Every Kashmiri Defended Democracy in 1947

The surcharged atmosphere, a battle like scenario surfaced recently due to firing across the borders in northern sector by the Pakistan army followed by counter firing by Indian troops and subsequent decisions broadly contributed to the alarm bells towards the possibility of a full-fledged war between the two countries, Pakistan and India. Consequent to certain initiatives and confidence building measures by the respective concerned quarters from both the sides bestowed some sort of success to de-escalate the war like situation. Thank God, things are back to somewhat normal and once again we live in peace however all this was a reminder of the past happenings, arson, looting and brutal killings. 

Whenever there are murmurs of a military invasion the person(s) with Jammu and Kashmir lineage or background have a reasons to recollect and go deep into past events, historically it takes us back to October 1947. Everyone belonging to post-partition era has learnt about it from the books or heard from someone elderly who him (her)self have been a witness to 1947 Pakistani raiders invasion looting, destroying property at large scale and gruesome killings all around to grab the land of Jammu & Kashmir. For them, the real reminiscences is the forty page booklet, “KAHMIR DEFENDS DEMOCRACY” published by the then Director, Kashmir Bureau of Information shri K N Bamzai and printed at the National Herald Press, Lucknow.

                                                                              

The cover page of girls with rifles on their shoulders and pledge to fight the raiders is self-explanatory. The “KAHMIR DEFENDS DEMOCRACY” describes complete scene, the horrifying tragedies all around and fight back spirit of Kashmiris explained in this  write-up ' J & K  Militia in Defence of Homeland’ - A Retrospect, a re-written one  from the paper presented by myself in the seminar held at Srinagar and conducted jointly by the Indian Council of Historical Research and Kashmir Council of Research in 1983 under the Chairmanship of Shri G.M. Beg Arif.  The Studies of Kashmir Council of Research Vol-IV (1983-84) have been published by myself as Printer & Publisher with the Editorship of Dr. M. K. Teng and Dr. R.K.Kaul Bhat and Prof. Mohi-ud-din as Board of Editors. The article offers a detailed account of the people’s fight against the Pakistani raiders with re-organisation of smaller forces and subsequent formation of J&K Militia in the state which later amalgamated with the regular Indian Army.  

The State of Jammu & Kashmir, about sixty five years back in Octuber 1947 faced a well engineered and intense armed attack from the invaders of Pakistan threatening the lives, honour and property of all Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs with gruesome consequences. The attack was sudden and the raiding armies of Pakistan once lost inside spread around very fast.

Pakistani troops were sent on leave with ulterior motives since some of these belonged to the state, especially the Poonch district. These men tried to persuade the population, Muslims of Reasi, Mirpur and Poonch to revolt against Maharaja’s rule with tactics to annihilate the local Hindu minority. Pakistan expected the state units to rush to the rescue of Hindu victims leaving the borders open for them and sneak into different areas for tribal invasion of the state.

Entering Muzaffarabad

The raiders entered Muzaffarabad on 22nd Octuber 1947 and  the soldiers with some locals succeeded in persuading some Muslim soldiers of the state to defect resulting division of the state troops at Muzaffarabad. The events moved very fast but people accepted the challenge and volunteered to protect the state against the invasion. The state Government honoured the services of these volunteers and organized them into platoons, companies and battalions with centres at Leh, Srinagar, Jammu, Samba, Akhnoor, Naushehra, Jhangar and Poonch. In Leh the organization  was named Leh Militia, Border Defence Scouts and Balsena in Jammu, Poonch Scouts in Poonch and the National Home Guards in Kashmir.

   

 Leh Militia originally was state force detachment looking after garrison duties at Leh. On account of severe cold strength of this detachment could not be augmented. Lt.Col. Prithi Chand organized volunteers and imparted one month rudimentary training to them in handling small arms and the volunteers went to the front to defend the motherland.             

Volunteers in hundreds came for the military training in Jammu. Ex-servicemen, many of them educated and young men answered the call and formed the platoons, companies and battalions under retired officers and junior commissioned officers. The majority of trained volunteers from Poonch were immediately sent to the border posts. These new recruits were armed with rifles, smooth–bore guns and other arms like swords and spears. They were stipend with little maintenance allowance. The voluntary force strengthened the effectiveness of the Indian Army as guides and provided it with enemy intelligence. The newly formed force held independent charge of pickets at times.

