Dear All,
Having served in the INFANTRY (The Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry) for 21 years ( 9 years in J&K on the IB/LOC), I fully endirse the action taken by the soldiers of the JAT paltan. In fact I retired in Aug 2001 and my last place of posting was KUPWARA (Hottest spot from 'Infiltration' point of view).
Let me inform my friends that the 'Battle in J&K' is being fought on a very different level and for the very survival of our nation. This kind of battle cannot be fought as per 'Geneva Conventions'. The values of democracy can't and shouldn't be applied to war with terrorists, whose aim is to see the flag of Islam fly atop every household in the world. And these 'Human Rights' advocates, please excuse me. You sit in your drawing room, take the maximum benefit from the International bodies and plan how you can get the next free crumb. (I don't usually use such language but what is happening in J&K can never be fully appreciated by people who don't know the 'facts of the ground').
I don't have time to explain here the Grand Design of Saudi Arabian theory of 'Darul Islam', 'Darul Harb' and 'Darul Aman'. You can then understand the seriousness of the problem and increase in Muslim fundamentalism.
I can also advise those who are interested in 'Military History', please read how the insurgency was controlled in Malaysia by the Britishers in the 1950s. Incidently, control of the Malysian insurgency was by the most violent means. Violence that is more gruesome than what the insurgent can throw at you. Unfortunately this is the language that the 'Jehadi' elements understand worldwide. (In whichever city the Hindus have massacred Muslims with greater hatred during communal riots, those places have remained violence free: Meerut, Moradabad, Mumbai)
My only question to my friends is "What answer do you give to the other soldiers of the Paltan when they ask for revenge?". Do we quote the Constitution of India, Geneva Convension, National Human Rights Manuel or Amnesty International Rules? We should be proud of an officer class that leads from the front and delivers. I am sure a young officer would have led this forey into POK, across the LOC and got those Paki heads. It is a necessity to do this otherwise these Jehadis will be roaming the steets of New Delhi, if they are already not doing. Do you know the motivation level of these persons and can you imagine the kind of atrocities they are capable of on a captured or wounded Indian Army soldier? Most of these Jehadis are the product of these 'Madarsas' which teach them that if you die while fighting for the 'Cause' you would go to Heaven and Allah will give you 80 'Hoors' (Miss Universes) and 'Pani-e-Zam Zam'. How do you deal with these guys?
The avarage Kashmiri has been used by everybody for all these years. His condition has not improved a bit and the blame lies on everybody. India should be lucky to come out from this mess with lesser bloodshed. Our survival as a nation depends on this.
I know tit for tat is not applicable and agree with what Gandhiji said :Applying Tit for tat will make the whole world blind.
But J&K and LOC is different.
Lt Col JS Malik (Retd)
JAT BALWAN, JAI BHAGWAN