UPA policies weakening India and enriching China
The import of capital goods for $587 billions, most of which India could make in its own backyard, drained out a third of India's GDP under nose of the UPA regi
UPA Policies & Scams- 2004 to 2014 (1 Viewer)
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1) UPA government follows pro-terrorist policies.
The first major decision of the UPA government after coming to power in 2004 was the
abolition of Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). When the jihadi terror was becoming
deadlier, and Maoist movement was making steady inroads into all remote and tribal areas in the country, what was the need and logic behind abolishing a tough anti-terror law like the POTA? It
was the first and clear signal to show that the UPA government wanted to be helpful to terrorists
and all other anti-national forces. The UPA government, taking the side of foreign-funded NGO
and human rights activists, has also been trying to abolish the Armed Forces Special Powers Act
(AFSPA) from Jammu and Kashmir and North-Eastern states. However it could not be done so
far, only due to stiff resistance from the army which considers the AFSPA as a very vital tool for
their effective operation in the disturbed areas of Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East region.
The first major decision of the UPA government after coming to power in 2004 was the
abolition of Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). When the jihadi terror was becoming
deadlier, and Maoist movement was making steady inroads into all remote and tribal areas in the country, what was the need and logic behind abolishing a tough anti-terror law like the POTA? It
was the first and clear signal to show that the UPA government wanted to be helpful to terrorists
and all other anti-national forces. The UPA government, taking the side of foreign-funded NGO
and human rights activists, has also been trying to abolish the Armed Forces Special Powers Act
(AFSPA) from Jammu and Kashmir and North-Eastern states. However it could not be done so
far, only due to stiff resistance from the army which considers the AFSPA as a very vital tool for
their effective operation in the disturbed areas of Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East region.
2) Sonia Gandhi opposes anti-terror laws.
After the terror attacks in Mumbai in November 2008, there was tremendous pressure
from various security agencies and political leaders, including some prominent members within the UPA government, for enacting a new anti-terror law to effectively deal with the worsening security situation in the country. However a powerful group of pro-militant Sonia loyalists within the UPA still resisted the move for any such new anti-terror law. According to a report published in the English daily “The Indian Express” dated October 2, 2008, a stringent anti-terror law
recommended by the Administrative Reforms Commission was rejected by the UPA government
because of opposition from Sonia Gandhi who felt that there was no need for any new anti-terror
law as the existing laws were sufficient to deal with terrorism. It confirms that Sonia Gandhi
herself has an anti-national mindset.
After the terror attacks in Mumbai in November 2008, there was tremendous pressure
from various security agencies and political leaders, including some prominent members within the UPA government, for enacting a new anti-terror law to effectively deal with the worsening security situation in the country. However a powerful group of pro-militant Sonia loyalists within the UPA still resisted the move for any such new anti-terror law. According to a report published in the English daily “The Indian Express” dated October 2, 2008, a stringent anti-terror law
recommended by the Administrative Reforms Commission was rejected by the UPA government
because of opposition from Sonia Gandhi who felt that there was no need for any new anti-terror
law as the existing laws were sufficient to deal with terrorism. It confirms that Sonia Gandhi
herself has an anti-national mindset.
3) UPA government is sympathetic to separatists in Kashmir. The UPA government has adopted a pro-separatist policy in Jammu & Kashmir. The
Jammu and Kashmir government‟s decision not to permit hoisting of the tri-colour at Lal Chowk
in Srinagar on the Republic Day in 2010 had the approval of the UPA government. The
government‟s explanation for this serious lapse was that the hoisting of the national flag would
be an unnecessary provocation to the separatists in the state. Flag hoisting on Republic Day was
taking place at Lal Chowk for the past 19 years. It was former BJP president Murali Manohar
Joshi who 19 years ago took out an Ekta Yatra from Kanyakumari to Srinagar to hoist the tri-
colour at Lal Chowk. Now, to please the separatists in Kashmir valley, the UPA government has
stopped the flag-hoisting ceremony at Lal Chowk in Srinagar from 2010.
Jammu and Kashmir government‟s decision not to permit hoisting of the tri-colour at Lal Chowk
in Srinagar on the Republic Day in 2010 had the approval of the UPA government. The
government‟s explanation for this serious lapse was that the hoisting of the national flag would
be an unnecessary provocation to the separatists in the state. Flag hoisting on Republic Day was
taking place at Lal Chowk for the past 19 years. It was former BJP president Murali Manohar
Joshi who 19 years ago took out an Ekta Yatra from Kanyakumari to Srinagar to hoist the tri-
colour at Lal Chowk. Now, to please the separatists in Kashmir valley, the UPA government has
stopped the flag-hoisting ceremony at Lal Chowk in Srinagar from 2010.
4) PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed sent to UN to speak in support of separatists in Kashmir.
In a highly questionable decision, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had nominated PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to lead an unofficial delegation to the U.N. to make a presentation about his concept of self-rule as a solution to resolve the Kashmir dispute before an
international gathering at the General Assembly in November 2006. Thus, the UPA government,
at the government expense, sent a delegation of PDP leaders to the U.N. to canvass support for
self rule and full autonomy for Kashmir which could pave the way for an independent Kashmir.
This was nothing but a seditious act
In a highly questionable decision, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had nominated PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to lead an unofficial delegation to the U.N. to make a presentation about his concept of self-rule as a solution to resolve the Kashmir dispute before an
international gathering at the General Assembly in November 2006. Thus, the UPA government,
at the government expense, sent a delegation of PDP leaders to the U.N. to canvass support for
self rule and full autonomy for Kashmir which could pave the way for an independent Kashmir.
This was nothing but a seditious act
5) UPA government‟s pro-Pakistan policies led to spread of jihadi terror in India.
