Ankit Purohit
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Lt General KS Brar reaches Mumbai
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Lt Gen Kuldip Brar attacked in London
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Ankit Purohit
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"A Soldier is always a Soldier"
Be A Soldier
Jai hind
Be A Soldier
Jai hind
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Ankit Purohit
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I don't want to die like a rat
NEW DELHI: "I don't want to die like a mouse, but as a hero of the Indian Army," as Brigadier Israr Rahim Khan speaks, his words don't tremble but carry the firmness of a battle hardened soldier.
However, he doesn't hide his concerns. "I am a little jittery now that Gen Brar has been attacked," says Brig Khan, who was probably the senior-most officer to go into the Golden Temple during Operation Bluestar in 1984. Brig Khan lives in the national capital without any security, after he was forced out of a government accommodation in 2002, and later stripped of his security cover by the then NDA government.
Brig Khan had led a battalion of Guards that played a crucial role in the operation to flush out Sikh militants from the Golden Temple. Brig Khan, then a lieutenant colonel, stayed put within the Golden Temple for almost two weeks after the operation, overseeing cleaning up of the premises and re-starting rituals. During the operation, Brig Khan was reporting to Gen Brar, who was attacked in London on Monday.
In 2002, authorities asked him to vacate an official accommodation in Delhi cantonment that was given to him in 1996, when he retired from the Army. He had Z class security, the highest class of protection.
"They said they needed the house because serving officers needed the house. Op Bluestar didn't take place to deprive a fellow officer of his house, the whole argument was erroneous. They forced me out of the cantonment. I told them I have a flat in Noida, please look at its security. They surveyed the house, and declared it unfit for security," Brig Khan recalls. He went to then home minister L K Advani with his appeal. "They gave me time to meet Advani, so I went to North Block and waited with his private secretary Deepak Chopra. After some time, Deepak told me that the minister was busy in some election work. Then I told Deepak the story, and handed over my application to him," Brig Khan says.
When nothing further happened, he went to the Delhi high court questioning the government decision to push him out of the accommodation. "My colleagues in Op Bluestar, those who were senior to me and who were not even present in Golden Temple, were getting such protection," he recalls. When the two-judge bench of Delhi HC pulled up the Centre, there was a Kafkaesque twist to the story. "Advani reduced my security category from Z to Y, and then after some time, removed it completely. In 2003, I left Delhi cantonment, and came to my own flat."
For Brig Khan, sense of security is now driven from a personal weapon he carries with him while on long trips. The state seems to have just forgotten the hero.
I don’t want to die like a rat: Israr - The Times of India
NEW DELHI: "I don't want to die like a mouse, but as a hero of the Indian Army," as Brigadier Israr Rahim Khan speaks, his words don't tremble but carry the firmness of a battle hardened soldier.
However, he doesn't hide his concerns. "I am a little jittery now that Gen Brar has been attacked," says Brig Khan, who was probably the senior-most officer to go into the Golden Temple during Operation Bluestar in 1984. Brig Khan lives in the national capital without any security, after he was forced out of a government accommodation in 2002, and later stripped of his security cover by the then NDA government.
Brig Khan had led a battalion of Guards that played a crucial role in the operation to flush out Sikh militants from the Golden Temple. Brig Khan, then a lieutenant colonel, stayed put within the Golden Temple for almost two weeks after the operation, overseeing cleaning up of the premises and re-starting rituals. During the operation, Brig Khan was reporting to Gen Brar, who was attacked in London on Monday.
In 2002, authorities asked him to vacate an official accommodation in Delhi cantonment that was given to him in 1996, when he retired from the Army. He had Z class security, the highest class of protection.
"They said they needed the house because serving officers needed the house. Op Bluestar didn't take place to deprive a fellow officer of his house, the whole argument was erroneous. They forced me out of the cantonment. I told them I have a flat in Noida, please look at its security. They surveyed the house, and declared it unfit for security," Brig Khan recalls. He went to then home minister L K Advani with his appeal. "They gave me time to meet Advani, so I went to North Block and waited with his private secretary Deepak Chopra. After some time, Deepak told me that the minister was busy in some election work. Then I told Deepak the story, and handed over my application to him," Brig Khan says.
