Aneela Nike Post: August 2020

Sunday, 30 August 2020

Liberation of Goa

The liberation of Goa happened between 18 Dec – 19 Dec 1961. It was a synchronized effort by the Indian army, navy and air force. When Goa was liberated, I was in school and very curious. I heard about this from my father, there was joy and celebration all over India, especially Goa. Then, had heard a few names in the course of this talk, which has remained etched in my mind from a young age – Wing Commander Pinto, sinking of the Portuguese ship Albuquerque and the surrender of the Portuguese. Many of the present generation may have not heard about it or what transpired to free Goa.

The Portuguese arrived and colonized India in 1510, conquering many parts of the western coast and establishing several colonies in the east. By the end of the 19th century, Portuguese colonies in India were limited to the west coast of India, Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Anjediva Island. The Portuguese were not allowed to rule long in Mangalore because of the stiff resistance there by the people, later Tippu Sultan when he conquered Mangalore, and a courageous queen, Rani Abbakka ruling nearby, who attacked and harassed the Portuguese making their life difficult and hastening their decision to give up Mangalore for good. Maybe the Portuguese realized it was easier to subdue the Goans.

Within Goa and Portugal, periodic demands for autonomy for Portuguese India continued. In July 1946, a public meeting was held which openly petitioned the Salazar administration to grant autonomy to the Estado da India. The meeting was facilitated by José Inácio de Loyola, and inspired the formation of a committee chaired by Uday Bhembre to pursue autonomy. Bhembre's committee failed to provoke a response from the Portuguese administration, and subsequently the last demand for autonomy was made by Purushottam Kakodkar in early 1961.

After India's independence from the British in August 1947, Portugal continued to hold a handful of territories on the Indian subcontinent—the districts of Goa, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli—collectively known as the Estado da Índia. Goa, Daman and Diu covered an area of around 1,540 square miles (4,000 square km) with a population of 637,591 people. The Goan diaspora was estimated at 175,000 (about 100,000 within the Indian Union, mainly in then Bombay). The population then was 61% Hindu, 36.7% Christian (mostly Catholic) and 2.2% Muslim. The economy was primarily based on agriculture, although the 1940s and 1950s saw a boom in mining—principally iron ore and some manganese. And later hotels, resorts and tourism.

Resistance to Portuguese rule in Goa in the 20th century was pioneered by Tristão de Bragança Cunha, a French-educated Goan engineer who founded the Goa Congress Committee in Portuguese India in 1928. Cunha released a booklet called 'Four hundred years of Foreign Rule', and a pamphlet, 'Denationalisation of Goa', intended to sensitize Goans to the oppression of Portuguese rule. Messages of solidarity were received by the Goa Congress Committee from leading figures in the Indian independence movement including Dr Rajendra Prasad, Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose. On 12 October 1938, Cunha with other members of the Goa Congress Committee met Subhas Chandra Bose, the President of the Indian National Congress, and on his advice, opened a Branch Office of the Goa Congress Committee at 21, Dalal Street, Bombay. The Goa Congress was also made affiliate to the Indian National Congress, and Cunha was selected as its first President.

In June 1946, Ram Manohar Lohia, an Indian Socialist leader, entered Goa on a visit to his friend, Julião Menezes, a nationalist leader, who had founded the Gomantak Praja Mandal in Bombay and edited the weekly newspaper Gomantak. Cunha and other leaders were also with him. Ram Manohar Lohia advocated the use of non-violent Gandhian techniques to oppose the government. On 18 June 1946, the Portuguese government disrupted a protest against the suspension of civil liberties in Panaji (then spelt Panjim) organised by Lohia, Cunha and others including Purushottam Kakodkar and Laxmikant Bhembre in defiance of a ban on public gatherings, and arrested them. There was disquiet among the people, and there were intermittent mass demonstrations from June to November.