Former Pakistan President General Musharraf had proposed a 4-point formula in 2006 to
settle the Kashmir dispute. The four-point formula envisages the total withdrawal of all army
units and other security forces from Kashmir, grant of full autonomy and self rule to the people
of Kashmir, allowing the people of both parts of Kashmir to travel across the border without
Passport and visa and joint supervision of unified Kashmir by Pakistan and India. If all the
security forces are withdrawn from Kashmir, self-rule and full autonomy is granted to Kashmiris
and both parts of Kashmir are allowed to unite, what control then India will have over Kashmir
and how can it still remain as a part of India? This is a very treacherous proposal and as such it
should have been outrightly rejected by India. But India welcomed the proposal and agreed to
include it in the peace talks. Though India has not accepted this 4-point formula, we have not
rejected it either so far. In fact, under pressure from the US and the Sonia coterie, there is a move
to implement the Musharraf formula in a surreptitious manner. The whole peace talks drama with Pakistan is meant to achieve an independent unified Kashmir which will automatically become a part of Pakistan later. In the name of peace talks and confidence building measureswith Pakistan, the UPA government removed all travel restrictions to Pakistan. More cross-border bus services were introduced and train services between the two countries were also resumed. Two cross-border trade links were also established with POK, which was actually a
long-standing demand of the separatists in the Kashmir valley. With the lifting of all travel
restrictions, it became easy for the SIMI and Indian Mujahiddin voluntaries to go across the
border and get trained in Pakistani terror camps. Various jihadi terrorist groups in Pakistan took
full advantage of this lowering of guard by the Indian authorities to send their operatives to India
and select terror targets in India for their future terror attacks. The Indian Mujahideen later
started conducting regular terror attacks, mainly in the form of serial bomb blasts, in different
parts of the country with the support and guidance of Pakistani terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-
Toiba. Thus it is the UPA government‟s pro-Pakistan policy that has led to the spread of jihadi
terror in the country.
Former Pakistan President General Musharraf had proposed a 4-point formula in 2006 to
settle the Kashmir dispute. The four-point formula envisages the total withdrawal of all army
units and other security forces from Kashmir, grant of full autonomy and self rule to the people
of Kashmir, allowing the people of both parts of Kashmir to travel across the border without
Passport and visa and joint supervision of unified Kashmir by Pakistan and India. If all the
security forces are withdrawn from Kashmir, self-rule and full autonomy is granted to Kashmiris
and both parts of Kashmir are allowed to unite, what control then India will have over Kashmir
and how can it still remain as a part of India? This is a very treacherous proposal and as such it
should have been outrightly rejected by India. But India welcomed the proposal and agreed to
include it in the peace talks. Though India has not accepted this 4-point formula, we have not
rejected it either so far. In fact, under pressure from the US and the Sonia coterie, there is a move
to implement the Musharraf formula in a surreptitious manner. The whole peace talks drama with Pakistan is meant to achieve an independent unified Kashmir which will automatically become a part of Pakistan later. In the name of peace talks and confidence building measureswith Pakistan, the UPA government removed all travel restrictions to Pakistan. More cross-border bus services were introduced and train services between the two countries were also resumed. Two cross-border trade links were also established with POK, which was actually a
long-standing demand of the separatists in the Kashmir valley. With the lifting of all travel
restrictions, it became easy for the SIMI and Indian Mujahiddin voluntaries to go across the
border and get trained in Pakistani terror camps. Various jihadi terrorist groups in Pakistan took
full advantage of this lowering of guard by the Indian authorities to send their operatives to India
and select terror targets in India for their future terror attacks. The Indian Mujahideen later
started conducting regular terror attacks, mainly in the form of serial bomb blasts, in different
parts of the country with the support and guidance of Pakistani terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-
Toiba. Thus it is the UPA government‟s pro-Pakistan policy that has led to the spread of jihadi
terror in the country.
6) Despite continued Pak-sponsored terror attacks in India, we hold peace talks
with Pakistan
Pakistan had always been extremely hostile to India ever since independence. It fought
three wars with India, two of which were over Kashmir. It also fought a border war with India
following the Kargil intrusion. After the 1971 war, Pakistan was convinced that it can never
annex Kashmir by force and hence it adopted terrorism as a state policy to capture Kashmir.
General Zia was the chief architect of the conspiracy to start a proxy war in Kashmir to bleed
India with thousand cuts by sending armed infiltrators into Kashmir. There is no let up in this
terror war against India till this day. Pakistan has not dismantled its terror infrastructure in its
territory directed against India. Defence Minister had recently announced in the Parliament that
there are more than forty terrorist training camps, directed against India, still operating with full
impunity in Pakistan. Leaders of all major Kashmiri terrorist groups like Laskar-e-toiba, Jaish-e-
Mohammad and Hisbul Mujahideen are still allowed to operate from Pakistan. All the five
hijackers who hijacked an Indian airlines flight to Kandhahar in December, 1999 are given safe
asylum in Pakistan. All the main accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts and 2006 serial train
blasts in Mumbai are evading arrest by taking shelter in Pakistan. Dawood Ibrahim and his
henchmen who are wanted in India in connection with various terror acts in India, including the
1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, are given safe asylum in Pakistan. Pak-supported terror
outfits like LeT continues to bomb various cities in India. India is flooded with fake Indian
currency notes printed in government presses in Pakistan as part of the Pak-ISI‟s long-cherished
strategy of destabilizing Indian economy. And still, we continued to hold peace talks with
Pakistan.
with Pakistan
Pakistan had always been extremely hostile to India ever since independence. It fought
three wars with India, two of which were over Kashmir. It also fought a border war with India
following the Kargil intrusion. After the 1971 war, Pakistan was convinced that it can never
annex Kashmir by force and hence it adopted terrorism as a state policy to capture Kashmir.
General Zia was the chief architect of the conspiracy to start a proxy war in Kashmir to bleed
India with thousand cuts by sending armed infiltrators into Kashmir. There is no let up in this
terror war against India till this day. Pakistan has not dismantled its terror infrastructure in its
territory directed against India. Defence Minister had recently announced in the Parliament that
there are more than forty terrorist training camps, directed against India, still operating with full
impunity in Pakistan. Leaders of all major Kashmiri terrorist groups like Laskar-e-toiba, Jaish-e-
Mohammad and Hisbul Mujahideen are still allowed to operate from Pakistan. All the five
hijackers who hijacked an Indian airlines flight to Kandhahar in December, 1999 are given safe
asylum in Pakistan. All the main accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts and 2006 serial train
blasts in Mumbai are evading arrest by taking shelter in Pakistan. Dawood Ibrahim and his
henchmen who are wanted in India in connection with various terror acts in India, including the
1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, are given safe asylum in Pakistan. Pak-supported terror
outfits like LeT continues to bomb various cities in India. India is flooded with fake Indian
currency notes printed in government presses in Pakistan as part of the Pak-ISI‟s long-cherished
strategy of destabilizing Indian economy. And still, we continued to hold peace talks with
Pakistan.
7) Both prime minister and home minister go back on their assurance on 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
After the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, India had suspended the ongoing peace dialogue with Pakistan and later both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister had repeatedly asserted that India will not resume peace talks with Pakistan unless all the culprits involved in the 26/11 terror attacks are brought to book by the Pakistani authorities. But within weeks, the prime minister and the home minister had to swallow their words and pride and resume peace talks with Pakistan because of the pressure from the US exerted through Sonia Gandhi. Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks, not only is still roaming free in Pakistan, but he is considered as a national asset by the Pakistani authorities.
