Intentine & belly (Nadi-Bhudi) of RAW disected by Bangladeshi captain
VognoDuut648
Columnist Gp Capt SM HALI examines the historical capacity of Research &
Analysis Wing (RAW) of India to conduct clandestine operations
Introduction
Espionage, euphemistically called the second oldest profession of the world
finds a mention in the Indian Vedas, one of the most - if not the most -
ancient of the human texts. References to espionage are also discernible in
the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Greece and China. The
Chinese sage Sun Tzu is considered by European scholars to be the first to
study and analyse the whole question of espionage on scientific lines, and
to set it down in a text book Ping Fa, The Art of War. This view is,
however, not substantiated by cogent facts since there is ample proof of the
greater antiquity and soundness of the system of Secret Services enunciated
by the early Indians.Varuna, one of the chief gods of the Vedic pantheon is
considered to be a forerunner of Secret Services. Magha, one of the most
erudite and lucid poets and pragmatic thinkers, unequivocally asserted that
statecraft cannot exist without the assistance of espionage. He writes:-'The
statecraft in which even a single step is not taken in contravention of the
science of dandaniti {(i.e. the law of danda (the rod)} which provides
decent living (to the officers) and in which liberal grants are given in
recognition of services rendered, does not shine to advantage without (the
employment of ) spies, just as the science of grammar does not shine without
Papasa Bhasya (the introductory portion of Patanjali's Mahabhasya), though
it is provided with Nyasa (a commentary of that name) which strictly follows
the words of the Sutras (of Panini), a good vrtti (explanatory work) and an
excellent Bhasya (advance work of explanation, discussion and criticism)'.-
(Sisupala - vadha, 2.112)Secret Agencies in ancient India were not conceived
of as an instrument of oppression but as a tool of governance. Secret agents
were considered as 'eyes of the king'.Indian history illustrates that
ancient Indians had gained great expertise in this secret art. The
techniques and operational methods adopted by them were highly advanced, and
can be usefully emulated today. From the spasas of Varuna, the fore-runners
of the modern globe-trotting spies (the etymological affinity of the two
terms is noticeable) to Chanakya's final manifestation of this art in the
Arthasastra which is in fact a systematic codification of a wide variety of
scattered information copiously found in the Epics, - the Mahabharata and
the Ramayana - the Puranas and literary works of Bhasa, Kalidasa, Magha and
Bana; and the Tamil Sangam literature, transcends unprecedented heights in
this discipline.The vision of the Arthashastra, is truly breath taking, its
practical utility timeless and the clarity of its exposition unique. The
techniques of manipulating public opinion and creating disinformation,
propounded by Chanakya anticipated modern intelligence systems by several
centuries. No wonder then that the nearly 2500 years old lessons in deceit,
guile, hypocrisy, machination, and gore taught by that Master strategist,
Chanakya alias Kautilya (literally meaning 'crooked') was adopted in toto by
India and its chief intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing
(RAW).While laying the foundation stone of RAW, India's late Prime Minister
Mrs. Indira Gandhi approvingly quoted Louis F Hallis, when she said that its
objectives should be the 'Ability to get what one wants by whatever means:
eloquence, reasoned arguments, bluff, tirade, threat or coercion, as well
as, by arousing pity, annoying others, or making them uneasy'.RAW is
basically a Secret Service established to perform clandestine operations
based on the Chanakyan principles of deceit and guile. It has successfully
destabilised neighbouring countries, disintegrated independent states and
backed the most notorious guerrilla organizations to achieve its ends. If it
is compared to other intelligence agencies of the region, it emerges as an
aggressive, cold-blooded and ruthless institution, engaged in the most
macabre deeds.The organization and structure of RAW will be discussed in the
second part of this paper. But to appreciate its working we must, first
examine the origin and organization of India's ancient secret
agencies.Origin and Organization of Secret Agencies in Ancient IndiaThe
origin and development of Secret Agencies in ancient India is linked to the
geopolitical conditions of the times when India was dotted with small states
attempting to grab each other's territory and wealth. The art of espionage
was thoroughly mastered, and almost all ancient Indian literary sources
exhaustively dealt with this system. Spying came to be regarded as an
indispensable feature and integral part of an efficient administration and
of a sound foreign policy. It kept the rulers posted with the activities,
afflictions, and operations of political adversaries: their disloyal and
disgruntled elements, fifth columnists and foreign agents in their midst,
also the strength and intentions of all foreign power. Espionage was
considered to be as important an institution as diplomacy, and was sought to
be governed by certain definite rules and usages. In Chanakya, the secret
service department became a permanent feature of the state and was organised
in the most 'uninhibited manner'.While Chanakya presents a highly developed
and complicated system of governance including an all-pervasive espionage
system, references to it are found in pre-Mauryan literature, too. The
Mahabharata refers to a mythological tradition on the origin of the
dandaniti and the art of espionage, which was handed down from the past. It
expounds 'Brahma, the creator, himself composed a work comprising 1,00,000
chapters relating to dharma (religion), artha (economy), kama (sexual
desire) and moksa (spiritual salvation) - the four aspects of life.'
