- Hope atleast LG Manoj Sinha still takes the ‘lead’ before it is next 26th July
- Let there be PVC Maj. Som Nath Sharma Int. Airport Kashmir & PVC Jadhu Nath Int. Airport Jammu
Like earlier years before 5th August 2019 even the 21st and 22nd Kargil Vilay Diwas celebrations were made by the public institutions in UT of J&K and the ex-State Subjects of J&K State / ex- Permanent Residents of J&K & UT of Ladakh / Domiciles of UT of J&K without having any one amongst them as ‘Domicile of UT of J&K’ from the family members of even PVC decorated Indian soldiers belonging to Indian states other than J&K (non State Subjects / non-Permanent Residents of J&K state), not even of those 4 about whom no one did lose opportunity to trumpet ‘concern’ for naming them Kargil war heroes (Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey Sitapur-UP, Grenadier Yoginder Singh Yadav ‘Ghatak Platoon’ – Aurangabad-Bulandshahar – UP, Rifleman Sanjay Kumar Vil Klol Bukiana Distt- Bilaspur -, HP and Captain Vikram Batra Mandi- HP ).
It has been more disappointing that this 22nd Kargil Vijay Diwas no one from the government side offered and no one from ‘public bodies’ regretted for not decorating atleast (if not all martyrs) these families with status of Domicile of J&K along with some land for residence
It was in first week of May 1999 that some ‘Pakistani’ intruders were spotted who on 9th May resorted to heavy gun fire in Drass Sector (Kargil district). In a way Indian army launched a major offensive against Pakistan on June 6th,Indian forces recaptured two key locations in Batalic sector and taking over the control of all the lands & posts was announce by Indian army on 26th July 1999. With the Tololing Heights, Tiger Hill and Point 4875 (Batra Top) in the background. Kargil War Memorial has been raised in Dras- Kargil (Lamuchan). Every 26th July is since then celebrated as Kargil Vijay Divas.
No doubt the people of UTs of Ladakh & J&K had more reasons for paying tributes to the Kargil War Heroes &Martyrs since the 1999 Indo-Pak war was fought for defending the territories along the IB/ LOC in the State of Jammu & Kashmir and ‘J&Kieets’ too joined the celebrations in 2021 paying tributes by remembering the supreme sacrifices made by nearly 527 soldiers in 1999 Kargil war which included Param Vir Chakra decorated . Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey ( from Sitapur-UP ) for action Batalik Sector 3 July 1999 , PVC Grenadier Yoginder Singh Yadav ‘Ghatak Platoon’ ( from Aurangabad-Bulandshahar Distt – UP) for action 4 July 1999, PVC Rifleman Sanjay Kumar ( from Vil Klol Bukiana Distt- Bilaspur -, HP ) for action 5 July 1999 and Captain Vikram Batra (from Mandi- HP ) for action 4-7 July 1999 Point 4875 for having demonstrated extreme courage and made extreme sacrifice.
It may not be out of place to mention here , rather there is a need for, that so far only 21 soldiers have been decorated with Param Vir Chakra out of which 16 have earned the honours while fighting along LOC/IB with Pakistan/ China in Indian State of J&K and 15 of them were/ are non- Permanent Residents of the erstwhile State of J&K. First Indian soldier to be decorated with PVC in Independent Bharat was Maj Som Nath Sharma (non state subject of J&K who belonged to Kangra , the then Punjab and now Himachal Pradesh ) who made supreme sacrifice on 3rd November 1947 during Battle of Budgam and showed extraordinary valour / bravery/ commitment defending Srinagar Airport with primitive size & support of defence infrastructure available fighting against 1 to 7 strength of the Pakistani intruders and in a way saved Kashmir valley going Pakistan way. The 21st PVC was awarded for bravery July 1999 to Rifleman Sanjay Kumar who too was non- permanent resident of J&K and belonged to Vil Klol Bukiana Distt- Bilaspur, HP. But the ” Permanent Residents of J&K” for whom “they’ have made and have been making extreme sacrifices have neither cared in the past to even get accommodated atleast the families of non state subject / non permanent resident PVC decorated soldiers in J&K by putting pressures on the local governments / political leaderships as State Subjects of J&K / Permanent Resident of J&K { PDP-BJP Government in J&K too have celebrated 3 Kargil Vijay Diwas but even that government did not give the right to own a “Home” in J&K to even the PVC decorated non permanent resident Martyr Families”} nor have they so far successfully worked for making the governments to confer rights for securing admissions in professional colleges /rights on the local government jobs / like on such decorated families even after 30th October 2019. Without such like meaning full actions do the people “here” had any right to ‘celebrate / deserve any appreciations for paying tributes on Kargil Vijay Diwas ? Surely not.
Not only that most of the Indian states have established individual /stipends allowances/pension/ rewards / economic supports that at places even exceeded that of the central government for recipients of the PVC / having made extreme sacrifice fighting defending borders/ LoC ( though to soldiers belonging to their state but not always defending borders along their state ) but J&K in that regard has lagged much behind as otherwise this state was expected to own all PVC Families worth extending them much more voluminous and liberal support but has not. ‘Submissions’ have been made on the occasion of every 26th July .Let it be another reminder to Government of J&K for doing the same before 23rd Kargil Vijay Diwas . Hope atleast LG Manoj Sinha takes it ?.
No doubt we cannot ‘pay back’ in kind for the sacrifices made by the likes of PVC Maj Nath Sharma and Capt. Vikram Batra but still let us hold that no celebrations / Tributes would be ‘ reaching’ the great Soldiers / Martyrs of our Nation unless the UT of J&K & UT of Ladakh come out with very very special gestures in the shape of conferring atleast on the families of soldiers who have shown extreme valour / made extreme sacrifices the rights that a State Subject of J&K/ Permanent Resident of J&K had & what domiciles on day have by modifications of rules or through / constitutional provisions so that people of J&K have the honour of living recipients of PVC Shri Yogendra Singh Yadav Ji and Shri Sanjay Kumar Ji living in J&K with their families along with the like PVC Bana Singh ji.
But for the extraordinary demonstration of commitment/sacrifice by PVC Major Somnath Sharma Ji, PVC Naik Jadunath Singh Ji, PVC 2nd Lt Rama Raghoba RaneJi, PVC CHM Piru Singh Ji and PVC Lance Naik Karam SinghJi in 1947-48 the Pakistani invaders would have done unbelievable damage.
Simply repeating vociferously the “bravo” notes next 26th July just to hit the media lines will not do.
Let even the “Gesture” like naming Srinagar Airport after PVC Maj. Som Nath Sharma and Jammu Airport after PVC Subedar Jadunath Singh,though belated but still very appropriate, happen before that.
Let it be another reminder to Government of J&K for doing the same before 23rd Kargil Vijay Diwas .
Hope atleast LG Manoj Sinha takes it?
(Daya Sagar- a Sr journalist &analyst of ‘J&K’ affairs dayasagr45@yahoo.com).