When nothing further happened, he went to the Delhi high court questioning the government decision to push him out of the accommodation. "My colleagues in Op Bluestar, those who were senior to me and who were not even present in Golden Temple, were getting such protection," he recalls. When the two-judge bench of Delhi HC pulled up the Centre, there was a Kafkaesque twist to the story. "Advani reduced my security category from Z to Y, and then after some time, removed it completely. In 2003, I left Delhi cantonment, and came to my own flat."
For Brig Khan, sense of security is now driven from a personal weapon he carries with him while on long trips. The state seems to have just forgotten the hero.
I don’t want to die like a rat: Israr - The Times of India
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Lt Gen Brar stabbing case: Four arrested in London
Four persons, including a woman, have been arrested here in connection with the stabbing of retired Lt Gen KS Brar, who had led 'Operation Blue Star' 28 years ago to flush out pro-Khalistani militants from the Golden Temple.
The four persons, including a woman, were arrested this evening by the Metropolitan Police in connection with the conspiracy to murder Brar, a spokesman of Scotland Yard told PTI.
Brar, 78, was attacked by four men in Old Quebec Street, near Oxford Street, on Sunday night.
The Metropolitan Police said its officers had arrested three men and one woman in the West Midlands on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. They are currently being questioned at a police station in central London.
The spokesman said a 33-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman were arrested at a residential address in Wolverhampton.
Another 34-year-old man was arrested after being stopped in a car in West Bromwich, while a 25—year—old man was arrested in the same circumstances.
http://m.thehindubusinessline.com/news/article3967721.ece/
Sent via Tapatalk from a galaxy far far away
Four persons, including a woman, have been arrested here in connection with the stabbing of retired Lt Gen KS Brar, who had led 'Operation Blue Star' 28 years ago to flush out pro-Khalistani militants from the Golden Temple.
The four persons, including a woman, were arrested this evening by the Metropolitan Police in connection with the conspiracy to murder Brar, a spokesman of Scotland Yard told PTI.
Brar, 78, was attacked by four men in Old Quebec Street, near Oxford Street, on Sunday night.
The Metropolitan Police said its officers had arrested three men and one woman in the West Midlands on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. They are currently being questioned at a police station in central London.
The spokesman said a 33-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman were arrested at a residential address in Wolverhampton.
Another 34-year-old man was arrested after being stopped in a car in West Bromwich, while a 25—year—old man was arrested in the same circumstances.
http://m.thehindubusinessline.com/news/article3967721.ece/
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Oh Great lord Jesus Christ.............. !Thank You
I read that in a glance assuming it might be a word used for the nature of the attack but it was name of the suburb.
Good one Singh Saab.
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Ready for the ninth attempt
By Dnyanesh Jathar
Story Dated: Monday, October 15, 2012 12:2 hrs IST
Interview/Lt-Gen. (retd) K.S. Brar
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Lt-Gen. (retd) K.S. Brar. Photo by Amey Mansabdar
An attempt on his life in London on September 30 has not shaken Lt-Gen. (retd) K.S. Brar. At 78, he had the guts and the physical strength to fight back four assailants, one of whom slashed his neck. But then, how could he not be brave? As a colonel in the 1971 war, he had led the Maratha battalion—one of the first units to enter Dhaka. Thirteen years later, destiny and decision makers in New Delhi chose Brar, a Sikh himself, to lead the controversial Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Since then he has been on the hit list of Khalistani extremists and has braved seven attempts on his life. The attack in London was the eighth.
When THE WEEK met Brar at his home in Mumbai, he had just returned from the hospital after getting the stitches on his neck removed. Excerpts from an interview.
When you agreed to lead Operation Blue Star, did you foresee a situation where you would be on the hit list of extremists?
