Animesh Pandey 🇮🇳 Profile picture
Aug 15, 2021 25 tweets 7 min read Read on X
#KnowYourHistory

#AsalBharat - 005

Operation Gibraltar - The story of how an imminent disaster was converted into a surprise victory, despite having scarce resources! Image
As we celebrate our 75th year of Independence, I see many people paying homage to many of our unsung heroes.

This Independence Day was made even more special with the release of Vishnu Varadhan's 'Shershaah' - Image
Based on the heroics of the brave Hutatma, Captain Vikram Batra, PVC, the movie paid a fitting tribute to the heroes of the Kargil War, with its slick action, gritty realism, and goosebumps inducing scenes - Image
However, did you know that we faced a similar situation, 34 years ago before Kargil War as well?

Did you know that our country was all set to be humiliated on international stage, and on a scale much worse than the Indo China War of 1962 or even the Partition of 1947?
You heard that right.

Pakistan did plan for such a humiliation. With Prime Minister Nehru died, our country in shambles, and our economy in doldrums, they thought it was the perfect opportunity to reclaim their Kashmir - Image
India had suffered a humiliating defeat in the Indo China War of 1962.

Our soldiers were not deficient of courage, but they were denied of adequate weapons and clothing. You don't expect to defeat a well armed enemy by just sticks and stones, do you?
However, until Nehru's death, there was no focus towards reorganizing the armed forces and equipping them with the latest arms and weapons.

In 1964, when Lal Bahadur Shastri took over the reins as the PM of India, the Indian defence, as well as the economy was in shambles.
Into this scenario, Pakistan quietly hatched their own plan to give India a wound that they could never recover from.

In 1965, Pakistan was not your cartoonish neighbor that could be whacked up black and blue at whim.
Owing to the divide and rule strategy, Pakistan was a flourishing economy, ruled by a military dictator, Field Marshal Ayub Khan, who ruled Pakistan with an iron fist - Image
Pakistan was also superior in diplomatic terms, which proved harmful for India during the Rann of Kutch conflict, which ended in a diplomatic victory for Pakistan -

globalsecurity.org/military/world…
Buoyed by the diplomatic victory, Pakistan now devised a devious plan - stage an uprising in Kashmir Valley, and incite the local population, predominantly Muslim, to take over.
Pakistan was 'supported' by two facts - India was diplomatically weak. They wouldn't want to extend the situation by engaging in a war, and would meekly surrender, in a way worse than 1962 - Image
The second major factor was the communal tension in Kashmir Valley, buoyed by the alleged disappearance of the sacred remains of Prophet Muhammad from Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar. Pakistan viewed it as an ideal situation for a mass revolt -

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation…
Do you know why Pakistan chose the codename Operation Gibraltar?

In 8th century, the Islamists had conquered the Iberian peninsula , that comprised the likes of modern Portugal and Spain. As such, Pakistan wanted to repeat the success of the 'holy mission' of Gibraltar.
They even chose well trained officers, including ex officers from the Indian National Army like Malik Munawwar Khan Awan, who were well trained in guerilla warfare - Image
The plan was multi-pronged. Infiltrators would mingle with the local populace and incite them to rebellion. On the other hand, Pakistani Army regulars, disguised as mujahideens, would launch a tactical offensive, and disrupt the supplies.
It was assumed that India would neither counter-attack, nor involve itself in another full-scale war, and the capture of Kashmir would rapidly follow. The
forces were unsurprisingly named after Islamic conquerors to make the purpose even more clear - Image
Nothing could go wrong. Pakistan had everything in their favor, from supplies to ammunition.

They were even the darlings of the US administration. On the other hand, India had barely begun to pick up after the brutal beating in the 1962 war.

So where did Pakistan go wrong?
It is often said, "Pride goes before one's downfall!"

