Yogi's Corner

Come January 2019, insurrection in Kashmir will turn thirty. How do we assess the present status of this insurgency in the Valley?   Indeed, insurgents are setting the narrative in Kashmir. A report compiled by the J&K Police, in August 2018, establishes this reality. Over the last decade, the number of active insurgents hovered around 200, even touching a low of 78 in 2013 – lowest since 1990. Police report projects their present figure to be 327 of which majority, 211, are locals. While Hizb-ul- Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) - estimated cadres 141 and 128 respectively- retain their dominance, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) too have strengthened its base this year 1 . In the backdrop of high attrition rate, 200 in 2017 and 130 thus far this year, these numbers are ominous. The insurgency in the Valley has had its lows- periods of relative peace- yet it has sustained all this while and end to this conflict seems nowhere in sight. Over the last three decade...

Precedence has it that Independence Day address to the nation by the Prime Minister is supposed to be a report card of government's achievements and annunciation of future initiatives. Thus far, most PMs have refrained from lacing their speeches, from ramparts of Lal Qila, with any political rhetoric. This year, Modi made a departure by tweaking his address into a political one with an eye on forthcoming Bihar elections. His address, sans any reference to national security situation, foreign policy and, most importantly, to Naga Accord which still remains shrouded in a mystery, lacked luster, both in content and conviction. Post the address, veterans of Armed Forces, who are on a Relay Hunger Strike (RHS) at Jantar Mantar for more than two months now, were a disappointed lot. They expected Modi to announce implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP). That was not to be. Their honour having been bruised by Delhi Police a day earlier, veterans' anger against Modi Government is...

It was during my tenure in the Valley, in early 1990s, I came to know Lt. Col. (now Maj. Gen, Retd.) S.K Razdan had critically been injured during a daring raid on a militant hideout in south Kashmir. This news was carried on front pages and in bold by all the leading dailies of the Valley. My hunch had it that it could be none other than that lean and thin,yet indefatigable, Gentleman Cadet in OTA with whom I had spent somefleeting moments in between rigours of our gruelling training schedules. I was confident, whatever be the criticality, he would fight against all odds. True to his fighting spirit, he snatched his life from jaws of a certain death. Maj Gen. Razdan is the first paraplegic officer of Indian Army to be promoted to the rank of Maj Gen. All my efforts to catch up with him did not materialise until recently when I spent an evening with him in his Guru Gram home. Despite him being wheelchair borne, Maj. Gen. Razdan, nicknamed Greyhound by his peers, has lost non...