Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Amit Lall reporting his experiences from Jammu (22nd April - 24th April) & Kashmir 25th April - 1st May)






Hi Guys,

Its 2nd May and am back in Jammu and off to Amritsar - Wagah Border (Punjab) tomorrow.

I met with ABRS - Akhil Bhartiya Rachnatmak Samaj - the 1st Gandhian movement NGO - by Mahatma Gandhi - President Mr.S.P.Verma. He too has shown his support to my Mission and United Force of India.

This experience of Kashmir is something I cant describe in words. Living with those soldiers at the LOC (Line of Control) next to POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) makes you think about life and death at a different level.

On 25th April I left from Jammu for a place called Ramsu. It is is the midpoint between Jammu & Srinagar. I stayed with 23 RR (Rastriya Rifles), the Commanding Officer became a good friend who was introduced to me by the commanding officer of 20 RR. He prepared me for what to expect at the LOC. I then drove into Srinagar the next day. The feeling after driving through the Jawahar tunnel, you feel the difference between Jammu & Kashmir. Jammu are warm welcoming people - Kashmir is cold hateful people.

I reached Srinagar on sunday 26th April - Rahul Gandhi was arriving at Srinagar on monday and a bandh was declared, so I decided to go straight to the LOC on monday as the bandh's here are extremely violent, so I called the Commanding Officer of 20 RR who I was introduced to by a close friend from Jaipur, who sent me Army escorts to Srinagar to take me up to the LOC. One jawan sat in my car with an AK-47 for protection and a jeep guided me through to Panchgam. Panchgam is a place after you go from Srinagar to Baramullah to Kupwara. Baramullah & Kupwara were the most diturbed areas of Kashmir, where even the army feared to go. Its better now, but still dangerous - espcially for a guy like me driving a car with the Indian Flag on it. I drove through Baramullah & Kupwara and reached Panchgam, where i parked my car and unloaded my luggage as only the army jeep can go up and the roads were full of snow and my car tyres would not be able to go through the snow. I was given the army jacket there and a pair of snow shoes. We reached up to NC Pass towards a place called Tanghdar - 25 kms short of Tithwal which is the LOC. I met the CO there and we went for a function where the brigadiers were changing. Spent the night at Tanghdar and the next morning I left for the LOC at Tithwal.

The LOC is actually a river called the Krishnaganga. This side of the river is India and that side of the river is (POK)Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. There is a bridge that goes across the river. In the centre of the bridge is a white line. That line separates India from POK. This bridge is used for Kashmiris who get a visa and go across to visit their families in Pakistan. This has been closed after the 26 November attacks in Bombay - the reason I have taken up this mission. This LOC is guarded by the Gorkha Regiment. The Indian flag is hoisted on this side of the bridge and 2 flags are on the other side - the Pakistan flag and a yellow flag of Azad Kashmir (first time I saw this flag). I spent time with the jawans there and moved on to a place called Baraf. The place is exactly like its name. Its 50 kms above the LOC on a mountain. This is where I was invited to stay by the CO of 20 RR. They have bunkers and underground sheds for protection. It is about 10.300 feet above sea level and its on the highest mountain there where you can see the Nanga Parbat on a clear day which is part of the himalaya in Pakistan. This place is so high that the clouds are below the mountain, so when it rains, its raining in the Kashmir valley and we are standing above the clouds - its a different feeling. All around us are snow mounatins and where we stayed the snow was about 12-15 feet high and the rods had to be cleared by bulldozers. I even got to drive the bulldozer there. Its 6-8 degrees below zero a night and about 2-3 dgress in the day. The treeline is good so there is not much problem in breathing. Kargil has no treeline, so oxygen supply is less.

A day before I arrived 7 of our men died in a landslide / avalanche who were there for an operation. It was a havan for their chautha and I sat for the prayers. the gae group of the jawans were 23 - 27 years of age. One had just gotten married and returned from leave and another had just had twins and was to go home to see his kids. During peace time also there are people dying at the borders for us, so that we can be safe in our homes with our families. Do we value our freedom? Have we taken our Independance for granted? Do we appreciate what these soldiers are doing for us? What are we doing with our lives to help the people and the Country? What is our contribution? Would we die for our Country and for the safety of our fellow Indian like these brave soldiers? Lots of questions flashed through me head while I sat at the havan. Did these soldiers die for us? Will they be remembered as Martyrs or just another statistic in the books - 7 jawans killed at the LOC? When terrorists die - its written in papers 10 terrorists / militants killed, when our soldiers die - its again written 7 soldiers killed. Whats the differemce in the two? It should be 7 soldiers martyred - if they are written about. Its sad but its true at the LOC.