Brahma's compilation, according to the Great Epic, included subjects of
behaviour towards counsellors, of spies, the indication of princes, of
secret agents possessed of diverse means, of envoys, and agents of other
kinds, conciliation, fomenting discord, gifts and chastisement;
deliberations including counsels for producing disunion; the three kinds of
victory, first, that which served righteously, secondly, which was won by
wealth, and, thirdly, the one obtained by deceitful ways; chastisement of
two kinds, namely, open and secret; the disorder created in the hostile
troops; inspiring the enemy with fear; the means of winning over persons
residing in the enemy territory; and finally, the chastisement and
destruction of those that are strong.'No other civilization can claim such
an antiquity for the techniques of war, diplomacy, intrigue and espionage
and on such compulsive terms.In short, Varuna and other deities of the Vedic
pantheon heavily depended on their secret agents. Manu, Kamandaka,
Yajnavalkya and Chanakya, besides the later digest writers, deliberated on
the art of espionage, while Chanakya perfected the art and recommended the
organisation of secret agencies in the most unabashed manner. Professor
Ghoshal suggests that the Mauryas followed the Arthasastra tradition in four
respects, i.e. precautions in recruiting spies, countrywide espionage,
safeguards against false reports by secret agents and enlistment of the
services of loose women.OrganizationThe modest origin of secret agents in
the form of Varuna's spasas brought about the imperative need for effective
and vigorous espionage in an institutionalized form. The blue-print on
espionage prepared by Chanakya has remained a model for successive
generations. Various aspects of the organization of a secret agency as
discussed in complete detail in the Arthasastra are briefly touched upon
here.* Category of Agents. The Arthasastra mentions two wings of 'secret
service', viz. 'samstha' and 'sancara'. The agents belonging to 'samstha'
were stationed in the Establishment financed by the State, whereas the
'sancaras' moved from place to place depending on professional requirements.
The spymasters of the two wings headed their respective cadre of agents, and
controlled their operations. The members of one group were not aware of the
existence of the other. This classification of Chanakya has been followed in
India throughout the successive centuries.* Recruitment of Secret Agents. A
study of Arthasastra, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, the Manusmriti,
Kamandaka and Sukra reveals that there was no fixed source of recruitment of
secret agents. Modern intelligence services generally resort to three main
sources of recruitment, the academic world, the armed services and the
under-world. This was also the pattern followed in ancient India.* Training.