Besides the non-violent protests, armed groups such as the Azad Gomantak Dal (The Free Goa Party) and the United Front of Goans conducted violent attacks aimed at weakening Portuguese rule in Goa. The Indian government supported the establishment of armed groups like the Azad Gomantak Dal, giving them full financial, logistic and armament support. The armed groups acted from nearby bases located in Indian territory and under cover of Indian police forces. The Indian government—through these armed groups—attempted to destroy economic targets, telegraph and telephone lines, road, water and rail transport, in order to impede economic activity and create conditions for a general uprising of the population. And in a way the attacks succeeded in disrupting normal life and frustrate the Portuguese.

A Portuguese army officer stationed with the army in Goa, Captain Carlos Azaredo, stated in 2001 in the Portuguese newspaper Expresso: "To the contrary to what is being said, the most evolved guerilla warfare which our Armed Forces encountered was in Goa. I know what I'm talking about, because I also fought in Angola and in Guinea. In 1961 alone, until December, around 80 policemen died. The major part of the freedom fighters of Azad Gomantak Dal, were not locals or Goans. Many of them had fought in the British Army, under General Montgomery, against the Germans."

According to the Portuguese, the Annexation of Goa was the process in which the Republic of India annexed the former Portuguese Indian territories of Goa, Daman and Diu, starting with the armed action carried out by the Indian Armed Forces in December 1961. In India, this action is justified and referred to as the Liberation of Goa.

Though the liberation of Goa was the process in which the Republic of India merged the former Portuguese Indian territories of Goa, Daman and Diu into the Indian Union, starting with the armed action carried out by the Indian Armed Forces in December 1961. In Portugal, it is referred to as the "Invasion of Goa". Following the end of Portuguese rule in 1961, Goa was placed under military administration headed by Kunhiraman Palat Candeth as Lieutenant Governor. On 8 June 1962, military rule was replaced by civilian government when the Lieutenant Governor nominated an informal Consultative Council of 29 nominated members to assist him in the administration of the territory.

The armed action was code named Operation Vijay (meaning Victory) by the Indian Armed Forces. It involved air, sea and land strikes for over 36 hours, and was a decisive victory for India, ending 451 years of Portugal rule over its remaining Portuguese territories in India. The engagement lasted two days, and twenty-two Indians and thirty Portuguese were killed in the fighting. The brief conflict drew a mixture of worldwide praise and condemnation. In India, the action was seen as liberation of historically Indian territories while Portugal viewed it as an aggression against its national soil and citizens.

The Goan question came alive when Portugal paid no heed to a UN resolution of December 1960 asking it to indicate when it would grant independence to its colonies in Asia and Africa. In December 1961, Portuguese soldiers in Goa fired at the villagers. Finding that his policy of patience and adherence to international ethics had not yielded results, Nehru decided to free Goa by force. Though advised by American President John F. Kennedy, British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan and UN Secretary-General U Thant to postpone action, Nehru made up his mind. On December 18, after a brief fight against the Indian troops, the Portuguese gave up resistance. The Governor General of Goa, Vassalo e Silva, signed a document of unconditional surrender.

Indian troops reclaimed the Goan territory with little to no resistance and forced General Manuel Antonio Vassalo e Silva to sign the certificate of surrender, thus ending 451 years of the exploitative rule of the Portuguese over the territory on December 18. However this military action drew international reaction.

The Western media assailed the action as a display of “Indian hypocrisy”, which represented a breach of international law by a nation that professed non-violence. Though the liberation of Goa by force raised the prestige of the government in India, it adversely affected Nehru’s international image, but only briefly. Kennedy told B.K. Nehru, India’s ambassador to the U.S., that after taking military action in Goa, Nehru may not be able to talk of non-violence as he did before. But Kennedy came to India’s rescue in India’s 1962 conflict with China. The merger of Goa was at a time when India after Independence was settling down as a nation and trying to get a foothold in international affairs and understanding. In hindsight, it was a correct decision by the government.

