Srinagar: Indian Army on Sunday praised the role of people of Kashmir during the 1947-48 Indo-Pak war, acknowledging that without the help of the local population army would have found it difficult to achieve success.
Speaking at a function hosted by it to mark the 75th anniversary of the ‘Battle of Shalateng’, GOC 15 Corps, Lt. Gen D P Pandey said a careful study of history will acknowledge that landing of Indian Army on October 27, 1947 at Budgam Airfield and “the eventual defeat of Pakistan Army and its affiliates was possible only because Kashmiri population delayed the advance of Pakistan forces from Baramulla towards Srinagar by fighting them and misleading them towards Sopore and other places.”
He said it were the members of the Kashmiri civil society who guided the Indian Army “to exact locations where the enemy was building up”.
“You all will agree that without terrain and local knowledge, the Indian Army would have found it difficult to achieve success. So, on one side, we saw the Pakistani forces being misled and on the other side, the Kashmiri population was providing intelligence and fighting alongside the Indian Army against the enemy,” he acknowledged.
“It is, therefore, clear which side the heart and soul of Kashmir lay in 1947 after the ‘Instrument of Accession’ was signed by Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of Princely State of J&K in the presence of Sheikh Abdullahji, Sher-i-Kashmir, the most popular public figure of J&K,” Lt. Gen Pandey went on to add.
He said in the contemporary environment when the “selective media campaigns launched by Pakistan and its affiliates on either side of the LoC tries to mislead the youth, it is essential that the events leading to Badgam landings be re-told.”
Recounting the events of history right from 1947-28 to date, the GoC said “our neighbour across has continued to use the same concept and the strategy of employing civilians as a front.”
He said “it is imperative that today’s generation must read history and understand that Kashmir is not an objective for Pakistan, but has been a tool to discredit the ‘Idea of India’ from 1947 to 1971, and thereafter an agenda for revenge of its 1971 debacle.
“It continues to leverage money and incite the gullible youth for its war through ‘thousand cuts’ in India. I urge the youth to be aware of the designs & protect their future,” Let. Gen Panday said.
“Today on behalf of Chinar Corps, I take this opportunity to acknowledge the bravery of the Indian Army, and Indian Air Force, and Jammu & Kashmir State forces, and the spirit of people of Jammu & Kashmir who in 1947 fought alongside Indian Army to evict the Pakistani forces and continue to fight its evil designs even today,” Lt. Gen Pandey said.
