the conservative world will laugh at them.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303, INDIA. 0091-9811173590.
Email – sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
Thursday, October 1, 2009
COSMETIC LOVE FOR CONVERSION
AUM
COSMETIC LOVE FOR CONVERSION
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The High Court of Kerala has found out that some organisations may be active in the state to entice nubile girls in the name of love and later convert them to Islam by dubious methods. There have been cases where intelligent Hindu girls with a strong will power resisted conversion to Islam but they were abducted and forced to convert. In some such cases the parental families reported the criminal offence of abduction and forced conversion to the police. The police investigated and found clues that led to sinister designs of the bigots.
Fearing imminent arrest two men of the dubious activity outfit approached the High Court for anticipatory bail as they were allegedly involved in abducting and compelling girls to convert to Islam. The Hon’ble Judge, Mr Justice K.T. Shankaran while hearing the anticipatory bail application went through the police diary and found that there were indications that there had been several similar instances of abduction and forcible conversions. The Judge observed there was a movement called “Love Jihad” or “Romeo Jihad’ conceived by some Muslims in Kerala. It may be the handiwork of such dubious persons to promote fake love to entice girls and achieve personal gratification.
The Hon’ble High Court has asked for the views of the Government of India on the issue of fake love leading to forcible religious conversions. The High Court has also directed the Union Home Ministry to file a report on action contemplated or taken to combat activities leading to forced religious conversions.
The High Court has directed the State Government of kerala to provide information within three weeks on plans and projects of “Love Jihad”.
The High Court has gone into the case in depth and has taken appropriate action. It is indeed the duty of socio-religious organisations to go round towns and cities where such cases of cosmetic love to cheat have taken place and assure the affected girls and their families of support of society. It is the social support cutting across party lines that will boost the morale of exploited girls and their families to fight against strong arm tactics of the Islamic mafia. As a matter of fact the right thinking leaders of the Islamic community should rise and put a stop to such un-Islamic nefarious activities being perpetrated in the name of Islam. Abduction, rape and other sexual offences committed in the name of religion must be condemned, never condoned, by leaders of society and dharmacharyas who preach the word of the Almighty for the happiness of the common man.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
TIAN AN MEN , BEIJING, CHINA
AUM
COMMUNIST CHINA COMPLETES SIXTY
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The Tian An Men square – that is where all roads in Beijing lead to today. The place is all decked up. An impressive portrait of Mao Dzdong, the great political and military thinker and a founder leader of the present regime of China, is the only decoration piece on the ancient royal rostrum where the present leadership will assemble to see the military might and people’s power this morning. It is 1st October 2009. Exactly sixty years ago, on 1st October 1949, right here had stood the then top brass of the Communist party of China to herald the birth of the new China. They had won the country by their blood, sweat and tears, sacrificing their loved ones in battles fought with the nationalist forces of General Chiang kai-shek until winning the final great push and banishing the adversary to Formosa, now Taiwan. It was a long fought civil war where no quarters were asked for and none given. Chairman Mao had personally declared the founding of a new China, the People’s Republic of China that day.
GIANT STRIDES FORWARD
The China of today is so different from the China of 1949 that it sets friends and philosophers thinking about what brought about the total makeover. To my mind the greatest asset of the Chinese nation is their capability of loving their past, enjoying the present and working for a future. This mental make-up of the Chinese people is the outcome of an amalgamation of the Confucian, Buddhist and Tao philosophy of life. The Chinese history of many thousand years lets us have an inkling into their trials and tribulations, numerous founding of dynasties, their rise and fall, foreign invasions where the conquerors like the Mongols were culturally conquered by the Chinese and finally their spirit of adventure and inventions. The thread of continuity is discernible throughout and a hidden hatred for the “foreign devil” is unmistakable.
Mobilisation of Manpower for the common good has been one of the greatest assets of the Chinese people. The Great Wall of China bears testimony to this national asset. The Great Wall was built over centuries by different kingdoms but the continuity and will to complete it remained unshaken. Many acts of human cruelty on forced labour, their separation from their loved ones, surviving on meagre meals and lying buried under the foundation of the Wall are just a few of heart-rending facts of history. The aim was, however, achieved and the wall was made. It could not stop the invaders, though. The hordes of Mongols under the great Khans who were sky worshippers and not Muslims as the mistaken perception is, conquered and ruled China for a century. Eventually they were absorbed by the Chinese people and became as one of the native Chinese. The Chinese nation continued marching forward.
LINGUISTIC UNITY
A big country like China cannot but have many dialects and different pronunciations of the same word. Mandarin or Putung Hua is now the official language and is spoken throughout China including Tibet and Xinjiang. Thanks to the first emperor, Chhín Shih Huang Di, the script was unified. Thus the character for water is the same, go east or west, north or south. If one knows how to write one will not go hungry or thirsty. Indeed the script unified China in a great way as nothing else did. Of course, people in the southern Guangdong province still insist on conversing in Cantonese and give Putung Hua a go by. They love to watch the Hong Kong TV as the language is common, the Cantonese.