We intercepted 2-3 militant groups that crossed the LOC and entered from Pakistan. The place we are at is 30 kms from Muzzafarabad, touching the Swat Valley occupied by Taliban. For us it doesnt make a difference if its Let or Taliban or any other group, we kill at the LOC to protect out country and even die if required. We tracked a group where one blew his leg on a landmine and so the other 3 retreated to Pakistan. There are 5-6 groups that come form different sides and meet at one point so its totally a group of 4 people into 6-7 groups = 30 or so people. In India there is a welcoming party, who wait ata place to welcome them into India, and once inside, they mix with the public and cannot be recognised. I heard the radio messages of militants talking, I saw the night vision equipment they use, I fired a few rounds of the AK-47 and the LMG (Light Machine Gun), Rocket Launchers, Grenade Launchers and other weapons they have. They are not as simple to fire as they seem and they are loud and deafening.

I was to go back down by wednesday 29th April, but there was an undeclared bandh in Kashmir as there were elections on 30th.. Yasin MAlik & other JKLF leaders tried to boycott the elections so were arrested, so i couldnt meet with them. Anyway, so I couldnt go down on wednesday or thursday. I was to go to URi wahich is another LOC but had to drive through Kupwara & Baramullah, which wasnt possible with the bandh as they had started burning cars, throwing stones and even firing. So I had to stay put in Baraf till thirsday 30th April. So I spent a lot of quality time with the 100 odd soldiers in Baraf.

I went down to PAnchgam on friday 1st May and got my car and again had army protection inside and around my car to drive me into Srinagar. I tried to meet the press in Srinagar, at a place called Lal Chowk, there was still curfew at Downtown Srinagar and Lal Chowk is a disturbed area. I was the only Hindu there between a group of muslims who said they were Kashmiris and not Indians. They told me that I should tell the govt. to give them freedom and let them decide whether they want to go with Pakistan, stay with India or have an independant Kashmir. I told them that the govt. gives them so much - electricity & water is free for them - no charge - schools and college is free - Rs.10,000 grant per household is given to them, still they are not satisfied. Its sad. There were morcha's by women saying "They will go to Pakistan, bear children of the pakistani men and send those kids to India as militants".........this is the state of affairs in Kashmir.

I then drove off to Jammu the next morning on 2nd May...........feeling sad of what has happened to our beautiful country and its people........who have been brainwashed against India....

I have lots more to write but I guess I will do that in my book. I have attached a few news clips.

Join United Force of India on www.facebook.com and tell your friends to join...........

Regards

Amit Rajan Lall
President
ITL Liningz

+91 9324242457














Hi Guys,

Its 24th April and am in Jammu tonight and off to Ramban (J&K) - The 23 Rastriya Rifles (Between Jammu & Srinagar) tomorrow.

In Jammu I stay with the Border Roads. In Ramban I will be staying with the 23 Rastriya Rifles. They were the main forces to control terrorism here. Day after I will be in Srinagar. There I plan to meet the separatist group - The Hurriyat. JKLF - Mr.Yasin Malik (I spoke to him - got his number from the press guys in Jammu) & Salim Ghelani & will try to meet Umar Faroque & Syed Ali Gelani & Abdul Gani Lone.

A little History of J&K I got form the people I spent time with here.......

