A writer with wit and ...... Page-44 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2014 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/magazine Living in sorrow...... Page-33

K.D Maini

Every year Brigade along with the public of Poonch celebrates Poonch Link-uup Day as Poonch 'Utsav' on 21st Nov at Pritam Pavillion Poonch. It was on this day on 21st Nov 1948 when SAVIOURS OF POONCH Indian Forces ended 12th months siege of Poonch. Poonch was a principality of local Dogra Rajas within J&K force can easily be eliminated, Sardar Ibrahim Khan along Khanater, Salootri, Degwar, Serian posts and reached upto This year also a two days colorful programme shall state before independence. The total area of the principali- with the contingent of Pakistan forces, local ex-servicemen to Madarpur bridge. Dogra Hawaldar Krishan Singh and con- start on 21st of November, 2014. It shall include ty was 1647 sq. mile while the projected population of 1947 and tribes-men (Afradies) of NWFP started big offensive in stable Buaditta fought so gallantly in these battles that they was 4.36 lacs which included 76000 Hindu and Sikh and rest Poonch area. These Dogra forces were not in a position to got Virchakar. upto 10th of April our forces assaulted on flowering at Naman Sathal, band show, horse was Muslim population. It was a central place between Kash- stop the Pak sponsored attack and started retreating towards Khari Dharmsal picquet and captured it. On 13th of April Indi- show, Dog Show, Army Exhibition, Folk music, mir valley and western Punjab and the principality was well Poonch town. Upto 3rd of October 1947 the whole area of an forces snatched Chhaga piquet from the enemy. Display of Weapons, Light and Sound programme connected with Poonch, Kotli, Mirpur road and Poonch principality was captured by the rebels and Pak- On the other hand, the operation rescue was started from and army public get together is being organized at Poonch-Uri, Muzaffarabad road. The principality istani forces except Poonch town. On 24th October 1947 Jammu side to link Jammu with Poonch in the month of March comprised of four tehsils namely Haveli, Mendhar, Bagh and Sardar Ibrahim Khan declared the formation of 'Azad Kash- 1948. On 18th of March determined Indian forces captured Prittam Pavilion and Naman Sthal Poonch. Sudhnutti. Pahari, Gujjar and Bakerwals inhabited this mir Government' at Plandri in Poonch principality. In these Jhanger after killing 300 enemies. On 12th April 1948, our Poonch brigade, popularly known as the region apart. There were some pockets of Kashmiri and circumstances, Brigadier L.P Sen of Indian forces stationed forces snatched from Pak sponsored forces. Upto Saviours of Poonch not only defended the besieged Dogri speaking people. Dur- Poonch town in 1947 for about 12 months under the ing the happenings of 1947 Poonch had become the cen- command of Brigadier Pritam Singh, and made the tre of disturbance and except Jammu-PPoonch link possible but also defeated the Poonch town the whole of the enemy in successive battles. In 1965 when Pak- principality had gone to Pak- istan launched Operation Gibraltar on 5th August istan during 1947-48. The 1965, Poonch Brigade showed extra-oordinary Poonch town remained besieged for about 12 months. courage under the command of Brigadier Zora It was only due to operation Singh and captured important ridges like Raja, Rani Link-up launched by Indian and Neza Peer Heights. In this manner, 49 miles forces during October- historic Haji Peer Uri-PPoonch road was opened and November 1948 when the besieged city of Poonch was 558 Sq. Km. area including Chanjal, Kahuta, Rankri, finally linked up with the rest of Zairat, Aliabad, & Haji Peer etc was liberated. the country by capturing However this area was returned to Pakistan after Rajouri, Thanna Mandi, Bud- Tashkand Pact. In 1971, Pakistan launched 2 hal, , Gali and Mendhar. Brigades operation in Poonch sector to capture Poonch principality had Poonch Town on 3rd December 1971. The become the centre of distur- defenders of Poonch sector under the command of bances immediately after 15th Brigadier Natu protected every inch of the land and of August 1947 AD. Sardar repulsed the attack after hand to hand fighting at Mohd Ibrahim Khan, the mem- ber of Praja Sabha from Bagh, Langoor, Madari and Shahpur posts and also cap- Poonch Brigade Constructed washed away portion of Drungli Bridge and made Jammu Poonch Road Sudhnutti who was earlier sent Brigadier Pritam Singh tured Mumtaz post in Baghyal Dara area. From to England by Raja Jagat Dev Link Possible in two days during the floods of September 2014 1989 to 2003, this brigade defended the LOC and Singh of Poonch on his combated terrorism in this sector with the help of expenses for Bar Act Law was practicing at Srinagar, rushed at Uri was directed to move towards Poonch via Haji Peer 20th June 1948 the Indian forces under the command of Gen- to Poonch and started underground activities against for the relief of Poonch town. Due to the burning of an impor- eral Kulwant Singh compelled the enemy to vacate Thanna peace loving people of Poonch. During earthquake Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir in June 1947. Initially, he tant Chanjal bridge at the base of Haji Peer, the Indian offen- Mandi, Dhera Gali, Budhal, Buffliaz and Surankote. On 14th of 2005 Brigadier N.K. Bakshi