After the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, India had suspended the ongoing peace dialogue with Pakistan and later both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister had repeatedly asserted that India will not resume peace talks with Pakistan unless all the culprits involved in the 26/11 terror attacks are brought to book by the Pakistani authorities. But within weeks, the prime minister and the home minister had to swallow their words and pride and resume peace talks with Pakistan because of the pressure from the US exerted through Sonia Gandhi. Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks, not only is still roaming free in Pakistan, but he is considered as a national asset by the Pakistani authorities.
(8) NGO and human rights lobby promotes separatist movement in Kashmir.
The NGO and human rights lobby in Jammu and Kashmir is the mastermind behind the
systematic and massive campaign undertaken by the separatist elements and pro-separatist media
in the state to dub the Indian Army personnel posted in the Kashmir valley as rapists, abductors
and murderers of innocent people. The hate-campaign against the army was further intensified
after the alleged discovery of some mass graves in places like Baramulla and Uri by some NGO
and human rights activists in 2008 and their propaganda claiming those mass graves as that of
disappeared Kashmiri youths who had become victims of atrocities by the Indian security forces.
Highlighting this claim by the local human rights activists, the Amnesty International and other
international human rights organisations had projected a grim picture of the human rights
situation in J&K, and the separatists and rights activists in the Kashmir valley used the Amnesty
report to start a hysteric campaign and agitation demanding the total pull out of the army from
the state. The army and the J&K police had repeatedly clarified that the discovery of the so-
called unmarked graves played up by the media and rights activists were actually the graves of
unidentified infiltrators from across the border killed in encounter with the security forces.
However the rights activists were not ready to accept this clarification and even the UPA
government, guided by the NAC, remained indifferent and did nothing to defend and salvage the
reputation of the army thereby indirectly giving some legitimacy to the allegations raised by the
separatists against the army personnel.
All the anti-national movements in the country like the Maoist movement, separatist
movement in Kashmir, efforts to revive Sikh militancy in Punjab, ULFA in Assam, Tamil
nationalist organizations in Tamil Nadu, insurgency in the north-east and agitations against mega
development projects like the agitation against Kudankulam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu and
POSCO steel plant in Odisha are supported and funded by foreign funded NGOs. The NAC led
by Sonia Gandhi is functioning like an apex body of all such activist NGOs.
The NGO and human rights lobby in Jammu and Kashmir is the mastermind behind the
systematic and massive campaign undertaken by the separatist elements and pro-separatist media
in the state to dub the Indian Army personnel posted in the Kashmir valley as rapists, abductors
and murderers of innocent people. The hate-campaign against the army was further intensified
after the alleged discovery of some mass graves in places like Baramulla and Uri by some NGO
and human rights activists in 2008 and their propaganda claiming those mass graves as that of
disappeared Kashmiri youths who had become victims of atrocities by the Indian security forces.
Highlighting this claim by the local human rights activists, the Amnesty International and other
international human rights organisations had projected a grim picture of the human rights
situation in J&K, and the separatists and rights activists in the Kashmir valley used the Amnesty
report to start a hysteric campaign and agitation demanding the total pull out of the army from
the state. The army and the J&K police had repeatedly clarified that the discovery of the so-
called unmarked graves played up by the media and rights activists were actually the graves of
unidentified infiltrators from across the border killed in encounter with the security forces.
However the rights activists were not ready to accept this clarification and even the UPA
government, guided by the NAC, remained indifferent and did nothing to defend and salvage the
reputation of the army thereby indirectly giving some legitimacy to the allegations raised by the
separatists against the army personnel.
All the anti-national movements in the country like the Maoist movement, separatist
movement in Kashmir, efforts to revive Sikh militancy in Punjab, ULFA in Assam, Tamil
nationalist organizations in Tamil Nadu, insurgency in the north-east and agitations against mega
development projects like the agitation against Kudankulam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu and
POSCO steel plant in Odisha are supported and funded by foreign funded NGOs. The NAC led
by Sonia Gandhi is functioning like an apex body of all such activist NGOs.
10) ISI agents appointed as interlocutors on Kashmir
The UPA government on October 13, 2010 appointed a 3-member team of interlocutors
to initiate a dialogue with different sections of people in Jammu and Kashmir and submit their
recommendations to help the government to resolve the Kashmir problem. The interlocutors
assigned with this task are noted journalist Dileep Padgaonkar, academic Radha Kumar and
former information commissioner M.M.Ansari. By the way, Dileep Padgaonkar and Radha
Kumar are known for their ISI links.
Syed Gulam Nabi Fai is the Executive Director of Kashmir American Council (KAC), a
front organization of the ISI working under the cover of an NGO, based in Washington DC. Fai
is a Kashmir-born American citizen. He was arrested on 18th July, 2011 by the US Justice
Department on charges of illegally receiving up to 4 million dollars from the ISI and trying to
influence the US politicians and opinion-makers on the Kashmir issue. Fai, who was accused by
the FBI of being a spy for the Pakistani spy agency ISI, pleaded guilty on December 7, 2011 to
the charge of illegally lobbying the Congress to influence the American policy on Kashmir. The
Kashmir American Council also runs two subsidiaries called Kashmir Centers at Brussels and
London. The KAC and the two Kashmir Centers routinely conduct international peace
conferences on Kashmir to mobilize and canvass support for Pakistan‟s stand on Kashmir. Radha
Kumar, one of the three interlocutors, had attended a Kashmir conference in Brussels in 2006,
organized by Majid Tramboo, head of the Kashmir Center in Brussels. Dilip Padgaonkar, head of
the three-member interlocutors team had also participated in a Kashmir conference organized by
Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai at Washington DC in 2010. All their expenses for their entire trips,
including airfares, boarding, lodging, etc, were met from the ISI funds. What can we expect from
a government which appoints two ISI agents as interlocutors for Kashmir to resolve the Kashmir
dispute? Following the arrest of Syed Gulam Nabi Fai by the FBI in US in 2011 for being a
Pakistani spy, there was a lot of criticism in the Indian media against Dileep Padgaonkar, Radha
Kumar and some other Indians for their reported links with the ISI. Even then the UPA
government did not find it necessary to remove them from the interlocutors‟ panel. The
interlocutors submitted their report on October 12, 2011 and it was made public on May 24,
2012.
