A number of valiant officers of our defence forces have been performing heroic acts and even laying down their lives to frustrate Pakistan'sdesign on Jammu and Kashmir. In the last two months alone, half a dozen officers, besides several jawans, have made supreme sacrifices while warding off terrorists activities in the State. But public memory is short. It tends to forget what heroes of independent India have done to establish and maintain Kashmir'sterritorial links with the rest of India. How many of us today remember what great feats were performed on and around October 27, 1947?
On the eve of Indian independence, there were a number of prominent actors on the stage who were destined to play a fateful role in the Kashmir drama. The Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir was one of them. He, unfortunately, remained indecisive. Egged on by his ambitious advisors like Prime Minister Ram Chandra Kak and Raj Guru Swami Sant Dav, he started nursing dreams of becoming a ruler of an independent State. Even the then President of the Muslim Conference, Chowdhry Hamid-Ulla Khan, urged him to declare himself independent.
In June 1947, Lord Mountbatten paid a four-day visit to Kashmir. But the Maharaja dodged him. Mahatma Gandhi also went to Srinagar and called upon the Maharaja on August 1. Nothing is clearly known about the conversation between the two. The only visible fallout of the visit was the replacement of Prime Minister R.C. Kak by Major General Janak Singh on August 10.
Gandhi'smeeting with the Maharaja on August 1, dismissal of R.C. Kak from the office of Prime Minister on August 10, release of Sheikh Adbullah on September 29, strengthening of the road link between Pathankot and Jammu, and the scheme to construct a boat bridge over the river Ravi, all would seem to suggest that ground was being prepared for accession of the State to India. There is, however, no hard evidence to support the Pakistani charge that a ?sinister design? had been worked out by India to secure the accession of the State. This charge, in fact, stands refuted not only by the assertion of Lord Mountbatten but also by the unambiguous statement of three services Chiefs of India who were all British, namely, General R.M. Lockhart, Chief of the Indian Army; Air Marshal T.W. Elmhirst, Commander of the Royal Indian Air Force; and Rear Admiral J.T.S. Hall, Chief of the Royal Indian Navy. In a joint statement, they said: ?On October 24,the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Arm, received information that tribesmen had seized Muzaffarabad. This was the first indication of the raid. Prior to this date, no plans of any sort for sending Indian forces into Kashmir had been formulated or even considered.?
On the other hand, Pakistan had been secretly planning to subvert Kashmir from within and at the same time launch a surprise attack through tribesmen and regular soldiers disguised as volunteers. On October 23, a reputed national daily reported: ?Not a day passes when reports do not come indicating that Pakistan'sintentions are acquisitive and its plans are aggressive. West Punjab and Frontier Pakistani crusaders, masquerading as pleasure seekers, had poured into the Valley and, besides carrying on subtle poisonous propaganda, were organising ?stabbers and fire-raisers? squads. Menacingly, Jinnah caps were visible everywhere.?
At about the same time, military skirmishes all along the border from Gilgit to Mirpur were manipulated to disperse the State forces, the total strength of which was only nine infantry battalion and two mountain batteries. On October 22, a full-scale tribal invasion, backed by Pakistan regulars, was launched under the overall command of Akbar Khan, a Major General in the Pakistani army who was given the code name of ?General Tariq?.
The State Administration was so unprepared that it could not destroy the vital Krishan-Ganga bridge at Muzaffarabad for want of dynamite. Muzaffarabad fell on October 23. The Maharaja realised the gravity of the situation. On October 24, he approached the Government of India for assistance. On the same day, the Mohara power station was captured by the raiders and Srinagar city was plunged into darkness. The following day, V.P. Menon, Secretary of the Ministry of States, flew to Srinagar to assess the situation. He noted the ?stillness of the graveyard all round.?
Consequent upon the discussions with V.P.Menon, immediate help was sought from the Government of India by the Maharaja and accession of the State to the Union offered. After accepting the accession, the Union Government extended full help.
In the developments from October 22 onwards, time was a crucial factor. Every minute mattered. The State forces under the command of Brigadier Rajinder Singh fought to the ?last man and last bullet? at Uri, delaying the advance of the main horde of raiders for two crucial days. The Uri bridge was also destroyed by the retreating force, thereby gaining another day. Brigadier Rajinder Singh died like a hero and made an invaluable contribution in saving the State. The Maharaja got the time to seek and obtain India'shelp.
Baramulla fell into the hands of raiders on October 24-26. Overtaken by their wild habits, they indulged in large-scale looting, burning, raping and killing. They hardly realised that the time spent by them in committing their abominable crimes would turn out to be their punishment, as it enabled the Indian forces to land at Srinagar airport.
On October 27, a few planes of the Indian Air Force hovered over Srinagar airport, carrying the first batch of Indian troops under the command of Lt. Colonel Ranjit Rai. It was not certain whether the airport was still held by the State forces. After landing, Lt. Colonel Rai led the small contingent of his troops towards Baramulla. He lost his life in this bold venture. But it unnerved the raiders.
In another bold move, Major Som Nath Sharma engaged the raiders at Badgam as they had reached very near to the airport (November 3). He was outnumbered seven to one. But he showed unbounded courage and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. He was killed. However, Brig. Sen was able to lure the raiders in the net of Indian forces, near Shaltang, and attack them on November 5 from three sides. The raiders were routed.
The Pakistani raiders also made a determined bid to occupy Ladakh. But it was saved by the superior strategy and grit of the Indian military and air force. In this regard, two daring actions deserve special mention.
One was the amazing feat of Air Commodore Mehar Singh to fly his plane on May 24, 1948, at 23,000 feet above the sea level, without oxygen, on a hitherto unchartered course and landing at the rough strip of Leh airport located at the height of 11,555 feet. This enabled the Indian forces to be airlifted to Leh and defend Ladakh.
The second unique feat was of Major General Thimayya who took his tanks to the snow covered Zojila Pass at the height of 11, 578 feet on November 1, 1948. General Thimayya'sfeat has been compared to Hannibal crossing the Alps with his elephants. Till that time, no one in history had taken tanks to such a height in such hazardous conditions.
Today, after about six decades of the events how many of our countrymen remember with gratitude the likes of Brigadier Rajinder Singh, Lt. Col. Rai, Major Som Nath and General Thimayya? How many of our school and college textbooks recount their deeds of heroism and inspire the youth to resolve that ?the dead shall not have died in vain??
(The writer is a former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and a former Union Minister.)
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