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Tuesday, 25 August 2020

Operation Cactus -1988 Maldives coup d'état

The 1988 Maldives coup d'état was a attempt by a group of Maldivians led by businessman Abdullah Luthufi and assisted by armed mercenaries of a Tamil secessionist organization from Sri Lanka, the People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam, to overthrow the government in the island republic of Maldives. The coup d'état failed after the Indian Special Forces eliminated the terrorist leaders of PLOTE. At the realization of the attacks failure, the terrorist group hijacked a Maldivian freighter named MV Progress Light and attempted to escape to Sri Lanka. After the terrorists escaped, the Indian Navy was called for help. They intercepted and captured the mercenaries and they were brought into custody in an operation code named Operation Cactus. Operation Cactus was hailed internationally as proof of India’s military prowess.

The 1980 and 1983 coup d'état attempts against Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s presidency were not considered serious, the third coup d'état attempt in November 1988 alarmed the international community.

About 80 armed PLOTE mercenaries, backed by Maldivian businessman Luthufi, landed in the capital Malé before dawn aboard speedboats from a hijacked Sri Lankan freighter. Disguised as tourists, a similar number had already infiltrated Malé earlier. The mercenaries quickly gained control of the capital, including the major government buildings, port, television and radio stations. The mercenaries then marched towards the Presidential Palace where President Gayoom was residing with his family. But before they reached the Presidential Palace, President Gayoom was escorted by Maldivian National Security Advisor to the Defence Minister's home. The Defence Minister then escorted the President to a safe house. Meanwhile, the mercenaries had seized the Presidential Palace and managed to take the Maldivian Education Minister as hostage.

President Gayoom’s Foreign Minister requested military intervention from Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but both denied any help, citing a lack of military capabilities. The president then requested Singapore’s intervention, but declined, citing the same reasons. After that, he contacted the United States, but was told that it will take them 2–3 days to reach the Maldives from their nearest military base in Diego Garcia, 1000 km away. The president then contacted the United Kingdom, which advised them to seek assistance from India. Following this, President Gayoom contacted the Indian government for assistance. India swiftly accepted their request and an emergency meeting arranged at the Secretariat Building in New Delhi. Within 16 hours of the SOS, India was ready to commence their operation.

Under the guidance of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, India responded with an overwhelming speed and efficiency. At 1530 hours on 3 November 1988, India approved the dispatch of troops to the Maldives, said an excerpt from India’s Ocean: The Story of India’s Bid for Regional Leadership by David Brewster.

Troops were deployed in one swift motion. Less than 16 hours since President Gayoom’s SOS call, Indian paratroopers were en route, leaving from the Agra Air Force Station on an Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft.

The operation started on the night of 3 November 1988, when Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft of the Indian Air Force airlifted the men and material of the 50th Independent Parachute Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Farukh Bulsara, the 6th Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, and, the 17th Parachute Field Regiment from Agra Air Force Station. After a non-stop journey covering over 2,500 kilometres, the aircraft of the 44 Squadron of the Indian Air Force landed at Hulhule Airport in nine hours after the request. Barely a kilometre from the besieged capital, the troops quickly began their advance into the capital.

The Indian paratroopers immediately secured the airfield, crossed over to Malé using commandeered boats and rescued President Gayoom. The paratroopers restored control of the capital to President Gayoom's government within hours. Some of the mercenaries fled toward Sri Lanka in a hijacked freighter, MV Progress Light. Those unable to reach the ship in time were quickly rounded up and handed over to the Maldives government. Nineteen people reportedly died in the fighting, most of them mercenaries. The dead included two hostages killed by the mercenaries. . The INS Godavari and INS Betwa of the Indian Navy intercepted the freighter off the Sri Lanka coast. Two Sea-King Mk.42 choppers of the fleet dropped depth charges, blocking the mercenaries attempt to escape. While the vessel evaded arrest that day, it was boarded the next day by commandos of the Indian Marine Strike Force (now known as the Marcos), and taken over with no incident.