After recruitment, the secret agents were put through a rigorous training in
the techniques of adopting disguises, changing appearances, science of
signalling, secret writing, detection and identification of criminals,
manipulating public opinion and creating dissensions in the enemy ranks.*
Control and Supervision. The complicated, comprehensive, all-pervasive and
ubiquitous institution of spies in ancient India necessitated very close and
personal supervision of the ruler or his most reliable officers. It must
have been difficult for the king to personally handle the comprehensive and
complicated department of intelligence. According to the Arthasastra, the
department of external affairs, which was covering military intelligence was
managed by the king with the help of his foreign minister and the
Commander-in-Chief. The agents detailed to cover the senior officers of the
central government certainly reported to the king directly. In the far-flung
areas of extensive kingdoms and in view of poor means of communication, the
action specially in times of war had to be taken by men on the spot and not
by the king who may be at a place far distant from the field of action. In
foreign countries the spies were kept under the control and supervision of
ambassadors who scrutinised their reports and directed intelligence
operations. According to Chanakya, the institution of spies as an
organization did not function under a unified command. The spies and secret
agents worked under their respective heads of department, and also directly
under the king.Techniques of EspionageBefore discussing the working of RAW,
it would be worthwhile to briefly examine some of the techniques of
espionage employed by the ancient secret agencies of India.* Motivation and
Recruitment of Sources. Motivation of persons to cater intelligence is
directly proportionate to their weakness for sex and money, besides the
burning desire of revenge or insatiable hunger for power. The Spymasters of
ancient India exploited these weaknesses to their fullest advantage, and
even the modern intelligence agencies heavily depend on these
considerations. Chanakya advocated that the weak should be subjugated by
means of conciliation and gifts, the strong by means of dissension and
force.* Selection and Infiltration of Targets. Chanakya, in a very subtle
manner and with an intimate knowledge of human psychology, selected his
targets in foreign lands depending on their weaknesses and motivation. He
advised secret agents to concentrate on targets:-* Among those who are
dissatisfied with the rulers or had been humiliated or exiled;* Who have not
been compensated for their expenditure;* Those who have been deprived of
their rightful inheritance to office; * Whose women have been molested by
force;* Who were wrongly imprisoned;* Whose property had been confiscated;*
Who are prone to blackmail due to some weakness.Double-Agent Operation. A
'Double-Agent' is a spy who works for the opposition while pretending
loyalty to those who employ him. this technique is an indispensable facet of
agent-running and was extensively practised in ancient India. Chanakya
suggested that secret agents should not refuse pay from the targets for
working with them as their employees. This was to allay the misgivings on
the part of the targets. 'Double-Agents' were used for creating dissensions
and confusion among the confederates of the enemy. They floated false
documents, got them seized from the possession of the enemy's army chiefs,
and thus weakened the enemy. 'Double-Agents' were used to winning over the
confidence of their adopted masters by sacrificing a few exposed,
treacherous, disaffected or inefficient spies.* Payment of Sources
Encouragement of secret agents with money and honour was considered an
imperative necessity. The sources were paid both in cash and kind, besides
receiving extraordinary courtesies and favours. It was also recommended that
secret agents not only be rewarded for the job done by them but, also, in
the event of repeated mistakes, silent punishment-death-be awarded to them.*
Communication of Intelligence Intelligence not properly and promptly
conveyed and which cannot be acted upon loses its value and validity.
Besides this, the Arthasastra, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Kamandaka and
Kathasaritasagara all recommend the use of coded language and signals.*
Interception of Mail Interception of messages, signals and letters by postal
censorship; monitoring and tapping telephones; and breaking codes is the
standard practice of modern intelligence agencies. In the ancient period,
since intelligence was communicated through pre-determined signals and with
the assistance of pigeons, secret agents must have made elaborate
arrangements to intercept these messages.* Assessment of Information. The
Arthasastra cautions against the placing of reliance on agents without
proper corroboration. It is repeatedly emphasised that all aspects of a
report must be gone through, including the source of information, the mode
of its collection and the past performance of a source before it is
accepted. Briefing and debriefing of secret agents was an elaborate
exercise, and they were trained to be precise, accurate and truthful in
reporting.* Working Under 'Cover'. The institution of espionage in ancient
India, like modern times, required secret agents to work under some kind of
'cover' to preserve secrecy. Chanakya institutionalized the art of working
under the most ingenious 'covers'. The most common disguises recommended by
him were those of ascetic, mendicant, merchant, artisan, wandering minstrel,
artiste, cook, barber and shampooer, bath and toilet attendant, deaf, dumb,
eunuch and prostitute. Chanakya recommends the use of women as effective
tools of espionage particularly those who were engaged in harlotry.*
Counter-Intelligence. A counter-intelligence operation is directed at
discovering the identities and methods of foreign spies and intelligence
officers working for the opposition. One of the most important duties of the
Secret Service in ancient India was to counteract the activities of such
agents operating within the country. Chanakya recommends that secret agents
should discover foreign spies by operating at the places of entertainment,
conclaves of people, among beggars, in gardens and public places, and the
houses of prominent citizens.Disinformation and Dissension. Manipulation of
public opinion is as important an object of the State today as it was in
ancient India. It is used to create disharmony and distrust among the
enemy's friends, ill-will among his allies, loss of confidence in their
leadership and disruption by psychological means his capacity and will to
fight. Chanakya had perfected the technique of disinformation and highly
eulogised the use of dissension in enemy's ranks for winning a battle
without any military action. His winning an extensive empire for his student
Chandragupta Maurya without fighting any mentionable battle is aweŃ, and one
may be excused to add: admirationŃ, inspiring feat, unparalleled in history.