established camps organized about 60,000 ex-servicemen personnel of Poonch sive brigade could not move towards Poonch. Only Brigadier October Pir Bardeshwer and on 26th October Pir Kaleva in for the victims and provided all necessary help in principality (who hed participated in second world war) and Sen, Lt. Col. Pritam Singh and Kamaun battalion marched Rajouri were captured. On 8th November the Indian forces reviving their lives. These helpful, friendly and motivated them for revolt against the scattered Maharaja's on foot towards Poonch and reached the town on 20th under the leadership of Brigadier Yado Nath Singh and Lt. forces operating in Poonch principality. In the last week of Col. Jajgeet Singh Arora stormed Bhimber Gali and snatched sympathetic traditions of Poonch Brigade continue August 1947, Ibrahim Khan went to Pakistan, met Raja POONCH LINK-UP DAY NOV 21 this important pass from Pakistan. The advance continued even now. During the torrential rains and floods of Yaqoob Khan of Hazara, the officers of Pakistan Govern- upto 19th November. Pir Topa was captured by Brigadier September 2014 when Poonch witnessed large ment and finally the Chief of NWFP Sardar Abdul Qayoom November 1947. After assessing the situation Brigadier L.P Umrao Singh of 19th Infantry Brigade. On the other hand, scale losses of lives and property and lower portion Khan and sought their armed help for revolt against Mahara- Sen after directing Lt. Col. Pritam Singh to command Poonch the forces of Poonch garrison under the command of Lt. Col. of Poonch town washed away, in flooded Poonch ja's forces in the state. Pakistan Government not only pro- garrison left back Uri on the same day. Immediately after the Chadnan Singh started advance from Poonch town towards vided him arms and ammunition, contingents of armed forces return of Uri Brigade, the raiders again cutoff Uri-Poonch Pir Topa on 19th November and after crossing Panj Kakrian river, the present commander Navdeep Singh Barar but also allowed about 30,000 tribe-men to participate in road. The construction of the Air Field was completed with- ridge reached Dhanina Pir on 20th November by killing more along with officers and jawans immediately rushed revolt against the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. in a period of seven days near Poonch town. By this way in than one hundred Pakistani forces stationed there. On 21st on spot and helped the administration in rescuing At that time there were only two battalions of Dogra forces the first week of December 1947 Poonch city was air linked of November the forces of Umrao Singh started advance the people from flooded area. The Deputy in Poonch area one at Bagh under the command of Colonel with the rest of the country. from Topa towards Dhanina Pir reached there on the same Malook Singh Hakal and other one was stationed at Palan- After consolidating of his forces, Pritam Singh started day and completed the Jammu-Poonch link up. Commander Charandeep Singh also got dri under the command of Brigadier Krishan Chand. These offensive on the enemy from April 1948 onward. Colonel By this way, the 14th month siege of Poonch city was got Jammu-PPoonch road opened by constructing a part forces were scattered in the whole Poonch principality. By Mulouk Singh with Dogra contingents assaulted Krishana vacated. This was the biggest loss suffered by Pak spon- of washed away Darungli Bridge in 2 days' time. assessing the situation that this small contingent of Dogra Ghati and captured it. Then Mulouk Singh captured sored forces in this sector. OF OLDIES AND OLD AGE HOMES Old age shelters are a response to capitalist discourse that does not consider the aged an integral part of the family, writes Onkar Singh. Seek ye council of the aged for their eyes whose average age was 75 years, notwithstanding the fact that two of the inmates were above 90 years of age. All were have looked on the faces of the years and their ears obviously in their twilight years when the need for family mem- have hardened to the voices of life. Khalil Gibran. bers is felt the most. Yet these unfortunate souls were at the Contemporary world seems unlikely to agree with Gibran. shelter running on charity. Where have the values disap- The rising popularity of nuclear families,, increasing popula- peared from the present day generation? Significantly only tion of the aged destitutes and proliferation of old age homes seven of the inmates were women. It appears women are less and their legitimization by the State and the society apparent- likely to leave home than men even under worst of the situa- ly point to a glaring disconnect between aged and the family. tions. The aged have everything going against them - their children, The findings further revealed that¾th of the inmates were the social environment they live in and above all their health. illiterate,indicating indirectly thatthey must have been labour- They are a victim of collective conspiracy. One reason seems er throughout their working life leading to greaterprobability that old age represents old thoughts that have little relevance of destitution.When asked about their occupation as many as to the swiftly changing society of today. Old does not seem to 2/5th told they were labourer throughout their life. Two of the be goldanymore. inmates were ex-servicemen and one was a retired school Redundant thoughts