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| 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' - A mixture of hard work and learning from failure | | | Mahadeep Singh Jamwal
There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. Colin Powell. The scenario of 1999 witnessed in Kargil sector and the day of 26th July 1999, marked as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' that is celebrated in honor of the Kargil War's Heroes every year came at a high price, of 60 days war with India recouping control of all the formerly held territory, hence re-resuming the status quo antebellum. 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' strikes to our memory for multi reasons: It is spoken as complete failure of Indian Intelligence. Retired Brigadier MPS Bajwa, who commanded '192 Mountain Brigade' during the Kargil War and was decorated for inspiring leadership and gallantry during the battle for 'Tiger Hill' has aforementioned that "There was complete intelligence failure at the national level and the Indian Army was not provided any information about the movement of Pakistani troops. The aircraft which was meant to remain stationed in Kargil and gather information was deputed at some other place to perform other tasks. It was the 'Bakerwals' who gave us the information that people were sitting on the top". The acknowledgement of then Pakistan's Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff, General Parvej Musharraf regarding aerial survey across the LoC on March 28, 1999, travelling, 11 km into the Indian side with Brigadier Masood Aslam, and spending a night in India all went un-noticed by Indian side is a matter of regret and shame for the Intelligence agencies. The Kargil war refresh our memories of infamous examples of high-altitude warfare, denial of army involvement by Pakistan, and laterally confirmed involvement of Pakistani paramilitary forces by the documents left behind by Pak army casualties, violations of 'Geneva Conventions' by Pakistan army and great heart of Indian army when it asked for 'Nishan-e-Haider', the highest military award in Pakistan for Pakistani Captain Karnal Sher Khan. It was also the first war between the two countries widely covered in the media, giving minute to minute achievements and loss. The day also reminds us of 'Coffin Scandal' with a heavy loss of 1,87,000 dollars in the entire transaction. The charge filed against three Indian Army officers in 2009 and CBI court discharging them in 2013.
The Kargil War carries so many tragedies along within but the most disturbing is the official death toll on the Indian side of 527 soldiers and majority of them in the age group of 19 to 35 years. What a great cause they have accomplished for the country? The intensity of the bravery in this armed conflict can well be recognized from the facts that among the martyrs of this war, four were awarded Param Vir Chakra, two with 'Maha Vir Chakra', four 'Vir Chakra' and even 'Ashok Chakra'. The Bravery awards compensation, jobs etc are not the tools to fade the memories from the hearts of those who's young ones are no more with them but these are the tools to remember their heroic deeds making them proud. Each year the day also engender whimpering, sobbing teardrops and lamenting in the families of those 527 soldiers as these young buds have not in any way recognized the scintillating and sparkling days of their life for which they and their families were optimistic.
Always it is easier to pay homage to brave soldiers than to feel the bravery they have exhibited for the sake of protecting the mother land and creating pages for the next generations. The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his - George S. Patton. When we are guided by the folio of the history of war in-between India and Pakistan, wars that hurt us are of 1947-48, 1965, 1971, and 1999 fought for different reasons. Kargil War also christened as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict betwixt Indian and Pakistani forces in the Kargil district of Kashmir and along the Line of Control in India in year 1999. The celebration word suits well for the success of the wars fought in 1947, 1971 and 1962 that were forced upon us by the Pakistan and India emerged with flying colors out of these wars, whereas celebration tagged with 'Kargil war' is in no way can be a moment of celebration or success (Sab kush luta ke hosh mein aaye to kya kiya) as it was recapturing of our abandoned posts, occupied by Pak army, a failure of intelligence, so, better to tag it as commemoration for the martyrs blood that splashed on Kargil hills. Simply put, commemorate refers to a solemn or formal remembrance or to memorialize a past or present event whereas celebrate refers to more of a festivity, or in celebration of a joyous event. A success gained over our own failures that too on the blood of hundreds of young buds that splashed on mountain hills, can it be taken as a matter of proud to carry it for celebrations, and is a 'Million Dollar Question? The day finds its commentary on search engines as "26 July is celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas in India". When we define the word 'celebration' it gives meaning 'to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event' and practically speaking, it is a day that marked shameful act of failure of intelligence and recapturing of posts, lost by our failures over martyrs of this war, the young buds. Here the lines written by lyricist Prem Dhawan sung by Lata Mangeshkar for the 1957, Hindi film 'Ek Saal' strikes to the memory "Sab Kuchh Lutaa Ke Hosh Mein Aaye To Kya Kiya, Din Mein Agar Chiraagh Jalaaye To Kya Kiya". Martyrdom of someone is a painful day for his family members and practically speaking, it is only the families of the martyrs that have the real concerns and rest all is customarily in nature for a day. It is very easy to condemn or to appreciate some one's act especially when we talk of our soldiers. We commemorate the heroic deeds of our Jawans by organizing functions to pay floral tributes. The word 'celebration' associated with Kargil Vijay Diwas is required to be replaced with the word 'Commemorate the Kargil War Heroes'. The politicians throng such occasions like honey bees to air their concern but for the remaining 364 days of the year the sacrifices of these Jawans never come to their minds but sprang during election time to catch vote by tuning the martyrs deeds as their concern. The government feels its duty limited only to sanction compensations, job to next kin, announcement of bravery awards, and paying floral tributes on occasions marked to remember them and all is over. The families and know how never becomes a regular feature.
This day is celebrated in the Kargil - Dras sector and the national capital New Delhi, where the Prime Minister of India, pays homage to the soldiers at 'Amar Jawan Jyoti' at India Gate every year. On the day functions are organized all over the country to commemorate the contribution of the armed forces and to pay homage to the brave soldiers. Built by the Indian army, the Kargil War memorial wall, in the foothills of the 'Tololing Hill' also known as 'Vijaypath' in Dras, in memory of those, who lost their lives in the war? The Memorial also has a museum with documents, recordings and pictures of the Indian soldiers at Kargil. The memorial has a huge epitaph with names of all the officers and soldiers who died in war. A gallery named after Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey (PVC posthumously) houses pictures of soldiers marching on the mountain slopes. The uniqueness of the gallery is because of the picture of a dead Pakistani officer, Captain Karnal Sher Khan, whose bravery impressed the Indian Army that asked Pakistan army to honor the officer with "Nishan-e-Haider", the highest military award in Pakistan. Khan was later felicitated posthumously.
Come what may, it is the social and moral responsibility to remember our martyrs, who by laying their life gives us comfort sleeps. Let us gather to pay our floral tributes to the martyrs of Kargil war on 26th July. The history will always be haunted by a question "Who are responsible for the young blood that splashed across Kargil Hills"?
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