The Sanskrit Classical drama Mudrakshasa has tried to depict it dramatically
but, at best, has only partially succeeded.* Sabotage. The technique of
sabotage, which the political strategists consider as the penultimate means
to vanquish an adversary, had been greatly perfected in ancient India.
Secret practices for sabotage were advocated by Chanakya to ensure victory.
As a preface to sabotage, he suggests the creation of an atmosphere
congenial to arousing terror, fear, demoralization, disappointment and loss
of confidence among the enemy ranks. Prior to launching a full-scale assault
on the enemy fort, Chanakya suggests implementation of secret measures to
weaken its defences not only physically but in all respects. These include
prevention of sowing the fields, destruction of the standing crops and
cutting of the enemy's supply lines.He also advises free and uninhibited use
of poison in the articles used by the enemy. His detailed and scientifically
valid knowledge of the subject has earned for him a place in Arabic medical
literature, that knows him as Ibn Shanaq (son of Chanak). Some of the secret
stratagems advocated by Chanakya include the use of smoke with properties
seriously affecting the vision, and, arson or setting fires within the enemy
fort.* The employment of Visakanyas (Poison-damsels). Secret Agencies in
ancient India had perfected very ingenious techniques to subserve the
interests of their monarchs. Besides using the nascent technological
advancement available to them, they exploited human weakness for sex to
achieve royal objectives. Visakanya is a unique feature of the Indian genius
to poison the monarch. These venomous beauties can be classified, as
follows:-* A damsel whose body is saturated with gradual doses of poison,
and who is likely to transmit poison from her body to another person coming
in contact with her;* A woman who treacherously captivates the heart of a
person, and then mixes poison in his food or drink;* A girl who is, one way
or the other, so much poisoned or infected with disease that she is likely
to convey her poison or disease to the person coming in contact with her. A
woman suffering from Venereal disease or, in the latest situation one
suffering from Aids is a Visakanya of this kind. RAW AT WAR-IIWhat is not
possible by deployment of force is possible by the use of stratagem.The
black cobra was defeated by the stratagem of the crow and the golden
chain.-- ChanakyaIntroductionThe first part of this article briefly traced
out the history of secret services in ancient India. Its chief progenitor
was Chanakya, whose classic, the Arthasastra, not only provides a fairly
graphic account of the activities of spies in the Mauryan and post-Mauryan
polity but lays the foundation for the 'statecraft', guile and unscrupulous
practices advocated by this master strategist.He goes on to recommend, 'In
the work of espionage, all methods are admissible Ń snooping, lying,
bribing, poisoning, using women's wiles and the assassin's knife. To a weak
king menaced by strong neighbours, Chanakya's advice was to rely chiefly on
spies and wage what he described as a 'battle of intrigues' (mantra yuddha)
and 'secret wars' (kuta yuddha). The spies, in order to achieve their
objective, were to practice all kinds of fraud, artifice incendiarism and
robbery. Their objective was to demoralize the enemy's troops by circulating
false news, and seduce the allegiance of his minister and commanders. The
underlying idea seems to have been to keep the strong neighbour preoccupied
with domestic troubles thus making it impossible for him to launch a foreign
expedition. From the days of Chanakya, the rules of business of espionage
have not changed, at least the basic principles remain as before. The
development of science and technology has only given fresh impetus and tools
to the art of spying.Evolution of RAWOrigins in the Directorate of
Intelligence Bureau, created by the Raj in November 1920 Ń during the
Khilafat and Swaraj movements Ń out of the old Criminal Intelligence
Department (CID). In 1933, sensing the political turmoil in the world which
eventually led to the Second World War, the bureau's responsibilities were
increased to include the collection of intelligence along India's borders.
In 1947, after Independence, Sanjeevi Pillai took over as the first Indian
Director. Having been depleted of trained manpower by the exit of the
British and Muslims, Pillai tried to run the bureau along MI 5 lines.