After Operation Blue Star, there were a lot of militants who either surrendered or were wounded. They were relatives and disciples of [Jarnail Singh] Bhindranwale. They sipped nectar before the holy book and swore revenge against Indira Gandhi, General [A.S.] Vaidya [Army chief], General [Krishnaswamy] Sundarji [chief of the western command], General [Ranjit Singh] Dyal [chief of staff of the command] and myself. From that day, I was sure they would carry out their vow some day or the other. They assassinated Indira Gandhi and Gen. Vaidya. Gen. Sundarji and Gen. Dyal are no more. I am the one left. So the threat lingers along. They have sent threatening letters and formed hate groups. There was a pro-Khalistan web site that said I am number one on their hit list now. And that I have survived seven assassination attempts, but wouldn't survive the eighth. I don't know whether this was the eighth. If it was, I have survived that as well. Now they better start talking about the ninth.
Do you think there was a leak of "¨information?
I don't know. Terrorist groups have various means of finding out what they are looking for. They could have got the information from the flight manifest, in which my name and return date were mentioned.
Also, unfortunately for some time now, we have been using the same taxi service. The last couple of times it so happened that the taxi drivers were Sikhs, with long beards, who appeared to be very religious. Maybe, one of them picked up this information and passed it on. Maybe, someone recognised us in London, or maybe, some friends may have mentioned that I was coming.
Do you think it is wise of the Punjab government to erect the Blue Star memorial?
Of course not. From day one, I have been saying that they are doing something wrong and I say it again today. The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee had wanted to build this memorial for long, and has now got the government's support for it. I don't understand this. Are you fraternising with people who took up arms against the country? Law and order may be a state subject, but when national security is involved, the Central government should be able to put its foot down.
So it is only for political gains...
Of course. Politics has been mixed up with religion. Same thing happened in the 80s when Bhindranwale was hailed as a prophet. It is happening again and it is sad that people have selfish interests in this.
The memorial, the attack on you... there are elements who do not want this chapter to be over.
The chapter must be over. Come on, 28 years have gone by. Forget the past. Let us work to heal these wounds; not open up fresh wounds. But we don't seem to be doing that.
Shiromani Akali Dal secretary Daljit Singh Cheema said, "No party "¨supported Blue Star, which was termed wrong by every right-minded person." When you look back at the chain of events, what do you feel?
I can't comment on political decisions. But the decision to undertake Blue Star was made under strong compulsions by Mrs Gandhi and her cabinet. They were, perhaps, given authentic information that Khalistan was going to be declared. Had that happened, this nation would have broken up and Pakistan would have at once recognised Khalistan. There would have been Hindu-Sikh riots, like the 1947 Hindu-Muslim riots. I know Mrs Gandhi tried negotiating with the Akali leaders till the last moment. But when everything failed, this was the only option left.
Did any of your seniors tell you why you were chosen to lead the operation?
It was their decision. Once it was conveyed to me, as a loyal solider who answers the call of duty regardless of caste, creed and religion, to safeguard the sovereignty of this nation, I carried it out.
Where were you when this message came?
I was in Meerut. I drove down to Delhi and took a flight to reach Chandimandir and was briefed on what was to happen in four days. Then I flew to Amritsar. I started all the preparations, caught hold of the police and the intelligence agencies. They were all defunct by then. Bhindranwale had taken complete power in Punjab.
And you had just four to five days at hand. How did you convince and motivate your forces?
Well, nobody, except my staff and those planning it, knew about the operation initially. It was only on June 6 that I told each battalion that we were going in. I told them that if anyone wanted to back out, they could and no action would be taken against them. Then a young Sikh officer raised his hand and said, "Sir, I am Second Lt Jasbir Singh Raina. I want to be the first to go in and get hold of Bhindranwale because he has destroyed the Sikhs and desecrated the Golden Temple." Raina was the first to enter the Golden Temple and both his legs were blown up in the machine gun firing. But he continued to crawl to the Akal Takht. He had to be forcibly evacuated and rushed to hospital, where his legs were amputated. He arrived at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to receive the Ashoka Chakra in a wheelchair. Such is the dedication of our soldiers. The Indian Army is the biggest binding factor in this country.