Huriyat Leaders – Yasin Mallik, Omar Faroq, Abdul Gani Lone & Syed Ali Shah Gelani. I am scheduled to meet Salim Gelani who will make me meet Omar Faroque in Srinagar . These people want J&K as a separate country or to be merged with Pakistan . They also fight for a different currency of J&K and for creating their own army not Indian Army = "Naya Kashmir". Earlier Tariq Hamdhara – Finance minister had said that J&K should be able to accept both India & Pakistani currency. There is a 370 in the constitution that is the root cause of the problem here in J&K. All laws passed by the central govt. are applicable all over India except in J&K. The bill or law has to be passed in J&K after the law has been passed by the central govt. and only if it is approved by J&K is it applicable. No Indian law is applicable in J&K till it has been passed in J&K.This is the only state in India which practices this. This was done in 1947 by Jawaharlal Nehru. There is another law here that if there is any problem in J&K there will be a public voting done. Only locals can own land here and only locals can get govt. jobs. The 370 was made in 1870 by Maharaj Ghulab Singh so that Britishers cannot own land in India and take control. This law is still applicable after independence. At that time this place was Jammu ,Kashmir & Tibet Adi or etc. (includes Tibet , Swat Valley , POK upto Afghanistan ). Another system started by the maharaja in 1870 was called the Darbar Move which is practiced even now. The Darbar Move is when all govt offices are shifted to Kashmir from May – October when the roads are open and shifted back to Jammu form November – April when Kashmir is snowed in and Jammu is cool. THE DARBAR MOVE IS ON TOMORROW WHEN I MOVE TO KASHMIR.This shifting of office takes 15 days each way and they spend approx. Rs.15 – 20 Crores on this shifting process every year. In 1984 Farooque Abdullah tried to have the secretariat in Srinagar and keep offices in one place and there was a revolt saying that jammu is open thoughout the year so it should be kept in Jammu , to this the kashmiris objected and that was the end of that and the darbar move has continued. J&K is divided into 3 parts geographically, culturally & politically – they are Jammu , Kashmir & Ladakh. Jammu is 30% muslims, Kashmir is 90% muslims & Ladakh divided into 2 parts Leh (Buddhists) & Kargil (muslims). J&K is 65% - 70% muslims. Hindus are a minority in this state. The independence was signed on 15th August 1947 in all states except JK, which was signed in October 1947. The Huriyat movement started in 1971 when Hashim Qureshi hijacked a plane. He has returned to mainstream now. The real effect happened in 1987 – 1988 when hindus fled from Kashmir and moved to Jammu . The last -4-5 years things have returned to as close as normal as possible and a few hindus have moved back to Kashmir , but Kahmir valley is muslim dominated. There is a book written by Jagmohan – "My frozen turbulence in Kashmir" if you need to know the full history of J&K from 1800’s till date – the 7th edition has been printed. I will be meeting the Huriyat in Kashmir , lets see what comes out of it.

I met Brigadier Dadu here and presented him the Indian flag and met his officers. He informed me of the trade between India & Pakistan which happens twice a week. More from here in Jammu than in Kashmir. So whose side are the Kashmiris on? If they were Pro Pakistan, they would trade more, but seems like Jammu trades more and they are 100% Pro India. Just a few observations we discussed - Brig Dadu & myself.

I have a meeting with ABRS - Akhil Bhartiya Rachnatmak Samaj - the 1st Gandhian movement NGO - by Mahatma Gandhi - President Mr.S.P.Verma. I meet him tomorrow and head off towards Kashmir after meeting the Jammu University students & the ABRS I had a press meet where they mentioned me meeting with the Hurriyat in the Jammu papers.

I have attached a few Simla news clips - See the Daink Bhaskar - it has those kids that I vistied at the orphanage in Simla. I have also attached the Jammu news clips which I could get, the other papers I could not get as they will carry the story tomorrow..


Regards

Amit Rajan Lall
President
ITL Liningz
at

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My Message to every Indian...

Read this carefully. your Freedom depends on it!

Unity is Strength. Divide & Rule policy earlier lost us and cost us our Freedom. Today history is repeating itself. The people running our Country today are separating each state. They are trying to gain power and control of each individual state, thereby setting it apart from the others. Don't they know that merging more states makes India powerful, dividing each state and having internal conflicts makes India weaker? For e.g. the people today say "Jai Maharashtra", "Jai Karnataka", "Jai Haryana". WHY?

This is ONE COUNTRY - ONE NATION. our INDIA. all we have to say is. JAI HIND ! If we don't start participating in the events of our Country today, it will be too late and we would be slaves once again fighting for our Freedom! We as Indian Citizens have rights. We are a Democracy. We have freedom of speech, but people here are afraid to speak up. We are independant and have a right to live life on our terms.

Here women are being beaten in our Country and forced to wear clothes as per the likes and dislikes of our so called "leaders". Women don't have a right to wear what they want? Women don't have a right to drink alcohol after the age of 18 which is legal in our Country? Women are not allowed to talk to men and date men? Are these signs of a free Democratic India?

"Bapu" - Mahatma Gandhi is The Father of Our Nation. He preached Ahimsa (Non-Violence), all there is in our Country is violence & terror! If we follow Violence, why is Bapu the father of the Nation? If we follow Bapu, why are the Indians leading our Country resorting to Violence?India is a Secular Country. We are known to be tolerant of all religions. Why do we have these comunal riots? Why are the Hindu & Muslim constantly fighting and killing each other when they all are from the same motherland - INDIA, they have the same red blood, they eat the same food, they drink the same water, they breathe the same air, where is the secularism and tolerance?

Is this the INDIA we have become? Our people fought for our Freedom and gave their lives for us to enjoy this Independance. They shed their blood and sweat to give us a better future. Is this the future they had in mind for us? Today India is not a Democracy, Its a Dictatorship, dictated by Goondas (Goons & Criminals) who resort to violence to show their power. They are making the common man fearful and cowardly and supressing them & the common man is allowing this and is being supressed. Hitler ruled and now Taliban is coming! Is this what you want for INDIA? Do you want to bring children into this world who live under fear & terror? I think not.