To the surprise of Pakistan, the Kashmiri people, did not revolt. They rather hated the presence of Pakistan and openly assisted Indian forces -

Source : India's Wars - 1947 - 1971 : Arjun Subramaniam Image
The Indian Army was provided with enough information to learn of Operation Gibraltar.
According to Pakistani author Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema, Musa Khan, Pakistan's Chief of the Army Staff, was reportedly so confident that he did not even ask for backup - Image
Also Pakistan forgot the biggest thing before launching the entire operation. They did not even know who commanded the Indian Army at that time - Image
The man on the left in the photo above was Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri, who was then Army Chief. As Major General , he had given the Razakars a living nightmare and prevented a third partition by liberating Hyderabad under 'Operation Polo' -

[Major Gen Chaudhuri on extreme right] Image
As the Chief of Indian Army, he gave a free hand to the Indian forces in whichever way they felt best to deal the enemy with.

What could have been a huge disaster for India was soon converted into a surprise victory, with almost negligble resources at hand - Image
Unfortunately, since the Operation was mostly conducted in secrecy during August, it is unknown as to how many Pakistanis we slayed to save both Kashmir and the rest of Bharat......
Otherwise the story of Operation Gibraltar and India's success is nothing less worthy for screen than 'Band of Brothers' for instance - Image

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More from @PandeySpeaking

Aug 12, 2021
#KnowYourHistory

#AsalNayak - 001

Gulshan Kumar Dua - A visionary, A dharmik entrepreneur whose life was brutally cut short - Image
‘शिवशंकर को जिसने पूजा, उसका ही उद्धार हुआ,
अंत काल को भवसागर में, उसका बेड़ा पार हुआ,
भोले शंकर की पूजा करो, ध्यान चरणों में उसके धरो!’

With these words in mind, Gulshan Kumar walked to Jeeteshwar Mahadev Mandir, as was his routine.
A devout devotee of Bhagwan Shiva, Gulshan Kumar paid respects to his beloved deity and came out. However, nobody knew that his routine visit would be his last visit as well. That was the unfortunate morning of 12 August 1997, the day Gulshan Kumar left us forever - Image
Read 15 tweets
Aug 10, 2021
#KnowYourHistory

#AsalBharat - 005

Murlikant Rajaram Petkar - The champion who won India's first individual gold at any Olympics long before Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra -
Who is India's first individual Olympic gold medalist at any level?

Is it Abhinav Singh Bindra? No.
Is it Neeraj Chopra? NO!
It was a young war hero, who had overcome a life threatening accident thrust by an unjust war, to win India's first ever individual gold at any kind of Olympics, whether the Summer Olympics or the Para Olympics.
Read 24 tweets
Jan 31, 2021
#KnowYourHistory - 001

#AsalBharat - How Sanatan Dharma brings out heroes even Avengers may not match up with -
Today is the day when in 1923, a braveheart took birth in the home of Dr. Amarnath Sharma, an officer in the Armed Medical Corps of the then British Indian Army. He was not extremely studious, but was brilliant at sports and other physical activities.
He followed into the footsteps of his illustrious family, and joined the British Indian Army as a 2nd Lieutenant, right into the middle of World War II. Later on, he would gain name by fighting against all odds at Badgam in November 1947, getting martyred when he was only 24.
Read 18 tweets
Aug 28, 2020
28 August 2013 -

The day when our brave men undercover conducted one of the boldest and most shameful operations ever recorded in Indian history.

Why shameful? I'll come to that later -

#TRUTHhurts
The operation was to survey a potential target, which later turned out to be a dreaded terrorist, who had made Nepal his refuge.
So what's common between Jaipur, Hyderabad, Pune and New Delhi?

All were whacked by serial bomb blasts, that killed several people and injured hundreds of others. Between 2008 - 2013, all of these blasts were conducted by one man. JUST ONE MAN.
Read 16 tweets
Jul 22, 2020
The Anatomy of Meghna Gulzar and how Political Correctness kills creativity in even the best in their art -

Well, I'm not that Twitter savvy, but given that I hate staying mum, I thought to share some of my thoughts about the issue with Meghna Gulzar.
So Lieutenant Commander Harinder Sikka [retd.], a distinguished ex Indian Navy officer cum author, recently accused Meghna of destroying the ethos of his book 'Calling Sehmat', with her movie adaptation 'Raazi'.
I happened to cover this in a small article of my own as well -

tfipost.in/2020/07/the-ra…
Read 16 tweets

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