'Kargil was Musharraf's tactical lunacy'

Bhopal, July 25: The Kargil intrusion was ''tactical lunacy but a strategic masterstroke'' for Pakistan's General, later President, Pervez Musharraf as it brought the Kashmir issue centrestage with the backdrop of two South Asian nuclear neighbours, opines an expert.

''Pakistan's Operation Badr was a gamble and there was no chance of survival of small teams isolated on high hilltops spread over more than 100 km. However, India could not obviously react in the manner it did in 1965 and 1971. Our entire establishment was embarrassed by the intrusion as there was intelligence failure,'' Major-General (Retd) M P S Kandal told the sources on the eve of Vijay Diwas, the eighth anniversary of the Kargil conflict.

A veteran of the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, he served as the Indian Army's Additional Director-General (Operational Logistics) but retired pre-Kargil.

Reports that Pakistan's Northern Light Infantry battalions were being moved were not given due cognisance, he pointed out.

''The possibility of a recurrence of a Kargil-type situation is minimal as the Indian posts in that sector are now manned round the year, the Pakistan Army is committed internally and on the Afghan border. However, it is hard to say a categorical no as an attack on Kashmir could be a last-ditch option for the General to divert attention from internal crises,'' the former officer felt in response to a question.

When asked to react to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement about converting the Line of Control into a ''Line of Peace,'' the veteran said that converting the LoC into the ''de jure'' international border could be the ultimate solution but it is a question of national sovereignty so to make such public statements on the issue at this juncture would weaken India's bargaining position.

Regarding Himachal Pradesh-resident Dr N K Kalia's Internet campaign to force the Centre to ask Pakistan to punish those who tortured and killed his son Lieutenant Saurabh Kalia (4th Battalion of The Jat Regiment), the Major-General said, ''as a father, his feelings are justified but at the national level it is unlikely to hold much water at this stage.

''In the unlikely event of Pakistan accepting responsibility, the matter could be blamed as an individual act. The Third Geneva Convention (GCIII) of 1949 lays down that prisoners of war are not to be tortured but the injuries on Lt Kalia's body could be blamed on corpses being dragged. An acceptance will discredit the Pak Army machinery and that country's people,'' Maj-Gen Kandal felt.

''My son was hailed as the first officer to provide information of large-scale intrusion by Pakistan Army regulars and foreign mercenaries in Kargil sector,'' Dr Kalia told the sources over telephone.

Lt Kalia was posted in Kargil sector. In the first fortnight of May 1999, he thrice went for patrol duty in Kaksar area. The 22-year-old even volunteered for a fourth patrol, in place of a slightly older officer, to proceed to Bajrang Post at a height of 13,000-14,000 ft with five men.

''They were fired upon by the enemy, our soldiers kept fighting for hours but then ammunition was exhausted and signal equipment went out of order. They were encircled, captured on May 15, 1999, placed in captivity for over 20 days and tortured before being gunned down,'' Dr Kalia added.

The corpses were handed over by the Pakistan Army on June 9.

Regarding Param Vir Chakra Captain Vikram Batra (13th Battalion of The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment) being martyred after the enemy got wind of tactical details made public by a certain Indian TV news channel, Maj-Gen Kandal said, ''in hindsight one can say anything. It is very hard for media or others to draw lines of rationality in that kind of stressful situation. The press brought awareness in every home during the Kargil conflict.''

Capt Batra, nicknamed 'Sher Shah', made the supreme sacrifice while recapturing Point 4875 at an altitude of 17,000 ft with a gradient of 80 degrees. He attacked the peak along with his company and Charlie Company led by Capt Anuj Nayyar (17 Jat) who was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously. They recaptured the peak on July 5 but the enemy counter-attacked two days later. In the heat of battle, one of Capt Batra's junior officers Lt Naveen was seriously injured and the Captain rushed to his rescue.

During the rescue, he was hit by a bullet in the chest and was hit again in the waist by shrapnel. Before succumbing, the Captain killed five enemy soldiers.

In recognition of his gallant act, Point 4875 was renamed Captain Vikram Batra Top.

As guns blazed along the cold heights, Indian civilians learnt of the trials and tragedy of warfare.

Recalling his mindset during the conflict, city-resident poet and former Madhya Pradesh Police officer Hari Vitthal Dubey 'Dhoomketu' told the sources, ''it seemed as if abysmal treachery was perpetrated against India. On the one hand, we were releasing pigeons for peace while on the other the enemy was infiltrating our territory. There was tremendous public anger during Operation Vijay.'' Among the lasting images of the conflict is the photograph of Army Medical Corps Capt Rajshree Gupta saluting the Tricolour-draped coffin of her husband Major Vivek Gupta (2nd Battalion of The Rajputana Rifles Regiment).

In his farewell letter to his family, Lt Vijayant Thapar of the same Battalion wrote, ''By the time you get this letter I'll be observing you all from the sky enjoying the hospitality of apsaras... If you can, please come and see where the Indian Army fought for your tomorrow.

''As far as the unit is concerned, the new chaps should be told about this sacrifice... Whatever organ can be taken, should be done... Papa you should feel proud... OK then, it's time for me to join my clan of the Dirty Dozen -- my assault party has 12 chaps. Live life king size.'' Lt Thapar was posthumously awarded the Vir Chakra.

UNI