Originally Posted by
Sangu
II
Again during China aggression 1962, the history was repeated in its own way but slightly on other way. In J&K 1947-48 the reputation as well as morale of the Indian Army was on its esteem but during 1962, it was all on reverse. Why?
China was reluctant to recognize the Mc Mahon Line meant for demarcation of the border in between India-Tibet and as well China, since its inception in 1914. Communist China’s ideology stands, “Power grows out of the barrel of a gun” which was pronounced by their supreme prophet Mao-Tsa-Tung. On other side Indian’s slogan was, “Satyamave Jayate”. There was no match in between, but totally a contradictory. Even though, on April29, 1954 Pt. Nehru joined China to sign the famous Panchsheel Agreement relinquishing all extra territorial rights and privileges in Tibet by India. But a slogan “ Hindi Cheeni Bhai Bhai” was sounding in the streets of India. India further agreed to withdraw its military garrisons from Yatung and Gyantse. Thus the Sino-Indian honeymoon was now in full swing.
On 17th march, 1959, following overrun of the Tibetan rebellion by China, Dalai Lama with a party of eight men crossed India via Towang sector of NEFA and India was quick to give asylum to Lama and his men with warm welcome despite grave displeasure by China, Now China has started infiltration and encroachment into Indian Territory. Ten Jawans of CRPF on patrol were killed indiscriminately at Konaka in Ladakh by Chinese on 21st October, 1959, and this day is being celebrated as Commemoration Day in Police forces all over the country. On other side, there had been 25 known air violation by Chinese aircrafts over NEFA during this period. Now the Indian Army was ordered to take over the prevailing situation at Indo-China border. Lt.Gen.Daulat Singh G.O.C-in-C Western Command was quick to take stock of the situation and he had sent a structural Jarring note bitterly complaining of the inadequacy of defenses in Ladakh to hold a full scale attack by Chinese, to the Army H.Q., further stating “I would be failing in my duty if I did not draw attention to the size and shape of this potential threat and the means required to contain it….” Lt. Gen. L.P.Sen G.O.C-in-C Eastern Command was equally blunt about the weakness of the Indian forces in NEFA. But all in vein. Army Chief Gen. P.N.Thapar, Joint Secretary, Defence S.G Sareen, Defence Minister Krishan Menon and above all Pt. Nehru did not pay any heed. Those leaders were in their pet theories and idealistic romanticism at their own. Lt. Gen. B.M. Kaul a blue eyed Gen. of Pt. Nehru and Krishna Menon given command of a special crops, 4th corps stationed at Tejpur with a strength of 27000, who did not even command a Regiment (1000 men) in his service. As soon as the Chinese Army captured our Dhola Post in NEFA, Gen. Kaul had dsesrted the battlefield on medical ground and flown to Delhi.
It was the period of ‘Great Illusion’. Commanders were being changed frequently. Chain of command was overlooked by the Army H.Q., as direct were being passed to a BN. Commander in lack of war tactics and strategy. Hobnobbing among Pt. Nehru, Krishna Menon and Gen. Kaul was still in practice. A lot of fine Generals like Gen. S.H.F.J Manek Shaw, Gen. K.S. Thimayya, Gen. S.P.P. Thorat and Gen. Umrao Singh etc were being humiliated on one pretext and the other. However. Gen. Kaul was again sent to the battlefield by the orders of Pt. Nehru under pressure from various quarters.
62 Brigade under Brg. Hoshiar Singh an officer with an outstanding war record was stationed at Tse-La in NEFA as a fortress with a capacity to give tough fight to the enemy. But all the time confusing orders were passed to him by his senior commanders creating a great confusion in all ranks and files. Though he was killed fighting bravely on intervening night of 17/18 November, 1962. Gen. B.M. Kaul stated “Pathania is solely responsible for Tse-La debacle, who lost his nerve and all the time seemed concerned to pull Hoshiar Singh’s Brigade from Tse-La to Diongzonj, his divisional H.Q., so as to give himself greater protection”. Maj. Gen. A.S. Pathania who was Divisional Commander of Brg. Hoshiar singh stated “ He had not ordered Hoshiar Singh to withdraw from Tse-La on that night. Hoshiar Singh withdrawn because Kaul had earlier told them that Hoshiar Singh might have to withdraw from Tse-La and must keep ready for such eventually”.
Who was responsible for this guilt? After the war, a committee was constituted under Henderson Brooks and Maj.Gen. P.S. Bhagat etc. to find out the shortcomings despite they were junior to the most of the Generals of that time and were not liable to record their statements including Gen. Kaul, The report was proved an eyewash and never disclosed to the book. Moreover, those were responsible for the loss of precious lives of more than 5000 officers and jawans, 15000sq.miles of Indian Territory and above all the ‘Glory of Nation’ has been remained at large. It is also noteworthy that Pt. Nehru who was known as a Champion of Indian Foreign Policy, only two countries out of 55 Afro-Asian countries supported the cause of India on this great debacle of 1962.