The special status given to J&K under Article 370 is only temporary. The interlocutors in
their report have however recommended to further strengthen the Article 370 by deleting the
word temporary and replacing it with the word „special‟, thus making the temporary special
status given to Kashmir as a permanent feature of the constitution. The report says that if the
state government was dismissed, elections should be held within three months and no more
central laws be extended to the state through a presidential ordinance. It has further
recommended to set up a constitutional panel to review all central acts and articles extended to
the state since the signing of the 1952 agreement (laws like the extension of the jurisdiction of
the Supreme Court, Election Commission, CAG, AFSPA and All India Services). It says that the
proportion of officers from the All India Services should be gradually reduced in favour of
officers from the state. Another recommendation is that the Parliament won‟t make laws
applicable to the state unless it relates to internal and external security and vital economic
interest. It also says that all opportunities for cross-LoC cooperation should be promoted. An
important point to be noted is that nowhere in the report the interlocutors mention the Pakistani-
occupied Kashmir as PoK and instead refers to it as Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The
government of India may consider it as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, but not the interlocutors.
Such was their loyalty to Pakistan. The whole exercise was obviously an effort meant only to
dilute J&K‟s accession to India.
The UPA government on October 13, 2010 appointed a 3-member team of interlocutors
to initiate a dialogue with different sections of people in Jammu and Kashmir and submit their
recommendations to help the government to resolve the Kashmir problem. The interlocutors
assigned with this task are noted journalist Dileep Padgaonkar, academic Radha Kumar and
former information commissioner M.M.Ansari. By the way, Dileep Padgaonkar and Radha
Kumar are known for their ISI links.
Syed Gulam Nabi Fai is the Executive Director of Kashmir American Council (KAC), a
front organization of the ISI working under the cover of an NGO, based in Washington DC. Fai
is a Kashmir-born American citizen. He was arrested on 18th July, 2011 by the US Justice
Department on charges of illegally receiving up to 4 million dollars from the ISI and trying to
influence the US politicians and opinion-makers on the Kashmir issue. Fai, who was accused by
the FBI of being a spy for the Pakistani spy agency ISI, pleaded guilty on December 7, 2011 to
the charge of illegally lobbying the Congress to influence the American policy on Kashmir. The
Kashmir American Council also runs two subsidiaries called Kashmir Centers at Brussels and
London. The KAC and the two Kashmir Centers routinely conduct international peace
conferences on Kashmir to mobilize and canvass support for Pakistan‟s stand on Kashmir. Radha
Kumar, one of the three interlocutors, had attended a Kashmir conference in Brussels in 2006,
organized by Majid Tramboo, head of the Kashmir Center in Brussels. Dilip Padgaonkar, head of
the three-member interlocutors team had also participated in a Kashmir conference organized by
Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai at Washington DC in 2010. All their expenses for their entire trips,
including airfares, boarding, lodging, etc, were met from the ISI funds. What can we expect from
a government which appoints two ISI agents as interlocutors for Kashmir to resolve the Kashmir
dispute? Following the arrest of Syed Gulam Nabi Fai by the FBI in US in 2011 for being a
Pakistani spy, there was a lot of criticism in the Indian media against Dileep Padgaonkar, Radha
Kumar and some other Indians for their reported links with the ISI. Even then the UPA
government did not find it necessary to remove them from the interlocutors‟ panel. The
interlocutors submitted their report on October 12, 2011 and it was made public on May 24,
2012.
The special status given to J&K under Article 370 is only temporary. The interlocutors in
their report have however recommended to further strengthen the Article 370 by deleting the
word temporary and replacing it with the word „special‟, thus making the temporary special
status given to Kashmir as a permanent feature of the constitution. The report says that if the
state government was dismissed, elections should be held within three months and no more
central laws be extended to the state through a presidential ordinance. It has further
recommended to set up a constitutional panel to review all central acts and articles extended to
the state since the signing of the 1952 agreement (laws like the extension of the jurisdiction of
the Supreme Court, Election Commission, CAG, AFSPA and All India Services). It says that the
proportion of officers from the All India Services should be gradually reduced in favour of
officers from the state. Another recommendation is that the Parliament won‟t make laws
applicable to the state unless it relates to internal and external security and vital economic
interest. It also says that all opportunities for cross-LoC cooperation should be promoted. An
important point to be noted is that nowhere in the report the interlocutors mention the Pakistani-
occupied Kashmir as PoK and instead refers to it as Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The
government of India may consider it as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, but not the interlocutors.
Such was their loyalty to Pakistan. The whole exercise was obviously an effort meant only to
dilute J&K‟s accession to India.
11) Sharm el Shaikh goof up
Another shocking and unpardonable mistake committed by UPA government was the
signing of a joint statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan Prime Minister
Yousuf Raza Gilani after their unofficial peace talks held at Sharm el Shaikh in Egypt on July
16, 2009, agreeing to delink the jihadi terror attacks in India from the ongoing peace talks with
Pakistan and to open a dialogue on India‟s involvement in promoting separatist movement in
Balochistan. Pakistani leaders had naturally exploited this statement as an admission by India of its involvement in stirring up militancy and separatism in Balochistan. The Congress leadership had tried to dismiss the controversial joint statement issued by the prime ministers of India and Pakistan after their meeting at Sharm el Shaikh in Egypt as a drafting mistake following severe media and public criticism in India against the reference to Balochistan and India‟s consent to delink terrorist incidents from the peace dialogue. However it was later reported that those two clauses were inserted in the statement on the specific instructions of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh.
Another shocking and unpardonable mistake committed by UPA government was the
signing of a joint statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan Prime Minister
Yousuf Raza Gilani after their unofficial peace talks held at Sharm el Shaikh in Egypt on July
16, 2009, agreeing to delink the jihadi terror attacks in India from the ongoing peace talks with
Pakistan and to open a dialogue on India‟s involvement in promoting separatist movement in
Balochistan. Pakistani leaders had naturally exploited this statement as an admission by India of its involvement in stirring up militancy and separatism in Balochistan. The Congress leadership had tried to dismiss the controversial joint statement issued by the prime ministers of India and Pakistan after their meeting at Sharm el Shaikh in Egypt as a drafting mistake following severe media and public criticism in India against the reference to Balochistan and India‟s consent to delink terrorist incidents from the peace dialogue. However it was later reported that those two clauses were inserted in the statement on the specific instructions of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh.
12) Sachar Committee Report : a conspiracy to provoke Muslim angerRetired chief justice of Delhi High Court Rajinder Sachar is a known sympathizer of Maoist movement, ULFA, Kashmiri separatists and Naga insurgents, as can be proved by his articles and statements on such topics posted on the net. In January, 2000, Sachar had strongly condemned the arrest of Th. Muiva, General Secretary of National Socialist Council ofNagaland-IM (most dominant Naga insurgent group) and had sought the intervention of
Government of India to get him released. He later flew all the way to Bangkok to express his
solidarity with the arrested Naga insurgent leader. He also participated in a symposium organized
by „Friends of Nagas‟ in Bangkok, wherein a resolution was passed demanding the immediate
release of Th. Muiva. It may be noted that Muiva was arrested by the Thailand police on January
19, 2000 while he was travelling from Karachi to Bangkok on a fake South Korean passport.