At the time of Blue Star, you were pitted against one of your seniors, Maj. Gen. Shabeg Singh. Did you feel sad that you had to fight a fellow officer?
Of course, I felt sad. I knew him, he was a Mahavir Chakra winner. I also knew we were up against a tough fight because Shabeg had organised their defences in a brilliant manner.
For how long had you known him?
I knew him well from the time I was a cadet in the academy in 1950. He was a captain then and he was my instructor. In 1971, when he was a brigadier and I a colonel, we went into Dhaka together.
Fighting a war with the Pakistani army is one thing, fighting a war against your own people is a totally different ball game...
Give me three wars to fight against Pakistan, I will be happy. I don't want to fight against our own people. I will be happy to fight someone who is an enemy of the country.
What are your views on the conflict between Gen. V.K. Singh and our government?
As a good soldier I would not like to comment. I am sorry.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of our defeat at the hands of the Chinese army. Don't you think it is time the Henderson Brooks report is made public?
I am surprised why it hasn't been made public yet. Why do we hide things? There should be transparency. Let people read it.
Lastly, what have been the most memorable and sad moments in your Army career?
The most memorable was the 1971 war, when we defeated the Pakistani army and entered Dhaka. We were welcomed by the Bangladeshis with slogans like "Joi Bangla, Joi India". And the saddest was this [Operation Blue Star]. Not that I would not do it again if I was asked to. But it was still sad.
The Week | Ready for the ninth attempt
By Dnyanesh Jathar
Story Dated: Monday, October 15, 2012 12:2 hrs IST
Interview/Lt-Gen. (retd) K.S. Brar
Text Size
Lt-Gen. (retd) K.S. Brar. Photo by Amey Mansabdar
An attempt on his life in London on September 30 has not shaken Lt-Gen. (retd) K.S. Brar. At 78, he had the guts and the physical strength to fight back four assailants, one of whom slashed his neck. But then, how could he not be brave? As a colonel in the 1971 war, he had led the Maratha battalion—one of the first units to enter Dhaka. Thirteen years later, destiny and decision makers in New Delhi chose Brar, a Sikh himself, to lead the controversial Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Since then he has been on the hit list of Khalistani extremists and has braved seven attempts on his life. The attack in London was the eighth.
When THE WEEK met Brar at his home in Mumbai, he had just returned from the hospital after getting the stitches on his neck removed. Excerpts from an interview.
When you agreed to lead Operation Blue Star, did you foresee a situation where you would be on the hit list of extremists?
After Operation Blue Star, there were a lot of militants who either surrendered or were wounded. They were relatives and disciples of [Jarnail Singh] Bhindranwale. They sipped nectar before the holy book and swore revenge against Indira Gandhi, General [A.S.] Vaidya [Army chief], General [Krishnaswamy] Sundarji [chief of the western command], General [Ranjit Singh] Dyal [chief of staff of the command] and myself. From that day, I was sure they would carry out their vow some day or the other. They assassinated Indira Gandhi and Gen. Vaidya. Gen. Sundarji and Gen. Dyal are no more. I am the one left. So the threat lingers along. They have sent threatening letters and formed hate groups. There was a pro-Khalistan web site that said I am number one on their hit list now. And that I have survived seven assassination attempts, but wouldn't survive the eighth. I don't know whether this was the eighth. If it was, I have survived that as well. Now they better start talking about the ninth.
Do you think there was a leak of "¨information?
I don't know. Terrorist groups have various means of finding out what they are looking for. They could have got the information from the flight manifest, in which my name and return date were mentioned.
Also, unfortunately for some time now, we have been using the same taxi service. The last couple of times it so happened that the taxi drivers were Sikhs, with long beards, who appeared to be very religious. Maybe, one of them picked up this information and passed it on. Maybe, someone recognised us in London, or maybe, some friends may have mentioned that I was coming.
Do you think it is wise of the Punjab government to erect the Blue Star memorial?
Of course not. From day one, I have been saying that they are doing something wrong and I say it again today. The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee had wanted to build this memorial for long, and has now got the government's support for it. I don't understand this. Are you fraternising with people who took up arms against the country? Law and order may be a state subject, but when national security is involved, the Central government should be able to put its foot down.