After the Communist takeover of the country, attention was paid to the common man. Education, next to bread and butter, was an important subject of govt’s attention. The communist regime simplified the ancient characters but did not change the basic look. The Chinese continuity remained and the simplified characters were easy to read and write by the peasants and workers who sustained the new regime. The top leadership of the communist party was genuinely interested in helping the common man make progress. They dressed like them. The blue closed collar tunic was the unisexual dress for male and female Chinese to unify the people like the language and the script. It was not until the death of Chairman Mao and advent of Dung Xiao-ping as a resurrected leader that women were allowed to be fashionable and wear makeup.
PATH OF PROGRESS
The prosperous China of today was born when Deng Xiao-ping brought China out of Mao’s shadow of hard line communism. He added the Chinese characteristics to Marx’s communism. When he was criticized for this dilution, he retorted ”how does it matter if a cat is black or white as long as it catches mice”. Deng set the pace of progress too and China did not have to look back. Progress and progress – that has been the story in all fields, civil or military. A word must be said about the economic disparity between the coastal areas of the East and the mountainous areas of the North-West that has caused avoidable migration of population and social tensions. It has also given rise to unpleasant law and order problems. China has taken them in the normal stride of life.
DISPLAY OF MILITARY MIGHT
Sixty years after its inception the Communist China, hardly communist now, aspires to be a world power. In due course of time she may challenge the United States of America for global supremacy. With a view to achieving that, it is necessary that China becomes militarily strong to show her flag all over the world and go unchallenged. It is a kind of ASHWAMEDHA YAJNA of today. The king’s white horse is running wherever it pleases to run and returns unchallenged to make the owner king a Chakravarti Samrat, a world power in today’s parlance. Now the opportunity is there for China to showcase her military might on the sixtieth anniversary of its founding. Let us have a preview.
The People’s Liberation Army started its military offensive in a major way with a five million strong land army. By the way, the military is PLA irrespective of it being navy or air force or army. To distinguish the force, after PLA the respective service word is added. Now, at this point of time the military thinking has undergone a tremendous change. The strength of the army is being cut down numerically and its battle effectiveness is being enhanced by adding modern fire power and advanced technology. The cut down figure may be anything around 700,000 officers and soldiers. Xu Guangyu, who is privy to policy making, says that a lean and mean army with improved weapon system and a lesser number of troops will achieve the aim. Reclaiming Taiwan by force is an avowed policy of China. The display of military might will set the American policy planners and Admirals thinking about their revising defence plan of Taiwan.
The Navy and the Air Force are now the centre of thought and action of the top brass of the party and the military. Indeed the old dictum of Chairman Mao holds good today too. He said “power comes out of the barrel of a gun and it is the party that controls the gun”. The Communist party and President Hu Jintao have made up their mind to make the Chinese navy a real blue water navy that may sail the seven seas unchallenged. To start with they will test their strength in the Indian Ocean that beckons them. Their acquisition of aircraft carriers and nuclear powered submarines point to the direction of their domination of the Indian Ocean. Is New Delhi listening?
The Air Force will display its latest jet fighter in the sky over Tian An Men square. It is designed, developed and made in China without help from a foreign country. The latest jet fighter is so much wrapped in secrecy that the Chinese air Force chose not to fly it on the rehearsal fly past. It will make a debut on the grand occasion. Right now they have 2,000 battle worthy aircraft and 4,000 air force personnel.
The Army gunners, however, control the missiles with nuclear warheads. The Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles will be the mainstay of the regiment of artillery. Hundreds of thousands of service personnel are proud of their service and strive to achieve the aim. All eyes will focus on them when they march the goose step on the big day. It is expected that 200,000 military men and women will participate in the biggest ever parade held in the Tian An Men square.
The Chinese Navy is the blue eyed boy of the leadership, especially President Hu Jintao who is taking personal interest in various projects of modernisation. He has learnt from history that the union Jack of the British was carried all over the world by their Royal Navy, including capture of Hong Kong and meddling with Beijing. Again it is the US Navy that has made Americans command respect all over the world. The US Navy is defending Taiwan. So, to be a world power, China must have a world class navy. The display on the sixtieth anniversary will let the world know where the Chinese Navy floats today in the blue water oceans. Models of the latest ships, made in China, will float in Tian An Men to please the people of China and put the fear of God in the heart of adversaries.
UPVAN, 609, Sector 29, NOIDA – 201303, INDIA 0091-9811173590.
Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com or upvanom@yahoo.com
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