Sachar is a pseudo secularist who holds the view that the Muslims are discriminated in India. If
such a man is appointed as the head of a committee to study the status, grievances, etc. of
Muslims in India and suggest remedial measures, is it possible to get an unbiased and truthful
report from him? The Sachar Committee headed by Rajinder Sachar, as expected submitted its
report distorting all facts, depicting a totally biased picture and recommending some remedial
measures which could only promote Muslim fundamentalism. As per the recommendations of
the Sachar Committee, the UPA government has introduced number of special incentive schemes
to promote Madrassa education in India. As recommended by the Sachar committee, the
Madrassas were linked up with Higher Secondary School Board, allowing the Madrassa students
to shift to regular schools. The Madrassa degrees were given recognition on par with university
degrees with eligibility to appear for competitive examinations like civil services, banks and
defence service examinations. Thus, for the first time in the history of India, a Madrassa
graduate, who has not even seen a collage gate, was recruited as an IAS officer in 2008.
The extent of harm done the country by the Sachar Committee report can be gauged from
the coverage of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks by some sections of the western media, which while
condemning the Mumbai attacks also highlighted the discrimination and ill-treatment suffered by
the Muslims in India as revealed by the findings of the government-appointed Sachar Committee
and thereby indirectly hinting the justification of such retaliatory attacks by the Muslim militants.
Further substantiating his anti-national credentials, it was later found that Rajinder Sachar had
attended an international peace conference organized by ISI spy master Syed Gulam Nabi Fai at
Capitol Hill, Washington DC on July 29, 2010.
Government of India to get him released. He later flew all the way to Bangkok to express his
solidarity with the arrested Naga insurgent leader. He also participated in a symposium organized
by „Friends of Nagas‟ in Bangkok, wherein a resolution was passed demanding the immediate
release of Th. Muiva. It may be noted that Muiva was arrested by the Thailand police on January
19, 2000 while he was travelling from Karachi to Bangkok on a fake South Korean passport.
Sachar is a pseudo secularist who holds the view that the Muslims are discriminated in India. If
such a man is appointed as the head of a committee to study the status, grievances, etc. of
Muslims in India and suggest remedial measures, is it possible to get an unbiased and truthful
report from him? The Sachar Committee headed by Rajinder Sachar, as expected submitted its
report distorting all facts, depicting a totally biased picture and recommending some remedial
measures which could only promote Muslim fundamentalism. As per the recommendations of
the Sachar Committee, the UPA government has introduced number of special incentive schemes
to promote Madrassa education in India. As recommended by the Sachar committee, the
Madrassas were linked up with Higher Secondary School Board, allowing the Madrassa students
to shift to regular schools. The Madrassa degrees were given recognition on par with university
degrees with eligibility to appear for competitive examinations like civil services, banks and
defence service examinations. Thus, for the first time in the history of India, a Madrassa
graduate, who has not even seen a collage gate, was recruited as an IAS officer in 2008.
The extent of harm done the country by the Sachar Committee report can be gauged from
the coverage of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks by some sections of the western media, which while
condemning the Mumbai attacks also highlighted the discrimination and ill-treatment suffered by
the Muslims in India as revealed by the findings of the government-appointed Sachar Committee
and thereby indirectly hinting the justification of such retaliatory attacks by the Muslim militants.
Further substantiating his anti-national credentials, it was later found that Rajinder Sachar had
attended an international peace conference organized by ISI spy master Syed Gulam Nabi Fai at
Capitol Hill, Washington DC on July 29, 2010.
16) Attempt to make Intelligence Bureau (IB) totally ineffective.
Intelligence Bureau cannot be considered as a very efficient organization because of its
misuse for political purposes, mismanagement by the top brass and wrong priorities given in
intelligence collection. But, there appears to be a calculated attempt by the UPA government to
make the IB totally ineffective and useless. The The questioning of a senior IB officer Rajendra
Kumar by the CBI in connection with the alleged generation of fake IB alerts ahead of the
encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan and three other alleged LeT terrorists in June, 2004, is
indicative of such a sinister move. Such a thing has never happened in India before. An IB
officer can never be questioned by any agency on the basis of the intelligence inputs he provides.
Because, the IB officers function like the eyes and ears of the government and they can report on
anything under the sun, including some rumours floating around, provided it has some value to
the government. They are not supposed to reveal their sources. However, these reports are
properly graded and only confirmed reports are passed on to the other agencies. An IB officer is
not given police powers, mainly to keep him out of court proceedings. The CBI questioning of
Rajendra Kumar has set a bad precedent. No IB officer will give any sensitive humint (human
intelligence) inputs from now onwards because of the realization that he could be questioned by
some other agency on the authenticity of the report. Fabricating evidence against the Gujarat
police and thereby the state government in the encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan and further
weakening the credibility of the IB appear to be the twin-objective of this dastardly act of UPA
government.
The UPA government in December, 2012 appointed Syed Asif Ibrahim, a Muslim IPS
officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, as the new IB chief. He took over charge as the new chief of
IB on January 1, 2013, superseding four other Hindu officers senior to him, who all had to be
transferred out on different assignments to accommodate him at the top. Subsequently, Union
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had made a controversial statement in Vadodara claiming
credit for the UPA government for appointing a Muslim for the first time as the IB chief.
Coming from the Union home minister, it was a cheap statement, to say the least. His statement
makes it very clear that it was not merit, but Ibrahim‟s religion that paved the way for his
appointment as the IB chief, superseding four others. The way the IB is now used to contradict
its own report and fabricate evidence against the Gujarat police in the encounter killing of Ishrat
Jahan, gives enough grounds for suspicion as to whether there was any ulterior motive behind the
elevation of Syed Asif Ibrahim as the new IB chief
Intelligence Bureau cannot be considered as a very efficient organization because of its
misuse for political purposes, mismanagement by the top brass and wrong priorities given in
intelligence collection. But, there appears to be a calculated attempt by the UPA government to
make the IB totally ineffective and useless. The The questioning of a senior IB officer Rajendra
Kumar by the CBI in connection with the alleged generation of fake IB alerts ahead of the
encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan and three other alleged LeT terrorists in June, 2004, is
indicative of such a sinister move. Such a thing has never happened in India before. An IB
officer can never be questioned by any agency on the basis of the intelligence inputs he provides.