So it is only for political gains...
Of course. Politics has been mixed up with religion. Same thing happened in the 80s when Bhindranwale was hailed as a prophet. It is happening again and it is sad that people have selfish interests in this.
The memorial, the attack on you... there are elements who do not want this chapter to be over.
The chapter must be over. Come on, 28 years have gone by. Forget the past. Let us work to heal these wounds; not open up fresh wounds. But we don't seem to be doing that.
Shiromani Akali Dal secretary Daljit Singh Cheema said, "No party "¨supported Blue Star, which was termed wrong by every right-minded person." When you look back at the chain of events, what do you feel?
I can't comment on political decisions. But the decision to undertake Blue Star was made under strong compulsions by Mrs Gandhi and her cabinet. They were, perhaps, given authentic information that Khalistan was going to be declared. Had that happened, this nation would have broken up and Pakistan would have at once recognised Khalistan. There would have been Hindu-Sikh riots, like the 1947 Hindu-Muslim riots. I know Mrs Gandhi tried negotiating with the Akali leaders till the last moment. But when everything failed, this was the only option left.
Did any of your seniors tell you why you were chosen to lead the operation?
It was their decision. Once it was conveyed to me, as a loyal solider who answers the call of duty regardless of caste, creed and religion, to safeguard the sovereignty of this nation, I carried it out.
Where were you when this message came?
I was in Meerut. I drove down to Delhi and took a flight to reach Chandimandir and was briefed on what was to happen in four days. Then I flew to Amritsar. I started all the preparations, caught hold of the police and the intelligence agencies. They were all defunct by then. Bhindranwale had taken complete power in Punjab.
And you had just four to five days at hand. How did you convince and motivate your forces?
Well, nobody, except my staff and those planning it, knew about the operation initially. It was only on June 6 that I told each battalion that we were going in. I told them that if anyone wanted to back out, they could and no action would be taken against them. Then a young Sikh officer raised his hand and said, "Sir, I am Second Lt Jasbir Singh Raina. I want to be the first to go in and get hold of Bhindranwale because he has destroyed the Sikhs and desecrated the Golden Temple." Raina was the first to enter the Golden Temple and both his legs were blown up in the machine gun firing. But he continued to crawl to the Akal Takht. He had to be forcibly evacuated and rushed to hospital, where his legs were amputated. He arrived at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to receive the Ashoka Chakra in a wheelchair. Such is the dedication of our soldiers. The Indian Army is the biggest binding factor in this country.
At the time of Blue Star, you were pitted against one of your seniors, Maj. Gen. Shabeg Singh. Did you feel sad that you had to fight a fellow officer?
Of course, I felt sad. I knew him, he was a Mahavir Chakra winner. I also knew we were up against a tough fight because Shabeg had organised their defences in a brilliant manner.
For how long had you known him?
I knew him well from the time I was a cadet in the academy in 1950. He was a captain then and he was my instructor. In 1971, when he was a brigadier and I a colonel, we went into Dhaka together.
Fighting a war with the Pakistani army is one thing, fighting a war against your own people is a totally different ball game...
Give me three wars to fight against Pakistan, I will be happy. I don't want to fight against our own people. I will be happy to fight someone who is an enemy of the country.
What are your views on the conflict between Gen. V.K. Singh and our government?
As a good soldier I would not like to comment. I am sorry.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of our defeat at the hands of the Chinese army. Don't you think it is time the Henderson Brooks report is made public?
I am surprised why it hasn't been made public yet. Why do we hide things? There should be transparency. Let people read it.
Lastly, what have been the most memorable and sad moments in your Army career?
The most memorable was the 1971 war, when we defeated the Pakistani army and entered Dhaka. We were welcomed by the Bangladeshis with slogans like "Joi Bangla, Joi India". And the saddest was this [Operation Blue Star]. Not that I would not do it again if I was asked to. But it was still sad.
The Week | Ready for the ninth attempt
