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| Tanda Tigers Turned The Tide | | KARGIL VIJAY DIVAS | | Th. K P Singh | 7/26/2016 12:16:11 AM |
| On 26 July every year, nation celebrates Kargil Vijay Divas in the memory of 527 brave soldiers and 7 porters of 'Tanda Tiger Force', who made the supreme sacrifice for re-capturing Kargil Heights. Those interested in knowing what actually happened in May, June and July 1999 in a remote border area of Ladakh 17 years ago and how the civilian volunteers helped the army in fighting in Kargil sector may read Lt Gen Y M Bammi's book, "Kargil 1999, Impregnable Conquered". The author was present in Kargil through out the war. He carried out thorough research on the Kargil conflict and wrote about it in a book of over 800 pages. He has highlighted the role of each and every unit, sub-unit, each arm and service, and the martyrs. He has not missed out civilian porters of 'Tanda Tiger Force' who helped the army in evicting the intruders from kargil. His honest account of Kargil conflict, if only to understand what it involved in fighting the Kargil War may be read, if wished.
As per Gen Bammi, there were many pitfalls and mistakes that happened during the Kargil war. That is for the army to look into. But he has admired the bold and innovative initiative of the govt and the army in acquiring the services of civilians in 'turning the tide' in the most testing mountain warfare in the rugged deserts of Ladakh. Mountains eats troops is said in military campaigns. As per him one army unit needed another unit to help carry its ammunition, ration, medicines, clothing and other war like stores. This job could only be done by the civilians unlike Chinese army. Chinese army which is over 35 Lakh does porters job also. Hence the need arose to get the services of the civilians at as fast a speed as the army mobilized and moved. They way Dogra youths came forward unmindful of their personal safety and security is a chapter in his book starting at page 429 under the heading 'Raising of Tanda Tiger Force'. He describes how the need came up and how I helped. The title is due to their enrolment at Tanda village to which I belong. These volunteers were instrumental in turning the tide in favour of Indian Army. He also gives credit to the Dogras as a patriotic race which loves adventure and makes sacrifices for the nation. Two of the four PVC winners of Kargil war are Dogras from 13 JAK RIF. While he has more than glorified the valour, courage and compassion of our brave officers and men, the brave martyrs and saluted them for their indomitable courage in finally evicting the intruders and recapturing Indian territory from treacherous Pakistani at a very high cost in terms of young lives; he has not ignored the contributions of civilian porters which many other writers have done mainly because they have written books later on the hearsay whereas Gen Bammi was in the firing line in the forefront during the hot war. He met many porters, talked to them and saw them working in the army units in the front line.
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By 1995, militancy in the valley was ending. Tourism had started thriving. This worried Pakistan. Kashmir was returning to peace and stability. Pak feared end of militancy and its irrelevance. Thus thought of 'Unpak Harkat'. Hence launched a war, the last war of the century, on peace loving India. Kargil attack tells us that Pakistan is our everlasting enemy which was further proved by the TV coverage which brought this war to our drawing rooms.
India vacated Kargil posts in winters of 1998, to be re-occupied in the summer of 1999, as per the normal practice. Taking advantage, Pakistan infiltrated its troops and occupied Tololing, Tiger Hill and many other heights stretching over 160 miles upto Siachen. Their objectives was to cut off Srinagar-Leh Road. To open this road involved clearing Tiger Hill and Tololing in Dras, followed by clearing Batalik and Turtok sub-sectors. Hence Indian Army reacted promptly. Large scale moblisation took place at a very fast pace. To be ready to re-capture posts earliest, army needed civilian porters to carry their loads, rations and ammunition up to the enemy positions. Hence army ordered raising of 6 Porter Companies. They could not get manpower form Kargil and Ladakh because people from Kargil had migrated to far off places after Kargil Ammunition Depot caught fire and less population in Ladakh. Hence the requirement fell on Kashmir and Jammu. Srinagar was full of tourists, Kashmiri manpower was engaged with tourists. Compulsorily the choice was Jammu. On the recommendation of Col Amit Sareen, Commandant 1 FOD Udhampur (now Lt Gen), I was contacted by Brig Chauhan, Udhampur Sub Area Commander asking me to help in mustering civilian volunteers to serve as porters to assist army in Op Vijay. With the blessings of God Almighty, I could exhort 300 volunteers quickly and we went to Udhampur on 6 June to get enrolled as Porters. All of them were taken except me. Chief of Staff asked me to stay back and get other Companies raised. I accepted the challenge. With God's grace and help from friends, political leaders and social workers, I could help army in getting the services of nearly 3000 Dogras from Jammu region. Most of them were enrolled at Tanda, under the arrangement of Udhampur Sub Area and taken to Kargil in military vehicles. No terms and conditions of job, pay or allowances were set or asked for by the volunteers at the time of entry. However later, proper govt orders were received with working norms and monetary benefits which were paid by the army in full. Young volunteers helped the army a lot which was acknowledged by the letters I received from Army Commander, Northern Command, GOC 15 Corps, Srinagar, His Excellency Sh. Girish Saxena, Governor J&K and His Excellency Sh. Krishan Kant, Vice President of India. Unfortunately 7 of our comrades died in the battlefield, including one from Ladakh. I stand grateful to the Indian Army and the govt of J&K who gave them ceremonial send off, full ex-gratia and the govt jobs to their relatives. I am also thankful to the army recruitment directorate which enrolled all the eligible porters in the army as soldiers and holds recruitment rally at Tanda every year since then as respect to the sentiments of volunteers. I thank MES and Ordinance for giving employment to the wounded porters. I was given Army Award by the GOC-in-C making me so far the only civilian decorated with army award in J&K.
Many books have been written, films made and lot reported every year during Vijay Divas celebrations. Kargil 1999 therefore is very well described. Hence there hardly is any need to repeat it. But role of civilian volunteers is only covered in details by Gen Bammi. He has covered employability of porters during the long war at many places.
Should there be any such need of civilian help in J&K, I am sure Dogra youths will voluntarily join in strength to strengthen our armed forces. Infact I appeal Dogra Youths to be ready all the times to serve the nation in any eventuality that may arise even sometime soon necessitating their help. |
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