Because, the IB officers function like the eyes and ears of the government and they can report on
anything under the sun, including some rumours floating around, provided it has some value to
the government. They are not supposed to reveal their sources. However, these reports are
properly graded and only confirmed reports are passed on to the other agencies. An IB officer is
not given police powers, mainly to keep him out of court proceedings. The CBI questioning of
Rajendra Kumar has set a bad precedent. No IB officer will give any sensitive humint (human
intelligence) inputs from now onwards because of the realization that he could be questioned by
some other agency on the authenticity of the report. Fabricating evidence against the Gujarat
police and thereby the state government in the encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan and further
weakening the credibility of the IB appear to be the twin-objective of this dastardly act of UPA
government.
The UPA government in December, 2012 appointed Syed Asif Ibrahim, a Muslim IPS
officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, as the new IB chief. He took over charge as the new chief of
IB on January 1, 2013, superseding four other Hindu officers senior to him, who all had to be
transferred out on different assignments to accommodate him at the top. Subsequently, Union
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had made a controversial statement in Vadodara claiming
credit for the UPA government for appointing a Muslim for the first time as the IB chief.
Coming from the Union home minister, it was a cheap statement, to say the least. His statement
makes it very clear that it was not merit, but Ibrahim‟s religion that paved the way for his
appointment as the IB chief, superseding four others. The way the IB is now used to contradict
its own report and fabricate evidence against the Gujarat police in the encounter killing of Ishrat
Jahan, gives enough grounds for suspicion as to whether there was any ulterior motive behind the
elevation of Syed Asif Ibrahim as the new IB chief
18) Anti-Hindu Bill in the name of Prevention of Communal Violence Bill.
At a time when the Hindus are faced with deadly onslaughts from two of the major
minority communities challenging their very survival in India, the National Advisory Council
has come up with a draft Bill purportedly intended to curb communal violence in India. The Bill
called the “Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill, 2011”, unashamedly puts all
the blame on Hindus, unless proven otherwise, for every incident of communal violence in India.
The Bill violates individual and state rights and principles of equality under the law and
innocent-until-proven-guilty principles underlying the due process of law. This Bill will only
serve to instigate inter-religious and communal tension in India as under the provisions of this
Bill, in all cases of communal violence, the Hindus, being the majority community, will be
automatically considered as the perpetrators of the crime and the people from the minority
community as the victims. This vicious Bill was drafted by congenital Hindu-baiters like Harsh
Mander, Aruna Roy, Jean Dreze, Teesta Satalvad, John Dayal and Syed Shahabuddin, all hand-
picked by the NAC, the super cabinet cum think tank of Sonia Gandhi. Though the Bill is
presently kept in abeyance because of stringent criticism from all quarters, the very fact that such
an obnoxious and blatantly anti-Hindu Bill was drafted by the special committee appointed by
the NAC, clearly demonstrates the destructive designs of the NAC. The NAC could be aptly
described as a Satan‟s Workshop. Every piece of draft legislation that comes out of this
workshop is intended to harm the interests of Hindus, imperil the Indian economy or cause social
unrest in the country.
At a time when the Hindus are faced with deadly onslaughts from two of the major
minority communities challenging their very survival in India, the National Advisory Council
has come up with a draft Bill purportedly intended to curb communal violence in India. The Bill
called the “Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill, 2011”, unashamedly puts all
the blame on Hindus, unless proven otherwise, for every incident of communal violence in India.
The Bill violates individual and state rights and principles of equality under the law and
innocent-until-proven-guilty principles underlying the due process of law. This Bill will only
serve to instigate inter-religious and communal tension in India as under the provisions of this
Bill, in all cases of communal violence, the Hindus, being the majority community, will be
automatically considered as the perpetrators of the crime and the people from the minority
community as the victims. This vicious Bill was drafted by congenital Hindu-baiters like Harsh
Mander, Aruna Roy, Jean Dreze, Teesta Satalvad, John Dayal and Syed Shahabuddin, all hand-
picked by the NAC, the super cabinet cum think tank of Sonia Gandhi. Though the Bill is
presently kept in abeyance because of stringent criticism from all quarters, the very fact that such
an obnoxious and blatantly anti-Hindu Bill was drafted by the special committee appointed by
the NAC, clearly demonstrates the destructive designs of the NAC. The NAC could be aptly
described as a Satan‟s Workshop. Every piece of draft legislation that comes out of this
workshop is intended to harm the interests of Hindus, imperil the Indian economy or cause social
unrest in the country.
CIRUS nuclear reactor closed down under US pressure.
CIRUS was a research reactor at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) at Trombay,
near Mumbai. It was supplied by Canada in 1954. This 40 MW reactor went critical on July 10,
1960. India conducted its first nuclear test at Pokhran (Pokhran-1) in 1974 using the plutonium
produced by the CIRUS reactor. However, under pressure from the US, and as part of the nuclear
deal signed with the US, India was forced to close down the CIRUS reactor on December 31,
2010, though it had a life of 20 more years. The CIRUS was a symbol of growth of our country‟s
civil and strategic atomic programme, and most of the nuclear scientists in the country were
extremely angry and upset over the forcible closure of the CIRUS reactor. There is definitely
merit in their conclusion that the nuclear treaty which imposed conditions on India to shut down
the CIRUS reactor and desist from any further nuclear tests was a trap laid by the western
powers to effectively cap India‟s nuclear research programme and bind India to terms and
conditions of Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty through the back door.
CIRUS was a research reactor at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) at Trombay,
near Mumbai. It was supplied by Canada in 1954. This 40 MW reactor went critical on July 10,
1960. India conducted its first nuclear test at Pokhran (Pokhran-1) in 1974 using the plutonium
produced by the CIRUS reactor. However, under pressure from the US, and as part of the nuclear
deal signed with the US, India was forced to close down the CIRUS reactor on December 31,
2010, though it had a life of 20 more years. The CIRUS was a symbol of growth of our country‟s
civil and strategic atomic programme, and most of the nuclear scientists in the country were
extremely angry and upset over the forcible closure of the CIRUS reactor. There is definitely
merit in their conclusion that the nuclear treaty which imposed conditions on India to shut down
the CIRUS reactor and desist from any further nuclear tests was a trap laid by the western
powers to effectively cap India‟s nuclear research programme and bind India to terms and
conditions of Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty through the back door.