apart, old age comes with a plethora teacher. As many as 52% of the inmates were pensioners.So of physical and mental ailments. Aged people cannot look after even education and bank balance are not sufficient to stop themselves least others in the family. Instead they expect to destitution in old age. be cared for as dependent on those they had cared for life. Another significant finding of the study was that the inmates But, what a paradox! Whereas all children consider it their came from all the major caste groups. Destitution among the legitimate right to inherit property of their parents, looking after aged therefore cuts across class and caste barriers. That was them in old age is an unpleasant task that most want to avoid. also the case with spatial dimension as well. Although, the After all who wants a burden one is better off without? Ashram was meant primarily for the aged destitutes of the Aged in the contemporary capitalist society are, in fact, los- town and its surrounding areas, yet as many as 52% of the inmates were from far off places including Basohli, Bani, Jam- ing relevance. They are a misfit in the new social and eco- mu, Udhampuras also from the districts of Gurdaspur and nomic matrix that the global capitalism is redefining. The joint Amritsar of Punjab. Distance of the Ashram from these places family system that provided them pivotal role in a household varies between 90 and 140 kms! is one of the important pillars of pre capitalist social organiza- Destitution also seems to have intensified in the recent tion that capitalism has successfully broken. Its replacement past. While only two of the 27 inmates have been staying in by nuclear family has little use for the aged who can better be the Ashram for the past 15 years, as many as 62% of them shifted elsewhere so that labour and consumer markets func- came to stay only during the past 5 years, an indication that tion more efficiently, hence old age shelters. That is what the destitution among the aged in the region has risen significant- old age homes indeed are. Ever thought of a home whose all ly during the past few years. members are past their sixties? Our study also found that ¾th of the inmates came to the Separation of the aged from family signals a thought Ashram voluntarily whereas ¼th came involuntarily. Either Excelsior/Rakesh process which implicitly implies that the aged are not an inte- way the inmates of the Ashram had to leave their homes due gral part of the family. This frees the children from moral to conditions that were not conducive for them to live with their responsibilities of looking after the aged. At the same time it Ashram inmates has been as torture some as their sufferings that should essentially becentered around the aged insitu. On families;a sad commentary on the present day generation that from ailments like arthritis, heart diseases, cataract and the contrary, these measures are directed towards fundamen- opens up parallel institutions that combine charity and busi- wants their aged parents to disappear from the home they ness in running these shelters, thereby fulfilling at the same depression that have crippled them for rest of life with little tal alteration of the concept of family which is being restruc- built and the family they nurtured . After all who leaves one's hope of recovery. They have reached dead end of life. Under tured in response to restructuring of the global and local time welfare objectives of the State. Viewed thus, old age home? Not the aged after all. This was confirmed by our fur- homes constitute an integral part of capitalist expansion in such hopeless circumstances the Viridh Ashram has proved economies. Exclusion of the aged from the family and their ther queries on family relations. More than 50% inmates did to be a boon for these homeless old men and women. But junking in old age shelters is a response to such restructuring. which the State plays ideological role in transformation of the not have any visit from their family members for a long time. society from pre capitalist to capitalist social order. while old age homes do provide a much needed succor to the This insidious development on the social front has poten- That was also the reason as to why only a little above 50% of needy, the national discourse on old age welfare of which such tials of destabilizing the social order. It needs reversal which A recent study of Viridh Ashram ofKathua town while the inmates stated that they had visits by the family members revealed on the one hand despondency that prevailed among shelters are an integral part, is an ideological stratagem to would not be possible without countering capitalism and its at regular intervals and as many as 45% refused to acknowl- free young labour of any familial attachment that hinders their ideological ally, the State. This may seem difficult yet the goal its inmates, on the other it gave a glimpse of crumbling social edge having any family relations. order that binds family system. The Ashram that has been in supply in the labour market is worth pursuing for bringing back the aged to their rightful Being old is bad enough. But being old and destitute is Old age homes are in fact antithesis of welfare measures place in the family. existence for the past almost two decades had 27 inmates worse. The pain of leaving home and family behind by the