Although in 1949, Pillai organized a small foreign intelligence set-up, the
inefficacy of it was proved by the Indian debacle in the Indo-China War of
1962, and the cry of 'not enough intelligence available', was taken up by
the Indian Chief of Army Staff, General Chaudhry, after the 1965 Indo-Pak
war.It was towards the end of 1966 and the beginning of 1967 that the
concept of a separate foreign intelligence agency began to take concrete
shape. In 1968, after Indira Gandhi had taken over, it was decided that a
full-fledged second security service was needed. R. N. Kao, then a deputy
director of IB, submitted a blueprint for the new agency. Kao was appointed
as the chief of India's first foreign intelligence agency named as 'the
Research and Analysis Wing' or RAW.RAW takes shapeHaving started humbly as a
Wing of the main Intelligence Bureau with 250 personnel and an annual budget
of Rs 2 crore (by a rough estimate), in the early seventies, its annual
budget had risen to Rs 30 crores while its personnel numbered several
thousand. In 1971, Kao had persuaded the government to set up the Aviation
Research Centre (ARC). The ARC's job was aerial reconnaissance. It replaced
the Indian Air Force's old reconnaissance aircraft and by the mid-70s, RAW,
through the ARC, had high quality aerial pictures of the installations along
the Chinese and Pakistani borders. By 1976, Kao had been promoted to the
rank of a fullfledged Secretary responsible for Security and reporting
directly to the Prime Minister. His rise had raised RAW to become India's
premier intelligence agency. RAW agents operated in virtually every major
embassy and high commission.RAW's objectivesThe objectives of RAW according
to Asoka Raina's famous book Inside RAW (Vikas Publishing House, New Delhi,
1981) have been:-* To monitor the political and military developments in all
the adjoining countries, which have, direct bearing on India's national
security and in the formulation of its foreign policy.* Secondly, RAW
watched the development of international communism and the schism between
the two communist giants, the Soviet Union and The Republic of China. For as
in other countries both the powers had direct access to the Communist
Parties in India.* Thirdly, the supply of military hardware to Pakistan
mostly from European countries, the USA and China, was of high priority.*
And last but not the least, the presence of a large ethnic Indian population
in foreign countries, provided a powerful lobby. These countries could back
a favourable policy in international councils, motivated by the ethnic
Indian group.The OrganizationRAW has been organized on the lines of the CIA.
The following chart (source: Inside RAW by Asoka Raina) signifies the
organization of RAW and is self-explanatory.Training of RAW
AgentsRecruitment: Initially, induction in RAW relied primarily on trained
intelligence officers who were recruited directly. These belonged to the
external wing of IB. However, quite a few were taken from police and other
services to fill the cadres of RAW owing to its sudden expansion. Later RAW
began recruiting promising fresh graduates from the Universities directly.
The criteria for selection are fairly stringent.Basic Training: Basic
training commences with 'pep talks' to boost the morale of the new recruit.
This is a ten days' phase in which the fresh inductee is familiarized with
the world of intelligence and espionage and alienated from the spies of
fiction. Common usages, technical jargon and classification of information
are taught. Case studies of other agencies like CIA, KGB, Chinese Secret
Agency and ISI are presented for study. He is also taught that an
intelligence organisation does not basically identify a friend from a foe,
it is the country's foreign policy that do.Phase - II: The fresh recruit's
training continues and he is now posted in some remote outpost, attached to
a Field Intelligence Bureau (FIB). His training here lasts for a period of
six months to a year. He is given a first hand feeling of what it was to be
out in the cold, in the danger area conducting clandestine operation. During
night exercises, under conditions of absolute realism, he is taught
infiltration and exfiltration. He is instructed to avoid capture and if
caught, how to face intensive interrogation; the art of reconnoiter, making