The swift intervention by the Indian military and accurate intelligence successfully quelled the attempted coup d'état in the island nation. It was a very well planned mission and everything went as per plan. The Indian army, air force and navy played an effective role in a foreign land.

The militants’ made a fatal mistake that helped the Indians landing easy in Maldives. While the PLOTE militants seized many key points across the city, the one area they had forgotten to keep an eye on was Hulhule Airport. With no one keeping watch over this point of entry, Indian troops landed, and quickly took control of the airport. They then made their way into the capital using commandeered boats and rescued President Gayoom, driving out the militants.

The mission was concluded with no casualties to the Indian side, save for one soldier who reportedly shot himself in the foot. Operation Cactus was testimony to the fact that India could play a role in ensuring security in Asia. India’s swift, decisive action was hailed by the international community, ranging from US President Ronald Reagan to Margaret Thatcher. India received international praise for the operation. United States President Ronald Reagan expressed his appreciation for India's action, calling it "a valuable contribution to regional stability". British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher reportedly commented, ‘"Thank God for India: President Gayoom's government has been saved". But the intervention nevertheless caused some disquiet among India's neighbours in South Asia.

According to Rejaul Karim Laskar, a scholar of Indian foreign policy, India's intervention in the attempted coup became necessary as in the absence of Indian intervention, external powers would have been tempted to intervene or even to establish bases in Maldives, which being in India’s backyard would have been detrimental to India's national interest. India, therefore, intervened with "Operation Cactus".

In July 1989, India repatriated the mercenaries captured on board the hijacked freighter to Maldives to stand trial. President Gayoom commuted the death sentences passed against them to life imprisonment.

The 1988 coup d'état had been headed by a prominent Maldivian businessman named Abdullah Luthufi, who was operating a farm in Sri Lanka. Former Maldivian President Ibrahim Nasir was also accused, but denied any involvement in the coup d'état. In fact, in July 1990, President Gayoom officially pardoned Nasir in absentia in recognition of his role in obtaining Maldives' independence. The operation also strengthened Indo-Maldivian relations as a result of the successful restoration of the Gayoom government.

India’s then-Cabinet Secretary, BG Deshmukh had this to say about Operation Cactus:

Operation Cactus enhanced India’s prestige enormously and showed our efficiency and capability to mount a successful operation at short notice. There was universal acknowledgement of our role as a police force in the area.

Monday, 17 August 2020

Attack On Muntho Dhalo was the turning point of war in Kargil

The Kargil War took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir The Indian soldiers had secured this victory after a three-month conflict that led to a loss of lives from both sides with the Indian side losing nearly 527 officers, soldiers, and jawans. In order to commemorate India's win in the war, the Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on July 26.Very few people are are aware that the pin point attack on Muntho Dhalo by the brave pilots of the IAF turned the tide of the war and made it a bit easy for the Indian army to attack the enemy.

In the Kargil war, the army played the all important role of taking back all our posts occupied by Pakistan, vacated during the winter months as was always being done by the Indian army to re-occupy after the severe winter months. Same with Pakistan. This was being followed for years by both India and Pakistan. But in 1999, the Pakistanis has per plan moved much earlier to re-occupy their posts and along with that, they occupied all the vacant Indian posts quietly without the knowledge of the Indian side.

The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control. The Indian side was caught unawares about the whole plan by Pakistan side. And the Pakistanis announced, that the occupiers are not Pakistan army but Kashmiri militants and freedom fighters. This later proved to be costly for Pakistan and they couldn’t do anything openly to support these people. And even refused to take back the bodies of those killed in action. Though actually they were Pakistan army regulars from Pak Northern Light Infantry. Their lies came in to the open infront of the international community.