The force completed the assigned task with vigour and patriotism and as a result the enemy failed to occupy sate territory from Kathua to Munawar. Balsena of this force played the major role in this operation. Poonch, surrounded by hills, ranging from 1200 to 3000 metres in height, remained most difficult to defend. Every prominent height was occupied by the enemy raiders with increasing in numbers. The Pakistani pickets were firing at the refugee camps below. There were 1,200 troops to guard Poonch providing protection to the local population and around 45,000 refugees from Muzaffarbad, Bagh Rawalkot, Kotli, Hajira and Paladari. The troops were cut off from Srinagar without supplies and messages from their depots and near headquarters. It was very difficult to give protection to the people under such circumstances. In fact, the refugees, without their belongings and shelter were guarded with proper accommodation, clothes and food. The volunteers Corps took up the task with dedication.                                               

                                                                           

National Home Guards                                                                                                 

The fate of the entire state depended on the defence of Srinagar. The local authorities and  Government of India were keenly watching the activities of the National Home Guard. People of the valley under the leadership of National Conference kept their heads cool and all the communities took a pledge to maintain peace and communal harmony. The Home guards in Kashmir province kept a continuous vigil on the movements of the raiders all along the western front. Many of the units were put incharge of the maintenance of law and order and the civil defence. Many of them fell in the battle field.

Meanwhile, all the units of the National Home Guards, Leh Militia, Border Defence Scouts & Balsena and Poonch scouts were formed. The Government of India undertook the responsibility of raising, training and equipping the new force and enthrust with little but difficult job. Col B M Kaul and Lt. Col G S Puri were entrusted to organize, train and discipline the force and the former was the Commandant with the later GSO-1. On account of shortage of men some battalions of Militia were disbanded and amalgamated with other sister battalions.

Formation of Militia

The newly formed Militia force deployed at every place first operated on the Jammu borders followed by Naushera and Rajouri sectors. In Poonch 8 J&K Militia and two Coys. of 11 J&K Militia took part in every operation which made the two Poonch link-up possible and  operated on ground as high as 6,0000 metres with amazing speed and girt. Equally, 1st., 2nd and 3rd.  Militia Battalions in the Uri and Titwal sectors credited with similar roles. In Ladakh 7 J&K Militia of (Ladakhis) earned the praise not only from the State but also of the entire country.  Among the various heroes of the battalion, the youngest JCO of the Indian Armed Forces in Jammu and Kashmir was outstanding. For the outstanding military services rendered, J&K Militia was given 3 MVCs, 2Vrcs    ( one of them with a bar) and various other awards. 

                                                                      

After the Konga incident of Octuber 1959 the 7 J&K Militia was sent to the southern sector and 14 J&K Militia to the Northern sector. The former fought in the Damchok sector while the 14 J&K Militia in the Shyok-Nubra valley, including Daulat Beg Odili (DBO) sector in the south of Chip Chap river. Both, the units fought tenaciously. Unluckily, the 14 J&K Militia neither got reinforcement at the forward lines nor the casualties could be evacuated from there as a result the troops fought a loosing battle against the Chinese who were at least ten times superior in number and fire power.

Suffered Heavily

Consequently, the battalion suffered heavy casualties nearly one third of the troops deployed in the DBO sector were annihilated.  A timely action, however, saved the situation in the south where the troops underwent terrible privations but without suffering many casualties. The country appreciated the valour with which the 7 J&K Militia and 14 J&K Militia Battalions fought against the Chinese in Ladakh. The two units were amalgamated later on Ist. June 1963 and  renamed, as the Ladakh Border Scouts.

The Pakistani infiltrators on crossing the cease-fire line on 5th August 1965 with earlier raiding on Indian pickets since May 1965. The 3 J&K Militia faced their onslaught in the Dewa sector. It’s sister battalion 9 J&K Militia repulsed raids on its battalion headquaters and helped a Coy. of 8 KI. The 2nd J&K Militia beat off many Pakistani attacks with heavy losses in men and material to the enemy in the Mehender sector. Pakistanis failed to penetrate through the Militia line into the Mehender valley. A Coy. each of 12 J&K Militia and 8 J&K Militia operated in Srinagar with excellent records

In the Gurize sector 2nd J&K Militia fought valiantly inspite of reverses which was compensated by Ist.J&K Militia. The battalion took part in the Kala pahar operations and captured, ‘Sher pahar’. While, Ist. J&K Militia was picketing in the mountainous area on left bank of the Dhras river, the 12 J&K Militia did same in the Ladakh range. One of the petrols under 2nd. Lt. Roywas ambushed by Pakistani troops. The petrol suffered casuaities but it bravely continued to keep the line of control at Thoise secure. It was on account of the courage and girt displayed by 12 J&K Militia that Pakistani’s could not invest Khalatse. Thus keeping the Indus valley safe.  

         

Golden History

The history of Jammu and Kashmir Militia way back to 65 years leads to existence as a movement against the Pakistani aggressions of October 1947. There was no shortage of volunteers to join its cadres. The urge amongst the people working on farm or employed in various avocations in the cities to defend their homes and hearth against the ruthless invaders was so great that the state had hardly to incur any expenditure towards the maintenance of the force.

Some of the volunteers brought up their own farms. Most of them, then known as Home Gunuards, Balsena etc., were armed with variety of weapons such as match lock, guns, sporting rifles, spears and sticks. Those were the beginnings. Nourished in the spirits of the time and keen to participate in the defence of the National frontiers, the force has grown from strength to strength. It has become permanent and has come a long way from 1948 status.