contacts, and, the numerous skills of operating an intelligence mission. At
the end of the field training, the new recruit is brought back to the School
for final polishing. Before his deployment in the field, he is given
exhaustive training in the art of self-defence, an introduction to martial
arts and the use of technical espionage devices. He is also drilled in
various administrative disciplines so that he could take his place in the
foreign missions without arousing suspicion. He is now ready to operate
under the cover of an Embassy to gather information, set up his own network
of informers, moles or operatives as the task may require.Functions of
RAWThe functions of RAW vary according to the target. Some functions for
obtaining strategic intelligence are outlined below:-Collection of
Information: Emphasis is laid on obtaining information essential to Indian
interests. Both overt and covert means are adopted.Collection of Information
: The vast myriad of data is sifted through, classified and filed. The
modern computer network in the 13-storey bombproof building situated at
Lodhi Road, New Delhi, is a great help.Aggressive Intelligence: The primary
mission of RAW includes aggressive intelligence which comprise espionage,
psychological warfare, subversion, sabotage, terrorism and creating
dissension, insurgency and, ultimately, insurrection to destabilize the
target country.Modus OperandiForeign Missions: Foreign Missions provide an
ideal cover and RAW centres in a target country are generally located inside
the Embassy premises.Multinationals: RAW operatives find good covers in
Multinational organizations. NGOs and Cultural programmes are also popular
screens to shield RAW activities.Media: International media centres can
easily absorb RAW operatives and provide freedom of movement.Collaboration
with other agencies: RAW maintains active collaboration with other secret
services to meet its ends in a particular target country. Its contacts with
KGB of the former Soviet Union, KHAD, the erstwhile Afghan agency, Mossad,
CIA and MI6 have been well-known. A common interest being Pakistan's Nuclear
Programme.Third Country Technique: RAW has been very active in obtaining
information and operating through third countries like the Middle East,
Afghanistan, UK, Hong Kong, Mayanmar and Singapore.Spotting and Recruitment:
RAW operatives are on the lookout for local recruits to serve their ends.
Acting on the Chanakyan principles, they tend to exploit human weaknesses
for wine, women and wealth, and, at times resort to blackmail. Separatist
tendencies and ethnic or sectarian sensitivities are also well-known grounds
for manipulation. Armed Forces personnel remain a primary target. Those
journalists, intellectuals and politicians harbouring and preaching goodwill
and better Indo-Pak relations also make suitable targets for inadvertent and
unconscious recruitment by RAW agents.Major successes of RAWCreation of
Bangladesh: The Bangladesh operation, beginning with sowing seeds of
dissension, leading to the Agartala Conspiracy, creation of Mukti Bahini and
under its cover sneaking into East Pakistan for guerrilla operations to blow
up bridges and other installations damaged the morale of Pakistani troops
and India won the war even before the battle began, thanks to RAW as its
agents had infiltrated every nook and corner of erstwhile East Pakistan. The
paragraph entitled: 'RAW takes shape', in the initial part of this article,
amply demonstrates the causal chain of events.Plan to assassinate General
Zia-ur-Rahman: According to the September 18-24, 1988 issue of the weekly
Magazine Sunday (Calcutta), RAW was on the verge of assassinating
Bangladesh's President General Zia-ur-Rahman (with Mrs Gandhi's approval)
when the Congress government fell. RAW briefed the new Prime Minister
Morarji Desai about it who was appalled at the idea and stopped the murder.
General Zia continued to rule Bangladesh for many more years. He was
assassinated after Indira Gandhi returned to power but RAW pleads
innocence.Poornima: Project Poornima was the name given India's Nuclear
Programme. The task to keep it 'under tight wraps of security' was given to
RAW. This was the first time that RAW was involved in a project inside