So either Start Speaking up and fight for the bright future of the youth of tomorrow...or stop giving birth to more children bringing them here to live in fear and die.

We can loose our lives. But we cannot loose our freedom!

-Jai Hind


My Mission
The Drive for Peace and Unity
One Man – Covering One Country – With One Message

The Objective:

To prove that we Indians are a resilient lot who refuse to be shaken by a bunch of fanatics who choose the most cowardly method of trying to make a point, to slaughter innocents! To also spread the message that this drive around the sea and land boundaries of our country is the symbolism for the legendary “Lakshman Rekha” which would and should remain impenetrable by sheer unity. This unison aims at galvanizing the people against external threat and frustrating the enemy.

The Sentiment:

I, Amit Lall, am proud to be an Indian and will be attempting “The Drive For Peace and Unity”. Bombay was attacked by terrorists from the sea on 26th November 2008. I live at Churchgate and was lying unwell and helpless in my house when disaster struck our beloved city. I was angered and frustrated that I was physically unable to rush to help the victims of this carnage. In order to awaken the dormant unity amongst the people inhabiting within our “Lakshman Rekha” and to instill security consciousness, resulting in constant vigil against the enemy, I would like to drive along our sea coast starting from Bombay in the West, heading southward to Kanyakumari, then eastward to West Bengal and Nagaland, and then up north to Kargil, along the India – Pakistan border, and then return to Bombay via Delhi, halting at India Gate to salute the martyrs of our country. This mission will also convey a strong sentiment to our enemies, especially in the west and the east, that if they can’t scare one Indian such as me, with their cowardly act, how do they expect to scare the entire country – with this they should fathom the combined strength of the entire nation!

We are proud to be Indians, and we don’t fear anything if we stand united and stand by and protect our Country from any negative elements.

The Contribution:
I believe in the power of the mind and positive thinking. “What the mind can conceive, Man can achieve.” This would be my humble contribution to our people and I request for your support to accomplish this cause that I strongly believe in and stand for. Whichever State of the Union that I pass through, I would also meet the police of that State and the Armed Forces based there, and express my gratitude for what they are doing for our country and for the safety of every Indian. I will appreciate a cavalcade of drivers and bikers, to follow me to show support for the cause, even if they can do so only for a short distance. I will also like to share the trauma that we Bombayites suffered, with people I meet and interact with on my journey through all the Indian States.

The Logistics:

This Mission will be adequately covered by the Media and splashed on Television, Radio and the Newspapers for the benefit of the inland inhabitants. One Man – Covering One Country – With One Message.

The number “26” has proved disastrous for India and is now associated with tragedy and bad luck as the following events on this date are embedded in people’s psyche:

The Tsunami – 26th December
The Kutch Earthquake – 26th January
The Gujarat Floods – 26th June
The Bombay Train Blasts – 26th July
The Ahmedabad Blasts – 26th September
The Latest Terrorists’ Attacks in Bombay (Taj, Oberoi, CST & Nariman House) – 26th November

I Flagged off and launched this mission from the Gateway of India, on 26th January, 2009, our Republic Day. This mission and pilgrimage strives at removing the evil effects of the number 26 associated with disaster and death. After lighting a flame at Gateway of India and the CST, I will also light a flame at every place I stop and request the brave men of the State Police and Armed Forces to join me in doing so. When I reach New Delhi, I will light a candle at India Gate as a tribute to all the courageous Indians who have sacrificed their lives for our country. I will then continue on my Drive for Peace and finally return home by once again touching the Gateway of India on 26th February, 2009, thereby completing my Mission.

I will attempt to complete my journey in 100 days. The periphery of India is approximately 15,000 kms. I will drive approximately 10 – 12 hours a day and cover 500 - 600 kms. a day. I will be driving through 26 states. The only states I will not be entering would be Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh as they are in the interiors of India.

SPONSORS
I will be staying at TAJ Hotels across the country as Mr.Ratan Tata - Chairman Indian Hotels has been kind enough to make the TAJ group of Hotels my Hospitality partner across India for my drive.
I am driving my own Hyundai Accent which I have had for the past 8 years and it has proven its endurance and power, a car which can actually complete the entire drive of India without any hindrance. I shall use only one car and not change cars for the entire drive. I have the Hyundai Motor India Limited team to check and do the necessary touch ups to the car as and when required at any state across the Country.

COME JOIN THE 2nd FREEDOM MOVEMENT...

Jai Hind!