30) UPA government blocks sensitive defence/infrastructure projects raising eco-
hurdles
A bird stops missile testing range proposal
The Navy‟s proposal to set up a missile testing range at Tillanchong island in the
Andaman and Nicobar islands was shot down by the environment ministry in October, 2012, as
the said island was the habitat of an endangered bird Nicobar Megapode. Defence minister
A.K.Antony on October 18 confirmed the rejection of the Tillanchong island for the missile
range and added that a new site will be identified soon by the Navy chief and a fresh
environment clearance will be sought for the new site. The Navy had reportedly sought
permission for temporary use of forest land on the island for missile testing. It also wanted to put
up a temporary structure as a target for testing the accuracy of missiles fired from the
submarines. The test firing is proposed to be carried out once every year for a duration of 7 to 10
days only. Now the Naval authorities will have to hunt for a new site and again seek
environmental clearance for the same.
Another bird stops a surveillance radar project
Raising the bogie of threat to an endangered species of bird „Narcondam Hornbill‟, the
Environment Ministry has refused to clear a critical Ministry of Defence (MoD) project to install
a surveillance radar along the coastline in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Narcondam
Hornbill is an endemic species of bird found in Narcondam Island, 100 km to the east of the
main Andaman Islands. It is listed in Schedule 1 Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) also lists the Narcondam Hornbill as an
endangered species. The proposal to install the surveillance radar to secure the country‟s
coastline had come from the Coast Guard. Only .7 hectares of the 7 sq km area of the Narcondam
Island would be required for the radar project. But the strong anti-development lobby of
environmental activists is opposing the project pointing out that the disturbances and damage
caused to the habitat due to laying of road and functioning of the radar system could cause
irreversible adverse impact on the unique bird and may wipe out the entire Hornbill population
from the area. Endorsing the similar fears expressed by the standing committee of National
Board of Wildlife, Environment Minister Jayanti Natarajan has recommended in September,
2012 that the MoD should look for alternative sites for the proposed radar project. Meanwhile
the Coast Guard has reportedly informed the Environment Ministry its inability to shift the
location elsewhere as the Narcondam Island was found to be the most suitable location for the
proposed radar project.
There are nine species of Hornbill found in different states of India, especially in the
Western Ghats and in the Northeastern region. Poaching is the biggest threat faced by any rare
bird or animal in India. It is the most foolish argument put forward by the environmental lobby
that the proposed radar project could wipe out the entire Hornbill population from the area. In
fact, the installation of the radar will help to check poaching in the area. The opposition to the
radar project has to be seen as part of the ongoing nation-wide sabotage drive by the enemies of
the country to weaken and destabilize the country by stalling all our developmental projects,
scientific ventures and defence projects.
hurdles
A bird stops missile testing range proposal
The Navy‟s proposal to set up a missile testing range at Tillanchong island in the
Andaman and Nicobar islands was shot down by the environment ministry in October, 2012, as
the said island was the habitat of an endangered bird Nicobar Megapode. Defence minister
A.K.Antony on October 18 confirmed the rejection of the Tillanchong island for the missile
range and added that a new site will be identified soon by the Navy chief and a fresh
environment clearance will be sought for the new site. The Navy had reportedly sought
permission for temporary use of forest land on the island for missile testing. It also wanted to put
up a temporary structure as a target for testing the accuracy of missiles fired from the
submarines. The test firing is proposed to be carried out once every year for a duration of 7 to 10
days only. Now the Naval authorities will have to hunt for a new site and again seek
environmental clearance for the same.
Another bird stops a surveillance radar project
Raising the bogie of threat to an endangered species of bird „Narcondam Hornbill‟, the
Environment Ministry has refused to clear a critical Ministry of Defence (MoD) project to install
a surveillance radar along the coastline in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Narcondam
Hornbill is an endemic species of bird found in Narcondam Island, 100 km to the east of the
main Andaman Islands. It is listed in Schedule 1 Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) also lists the Narcondam Hornbill as an
endangered species. The proposal to install the surveillance radar to secure the country‟s
coastline had come from the Coast Guard. Only .7 hectares of the 7 sq km area of the Narcondam
Island would be required for the radar project. But the strong anti-development lobby of
environmental activists is opposing the project pointing out that the disturbances and damage
caused to the habitat due to laying of road and functioning of the radar system could cause
irreversible adverse impact on the unique bird and may wipe out the entire Hornbill population
from the area. Endorsing the similar fears expressed by the standing committee of National
Board of Wildlife, Environment Minister Jayanti Natarajan has recommended in September,
2012 that the MoD should look for alternative sites for the proposed radar project. Meanwhile
the Coast Guard has reportedly informed the Environment Ministry its inability to shift the
location elsewhere as the Narcondam Island was found to be the most suitable location for the
proposed radar project.
There are nine species of Hornbill found in different states of India, especially in the
Western Ghats and in the Northeastern region. Poaching is the biggest threat faced by any rare
bird or animal in India. It is the most foolish argument put forward by the environmental lobby
that the proposed radar project could wipe out the entire Hornbill population from the area. In
fact, the installation of the radar will help to check poaching in the area. The opposition to the
radar project has to be seen as part of the ongoing nation-wide sabotage drive by the enemies of
the country to weaken and destabilize the country by stalling all our developmental projects,
scientific ventures and defence projects.
To save hornbills,Environment says no to Defence project
The Narcondam Hornbill,an endemic species frequents the proposed site at Narcondam Island.
indianexpress.com
India‟s first underground naval base stalled due to Green hurdle
India‟s first strategic underground naval base that was meant to house its nuclear-armed
submarines has run into a tangle over green norms with the regional office of the Ministry of
Environment and Forests (MoEF) opposing the diversion of over 600 hectares of reserved forest
land citing a strong possibility that it may affect the water table and soil moisture content in the
area. The proposed expansion of the base at Rambilli near Visakhapatnam, that will consists of
underground pens to house nuclear submarines and protected harbours for warships, is currently
under the scanner of MoEF‟s Forest Advisory Committee. The project for setting up of a Naval
Alternate Operating Base (NAOB) involves diversion of 676.12 hectares of forest land in
Rambilli and Kalavalapalli reserved forests of Visakhapatnam division. The proposed base
would be similar to China‟s base at Hainan Island that houses nuclear-armed submarines, which
came to India‟s notice four years ago through satellite imagery. The project involves a number of
strategic constructions of undisclosed cost and nature. India should have gone ahead with this
secret and vital project at break-neck speed to ensure its early completion in view of the
increasing threats to the nation‟s security from our hostile neighbors. But the project is now
stalled, as the MoEF‟s Southern Zone Site Inspection report has observed that the project may
have an adverse effect on the water table and soil moisture content in the area.