India. The rest is history as India managed to surprise the world on 18 May,
1974 by detonating a 15-Kiloton plutonium device at Pokharan.Kahuta's
Blueprint: According to the September 18-24, 1988 issue of the weekly Indian
Magazine Sunday, RAW agents claim that in early 1978, they were on the verge
of obtaining the plans and blueprint for Kahuta nuclear plant that was built
to counter the Pokharan atomic blast, but the then Indian Prime Minister
Morarji Desai not only refused to sanction the $ 10,000 demanded by the RAW
agent, but informed Pakistan of the offer. According to the report,
Pakistanis caught and eliminated the RAW mole.It must be noted that the
author of 'Ham Jang Nahin Hone Denge' held the external affairs portfolio at
that time.Sikkim: Encircled by Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and West Bengal in the
Eastern Himalayas, Sikkim presented a lucrative target to the Indians. It
was ruled by a Maharaja. The Indian Government had recognized the title of
Chogyal (Dharma Raja) for the Mahraja of Sikkim. After their kill in East
Pakistan, in 1972, RAW was given the green signal to go ahead with the
operation of installing a pro-Indian democratic government there. In less
than three years, with the manipulation of RAW, Sikkim became the 22nd State
of the Indian Union on April 26, 1975.Maldives: To bring the smaller
Independent States/countries in the Indian sphere of influence with the use
of RAW, the case of Maldives makes an important example. In November 1988,
the Eilam Peoples' Liberation Front comprising about 200 Tamil secessionists
on the pay roll of RAW were tasked to stage the drama of an uprising on that
peaceful island. At the request of the President of Maldives, Mr Mamoon
Abdul Qayyum, Indian Armed Forces 'quelled' the insurgency engineered by
themselves and thus tried to sneak into the administrative mechanism of that
peace-loving country.Operation Chanakya: This was the codename given to the
RAW operation in Occupied Kashmir to create rifts among the various Kashmiri
Mujahideen groups, suppress the uprising and bring the Kashmiris under total
Indian subjugation. According to Tariq Ismail Sagar's book RAW, (Milli Book
Depot, Lahore, 1997) in 1991, RAW operatives entered the Srinagar Valley in
the guise of freedom fighters. They resorted to loot, rape and arson of
Kashmiri Pundit families to give the popular non-communal uprising a bad
name. Operation Chanakya gained momentum when Mossad provided its
experienced Katsas to train RAW operatives. They did gain initial successes
but when later actions of Operations Chanakya failed, RAW commenced an
intensive propaganda to blame ISI.Monitoring Pakistani Telecommunication:
Raw operatives boast that at one time its monitoring complex had managed to
break through Pakistani Telecommunications and were listening in to all
telephonic conversations held by important Pakistani leaders.RAW's
FailuresAlthough RAW has had many successes, it has also committed a number
of blunders. Some of these are discussed below:Promulgation of Emergency:
Whereas the IB Director, A. Jayaram had advised Mrs Indira Gandhi against
promulgating the Emergency, Kao, Mrs Gandhi's handpicked man and RAW's head,
supported it. This proved to be a fatal mistake. He continued to feed the PM
reports of its popularity and that no excesses were committed. How
disastrous it proved for Kao's benefactor is a matter of history.Operation
Blue Star: This was the codename given to the storming of the holiest Sikh
shrine, the Golden Temple of Amritsar in 1984. Although it was a domestic
matter and IB's concern, yet RAW was pulled in under the pretext of a
foreign element's (allegedly Pakistani) involvement. RAW failed miserably as
it could not assess the strength of Bhindranwale's forces. What was to be a
5 hours' operation stretched to 5 days and tanks had to be brought in and
Indian Army suffered heavy casualties. Ultimately Indira Gandhi had to pay
with her own life as she was gunned down by her Sikh bodyguard in
retaliation to Operation Blue Star. Kao, the Prime Minister's Security
Adviser resigned within 24 hours of her assassination.Kee us ne mere qatl ke
ba'd Jafaa se tauba,
Haae! Us zood pashemaan kaa pashemaan honaa.
Ah! The remorse of the one
Who after finishing me,
Took the vow never to be cruel again.
So soon did he repent!
Bravo!
