I first saw Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw at the Navy Ball in Mumbai in Dec 1972, when I was still in school and had accompanied my parents there. He was already a legend for his leadership role in the 1971 war. He walked around with a slight hunch, the result of his bullet wounds of the second world war, personally […]
I had written in this column some time ago on the new strategy being implemented by the government for Kashmir. This strategy had a few basic elements. They included hard response to Pakistan along the LoC for attempted transgressions, multiple layered deployment for thwarting infiltration attempts, increased operations against terrorists operating in the valley, additional powers to police forces to […]
Recent press reports indicate that the US is preparing a new strategy for dealing with Afghanistan which would shortly be presented to President Trump. Inputs indicate a changed perception towards Pak including reduction of financial aid, more drone strikes and removing Pak from the status of non-NATO ally, an action already initiated in the senate, in addition to a surge […]
Newspapers and online news portals are packed with articles condemning the army and its chief for its recent actions in Kashmir. The common Indian may disagree with the criticism, as an unofficial online poll on the Gogoi incident proved, yet there seems to be no end to army bashing. The chief’s unstinted support of the officer resulted in him being […]
PM Modi is scheduled to meet President Trump over the weekend. The proximity which Modi had with Obama appears missing, hence expectations from this visit are low. However, for the US, India would be a key player as the US heads into a security isolation, solely due to Trump’s own policy of ‘America First’. Since his ascendency as the President […]
The last few days have witnessed a spurt of incidents in the valley. Increased attempts at infiltration have resulted in over fourteen militants killed. Junaid Matoo, a known militant with an immense bounty on his head was gunned down in an encounter. There was also a brutal ambush in which militants killed six policemen. An off-duty policeman, Shabir Ahmad Dar, […]
Encounters with militants result in casualties to security forces. Incidents of stone throwing, protests and anti-national comments by the Hurriyat dominate headlines at regular intervals. Local poster boy militants, scared of challenging the army, secure in their hideouts or homes, issue statements on social media, asking people to support them, which are widely circulated. Security forces operations against them are […]
Twice a year, the J and K state machinary moves along the national highway, spending summers in Srinagar and winters in Jammu. It maintains this practice of pre-Independence India. This shift of the state government, termed darbar move, involves movement of staff, families and resetting up government offices. While the move is in progress, the working of the government comes […]
Those of us who have visited Kashmir, even when it was peaceful or have served in the state, would always carry a few stark realities of the region. Firstly, as a tourist you are always asked, ‘have you have come from India’, and secondly, All India Radio was and continues to be termed as Radio Kashmir. That stated, they were […]
Fading Indian politicians seek limelight solely hoping for a boost in their careers. A few minutes of media glare, they hope, would re-open doors to a flagging career and maybe their party would suddenly recognize their capability. Mani Shankar Aiyar rushed to Srinagar, seeking to hobnob with the Hurriyat, knowing that even when his party was in power, they had […]