India‟s first strategic underground naval base that was meant to house its nuclear-armed
submarines has run into a tangle over green norms with the regional office of the Ministry of
Environment and Forests (MoEF) opposing the diversion of over 600 hectares of reserved forest
land citing a strong possibility that it may affect the water table and soil moisture content in the
area. The proposed expansion of the base at Rambilli near Visakhapatnam, that will consists of
underground pens to house nuclear submarines and protected harbours for warships, is currently
under the scanner of MoEF‟s Forest Advisory Committee. The project for setting up of a Naval
Alternate Operating Base (NAOB) involves diversion of 676.12 hectares of forest land in
Rambilli and Kalavalapalli reserved forests of Visakhapatnam division. The proposed base
would be similar to China‟s base at Hainan Island that houses nuclear-armed submarines, which
came to India‟s notice four years ago through satellite imagery. The project involves a number of
strategic constructions of undisclosed cost and nature. India should have gone ahead with this
secret and vital project at break-neck speed to ensure its early completion in view of the
increasing threats to the nation‟s security from our hostile neighbors. But the project is now
stalled, as the MoEF‟s Southern Zone Site Inspection report has observed that the project may
have an adverse effect on the water table and soil moisture content in the area.
Ministry turns down proposal to set up Mountain Strike Corps
The finance wing of the defence ministry in consultation with the ministry of finance
rejected a proposal in 2011 to spend Rs12,000 crore to set up a Mountain Strike Corps even as a
plan to create an alternate, all-weather route from Siliguri to North Sikkim to rush troops to the
Indo-China border was turned down by the ministry of environment and forests on the grounds
that the alignment passes through eco-sensitive areas. The proposal to beef up army‟s force level
on the Indo-China border was mooted by the former Army Chief Gen.N.C.Vij after a
comprehensive review of the situation was undertaken by a special study team. The study group
led by the then Western Army Commander J.J.Singh had recommended the creation of a
mountain strike corps to maintain a strong deterrent against China. While the finance ministry
shot down the proposal pointing out the huge financial implications, the environment ministry
rejected it on the ground of possible harm to the biodiversity and eco-system of the region.
The finance wing of the defence ministry in consultation with the ministry of finance
rejected a proposal in 2011 to spend Rs12,000 crore to set up a Mountain Strike Corps even as a
plan to create an alternate, all-weather route from Siliguri to North Sikkim to rush troops to the
Indo-China border was turned down by the ministry of environment and forests on the grounds
that the alignment passes through eco-sensitive areas. The proposal to beef up army‟s force level
on the Indo-China border was mooted by the former Army Chief Gen.N.C.Vij after a
comprehensive review of the situation was undertaken by a special study team. The study group
led by the then Western Army Commander J.J.Singh had recommended the creation of a
mountain strike corps to maintain a strong deterrent against China. While the finance ministry
shot down the proposal pointing out the huge financial implications, the environment ministry
rejected it on the ground of possible harm to the biodiversity and eco-system of the region.
Babus block Indian Army’s plans to counter China’s PLA
Indian Army’s plans to beef up presence on the Indo-China border have met with fierce resistance from two unexpected quarters — the finance and the environment ministries.
Babus block Indian Army’s plans to counter China’s PLA
Indian Army’s plans to beef up presence on the Indo-China border have met with fierce resistance from two unexpected quarters — the finance and the environment ministries.Indian Army’s plans to beef up presence on the Indo-China border have met with fierce resistance from two unexpected quarters — the finance and the environment ministries.
The finance wing of the defence ministry in consultation with the ministry of finance is not agreeable to spend a whopping Rs12,000 crore to set up a Mountain Strike Corps even as a plan to create an alternate, all-weather route from Siliguri to North Sikkim to rush troops to the Indo-China border has been rejected by the ministry of environment and forests on the grounds that the alignment passes through eco-sensitive areas.
Left with almost no options, the army headquarters is now planning to move in an independent armoured brigade into North Sikkim to try and maintain some muscle on one of its most sensitive border. According to sources in South Block, which houses the ministry of defence, the army is all set to induct the tank brigade by December 31 this year.
The proposal to beef up the army’s force on the Indo-China border comes at a time when the US Pentagon has reported that China was training two divisions in high altitude warfare. The idea to raise a dedicated mountain strike corps as a bulwark against China was mooted in the aftermath of the disastrous Operation Parakram, when the Indian army mobilised after the December 13 attack on Parliament.
At that time, the then army chief, Gen NC Vij, had ordered a comprehensive review of the army’s offensive and defensive posture. Headed by the then Western Army Commander, Lt Gen JJ Singh, the study group had recommended a mountain strike corps to be created for the Indo-China border.
The study group was unambiguous that a dedicated mountain strike corps is essential to maintain deterrence against the Chinese. “We must have a mountain strike corps in the sector if we need to maintain a strong deterrent posture,” Gen Vij told DNA.
As army chief he had pushed for a major reorganisation of the military structure to prepare for all exigencies on the Pakistan and China fronts.
“Ideally, the strike corps should have the full paraphernalia to launch a strike by troops who are already there and fully acclimatised in the high altitude areas. At those heights we need infantry, artillery, logistics and armoured brigades to strike back if someone was to plan a misadventure. Our current force levels are quite inadequate and it takes years to build up a new army corps in the area,” Gen Vij told DNA.
In fact, army headquarters was at pains to explain to the government that most of the army corps that came up as a reactive measure was too little, and too late. The Sukhna-based 33 Corps (in Darjeeling) came up after the 1962 defeat at the hands of the Chinese and Leh-based 14 Corps came up after the surprise Pakistani intrusions in Kargil.
The study group looked at the combined threat from Pakistan and China in a future war and concluded that the bulk of the fighting would take place in the high mountains.
“We found that current force position was woeful. Every Corps is supposed to have at least three army divisions and we were already short of 4 divisions. So not only did we feel the need to fill the void but also have a credible deterrent against China,” a senior officer familiar with the secret study told DNA.
“Our current military strategy against China is of dissuasion. But we need to upgrade it to deterrence for which we need at least two mountain strike corps,” said Brig Gurmeet Singh (Retd), director of the prestigious think-tank, CLAWS.
But the finance wing of the defence ministry after consultations with the finance ministry shot down the proposal on the grounds that funds were not available for such a massive project. This is a double barrel blow to the army’s plans to beef up its strength vis-a-vis China because the proposal to have an alternate route from Siliguri to the border has been opposed by the environment ministry.
Documents available with DNA show that the army had proposed three alternate routes to Aritar in North Sikkim - one starting from Khunia More in north Bengal, another from Bagrakot and a third from Damdim. The environment ministry has pointed out that at least two routes “will result in irreversible loss of bio-diversity vitality and vigor thereby affecting adversely the entire eco-system.” Stuck between environment and financial constraints, the Indian army is still years away from a credible deterrence against an aggressive Chin
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