--- GhalibMujib-ur-Rahman's Assassination: RAW operatives claim that they
had advance information about Shaikh Mujib-ur-Rahman's assassination but
they failed to prevent it. It is interesting to note that despite its role
in the creation of Bangladesh, RAW failed to annex it.It was a classic case
of the cropping up of a double dilemma: Yak na shud do shud.Mauritius: Mrs
Gandhi was so keen to see Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam continue as the Prime
Minister of Mauritius that RAW was tasked to oversee his reelection
campaign. Despite heavy investments, RAW failed by a wide margin.Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka had been marked for special attention after it had permitted
Pakistani aircraft to land for refuelling there after India had stopped the
over flight rights of Pakistani flights to and back from East Pakistan. Sri
Lankan President Junius Jaywardhene's aim of turning his country into an
Asian Tiger did not suit India at all. Stung by its failures in the Indian
Punjab, RAW attempted to make up in Sri Lanka. RAW started training
militants to destabilize the Pearl Island but in the bargain, such a monster
was unleashed that even the landing of Indian troops as a peacekeeping force
in Sri Lanka failed badly. Eventually, Rajiv Gandhi became a victim of the
muddling in Sri Lanka.RAW seems to be a congenital enemy of the Gandhi
family.Soft Target: Zuhair Kashmiri and Brian Mac Andrew's well-known book
Soft Target (James Lorimer and Comp., Publishers, Toronto, 1994) provides
details of RAW's botched operations in Canada to malign the Sikhs there for
their role in the Khalsa movement and make them suspect in the eyes of the
Canadian authorities. On 23 June, 1985 Air India's Flight 182 was blown up
near Ireland and 329 innocent lives were lost. On the same day another
explosion took place at Tokyo's Narita airport's transit baggage building
where baggage was being transferred from Cathay Pacific Flight No CP 003 to
Air India's Flight 301 which was scheduled for Bangkok. Both aircraft were
loaded with explosives from Canadian airports. Flight 301 got saved because
of a delay in its departure. Initially RAW was successful in pointing the
finger at Canadian Sikhs but the Canadian authorities soon concluded that it
was a RAW ploy.RAW's Primary Target: PakistanPakistan remains RAW's primary
concern. It runs thousands of agents and spends millions of rupees in its
operations against Pakistan. It has made a three-pronged attack against
Pakistan in an attempt to destabilise it:-* Propaganda* Espionage, and *
SubversionRAW is totally committed on all these three fronts and is engaged
in launching covert operations in consonance with India's hostile foreign
policy. The Jain Commission Report, released by India in 1997, acknowledges
that RAW did sponsor the terrorist activities of the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eilam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka and violent intervention in Bangladesh. All
aspects of Pakistani activities, economic, military, industrial and cultural
receive a close scrutiny of RAW. It considers Sindh as the soft under-belly
of Pakistan and has therefore made it the prime target for sabotage and
subversion. Ashok A Biswas, a Delhi-based research scholar, in his recently
compiled study RAW - An Unobstructive Instrument of India's Foreign Policy,
(as quoted by Pakistan Observer in 'A RAW deal for South Asia, 03 May, 1998)
states that 'the aim of RAW is to keep internal disturbances flaring up and
the ISI preoccupied so that Pakistan can lend no worthwhile resistance to
Indian designs in the region.' He concludes, 'RAW over the years has
admirably fulfilled its task of destabilizing target states through
unbridled export for terrorism. The 'Indian Doctrine' spelt out a difficult
and onerous role of RAW. It goes to its credit that it has accomplished its
assigned objectives. The Indian government spelling out the task for RAW in
this regard has stated, 'Pakistan should be so destabilized internally that
it could not support the 'Kashmir cause even morally, diplomatically or
politically'. Keeping the size of Pakistan in view, the task seems a
difficult one for RAW. But it appears, RAW has taken it as a challenge and
is working assiduously and speedily to accomplish this task'.No wonder, with
the wily Chanakya as its mentor and the machinations preached in his
Arthasastra as their bible, RAW is well equipped to continue waging its war
of propaganda, sabotage and subversion. It is for its prime target
'Pakistan' to be wary of its macabre game plan of continuing war by 'other
means' and continue exposing RAW's heinous designs against us, which are a
blatant, utter and naked violation of all human values. And not the least
the people and the leadership of India; for as the great poet Ghalib
said:Hue tum dost jiske,Us ka dushman asman kiyun hoWith a friend like
you,Who needs a foe!
Torpedo
5 journalists killed, 176 hurt in 2 yrs
Says Odhikar report
Staff Correspondent
Five journalists were killed and 176 were injured while performing their
professional duties from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2004, revealed a
report of human rights group Odhikar on the World Press Freedom Day
yesterday.
During the two years, 850 journalists were tortured and harassed in
different ways.
In 2004, five journalists were killed, 111 injured, nine arrested, two
abducted, 32 assaulted, 292 threatened and 120 sued, while in 2003, 65
journalists were injured, 19 arrested, two abducted, 41 assaulted, 90
threatened and 62 sued.
Attack on journalists only for publishing of reports has been increasing day
by day and cadres backed by political parties are responsible for the
incidents, the report said.
Expressing deep concern over the situation, Odhikar said assaults on
journalists might be reduced if punitive actions were taken against the
culprits.
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