The Indian Army, with the help of the Indian Air Force (IAF), wrested back the glaciated heights of Kargil, in the Ladakh sector, from the Pakistan army. The Kargil War, which lasted a little over two months and ended on July 26, 1999, led to 527 deaths on India's side. In order to commemorate India's win in the war, the Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on July 26. The Pakistanis casuality was more than 3,500 to 4000 men.

Apart the gallant men of the Indian army who fought the enemy taking casualities, killing the enemy and driving the Pakistanis from the Indian posts on this side of the Line of control, the Indian Air Force too played a major role in making it a bit easy for the army to strike back at the enemy.

Twenty years ago, at the peak of the Kargil operations, the Indian Air Force notched up a major success when it destroyed the main Pakistani logistics base at Muntho Dhalo that was set up on encroached Indian territory in Ladakh. As Air Marshal R Nambiar, who was a Wing Commander then, told Bharat Shakti’s Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale, that was for the first time an IAF aircraft (Mirage 2000) did surveillance of the area, detected the enemy’s presence, attacked it with and also did bomb damage assessment.

The effective application of air power indisputably saved further Indian casualties. It mainly deprived the intruders of essential supplies, including drinking water, fuel and ammunition. The air operations and artillery bombardment cast a demoralizing spell on the enemy commanders and troops, affecting their will to fight. As a result of this moral capitulation the time frame for the ground operations was considerably reduced. The best example of how the air force assisted in the conduct of the land battle.

The bravehearts -
Pilots Ahuja & Nachiketa

Air strikes on Pak Northern Light Infantry battalion headquarters at Muntho Dhalo and the administrative base in the Batalik sub-sector were a spectacular success. About 100-150 casualties to personnel and considerable damage to equipment and stores was inflicted. Some sources say, it was about 300 casualties. This attack almost hit their morale very badly. In addition to the above air strike, repeated bombing of Muntho Dhalo strangulated the Jubbar and Dog Hill complex of defences in the Batalik.

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(This is an amazing and touching story).

50th anniversary!

An old well-dressed couple got down from the auto in front of a small hotel on the roadside at Pune. And looked at the closed shop. They were wondering, being a week day and at that hour, the old hotel famous for it's misal and tea should have been crowded with people.

As they looked around, a person came out of the building. They enquired with the person about the misal joint. He said, it's closed since a month now. They checked if the owner still lived on the top floor. The man said, yes and went away.

The old couple climbed the stairs and knocked on the hotel-owner's door. After a few moments, the elderly man opened the door. He was surprised to see the old couple, remembering them as his regular customers over the years. The owner welcomed them in, dusted the chairs and asked them to sit.

The old couple enquired regarding the closing of the hotel. The owner, offering them water replied, I am old now, can't manage the day to day hassels. Wanted to close the hotel last year but due the customers demand pulled on till last month. Now I can't manage it. One son is employed in Mumbai and the other son is employed in Nasik. Both are settled in the cities with their families. They are not interested to continue this misal joint. After my wife expired, I am alone in this big house.

The owner asked the couple about their well-being and the reason for not visiting his hotel for sometime. They said, just as your son's are in different cities in India, my son is in America with his family. He insisted since we are old, to come and stay with him in America. So most of the time we are in America and come here for two months and return.

They continued, we landed yesterday and came straight here to have your misal and chai. Unfortunately it's closed now. The owner said, I can't offer you misal, but can offer you hot tea. The couple agreed. Looking at them, the owner asked, you just came here or have anything else in particular. They looked at each other and smiled.

The owner offered them tea in the two old cup saucers with the name of the hotel printed on it.

While having tea, the couple told the owner, our first date was at your hotel with misal and chai. Then after few years, we got married. And today is the 50th anniversary of our first date and we wanted to celebrate it with your misal and chai.

Tears of joy trickled down the hotel-owners eyes. Before he could say anything, the couple requested if they could keep the two cup and saucers. He immediately told them, keep it, only two of these were left. Maybe it was for you. The old couple bid farewell and left with the precious gift!

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Picture Post:

Panjim, Goa, India

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