Mystery Move Of Army Units To Delhi! Coup Rehearsal?

[OrionHunter]

On the night of January 16 (the day Army Chief General V K Singh approached the Supreme Court on his date of birth issue), central intelligence agencies reported an unexpected (and non-notified) movement by a key military unit, from the mechanised infantry based in Hissar (Haryana) as a part of the 33rd Armoured Division (which is a part of 1 Corps, a strike formation based in Mathura and commanded by Lt Gen. A K Singh) in the direction of the capital, 150 km away.

It was soon identified as an entire unit of Mechanised Infantry, with its Russian-made Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs), carried on 48 tank transporters. The movement was towards the capital, which was odd.

No such thing had been notified. It was still a cause for curiosity and some confusion — more than much concern — because, over the decades, New Delhi has come to be totally relaxed and trustful of the apolitical and professionally correct nature of its military leadership.

The situation changed rapidly, though. Reports came in of yet another military movement “towards” Delhi. This unit was identified as a large element of the airborne 50 Para Brigade based at Agra.

The Defence Minister was informed. Immediately, the Centre put in motion an old contingency plan to delay just such a move.


The January night Raisina Hill was spooked: Two key Army units moved towards Delhi without notifying Govt - Indian Express Mobile

Conspiracy theorists have gone to town terming this as a rehearsal for a coup! Now that’s interesting!


Cheers!

 

[shuntmaster]

funny.. something happened almost 3 months back and there was no investigation?

 

[Roybot]

What Happened

* On Jan 16, an entire unit of mechanised infantry based in Hisar with its fighting vehicles began moving towards Delhi. It parked near Najafgarh

* Sizeable section of the Agra-based 50 Para Brigade also moved to near Palam

* Both were stopped and ordered to be moved back

What Army says

* These were exercises to check effectiveness in fog

* Troops moved towards Delhi, not outward, westward since Pakistan hadn’t been notified

* The Paras were being moved to check out possibility of their “marrying” with the C-130s in Hindon

Unanswered questions

* Why wasn’t Ministry of Defence notified?

* Did the units have to come so far towards Delhi?

* Why was the IAF not informed?

Baseless reports, says Ministry of Defence

Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar:

“Such reports are completely baseless and we categorically deny the same.”

Army does not deny movement: Routine training

Maj Gen S L Narasimhan, Additional Director General, Public Information, did not deny the movements, but said these were routine.

“These were routine training at the formation-level to check the effectiveness of mobilisation as per Standard Operating Procedure of local formations. Almost all units of the Army carry out a number of such training at different times of the year.”

* Asked if mobilisation from the two cantonments were authorised, Narasimhan said: “Such routine training does not need authorisation.”

* Why were the troops suddenly called back? “Once the effectiveness of the mobilisation was checked, the troops were called back as per Standard Operating Procedure.”

* When was the last time that troops were moved on this scale? “Even formation-level (higher than this scale) mobilisation practices are carried out routinely.”

* Asked if the Ministry of Defence sought written reports from the commanders, Narasimhan said: “No such explanation has been asked by the MoD.”

And thats that.

 

[Ignited Mind]

<yawn>

...and the following week a babu in MoD, while rummaging through his desk for his car keys found a letter dated one month before the said movement. The letter was about intimation for the movement.

...in the hurry to go to the market for purchasing some lauki, dhaniya and tamatar, the babu had forgotton to forward the letter...

 

[Varunastra]

interesting...............military officials are less corrupt

 

[Markus]

Based on the TV discussions, for some reason I feel, everything is not as straight as it seems.

Some reports say these exercises were terminated abruptly and the troops were asked to go back to barracks.

If everything is normal, why the abnormal termination of the exercise ?

 

[shuntmaster]

funny.. something happened almost 3 months back and there was no investigation?

 

[Ignited Mind]

Based on the TV discussions, for some reason I feel, everything is not as straight as it seems.

Some reports say these exercises were terminated abruptly and the troops were asked to go back to barracks.

If everything is normal, why the abnormal termination of the exercise ?

What is abrupt termination?

A - Surprise termination with the troops involved not knowing when it would be ordered.


The element of surprise forms a crucial part of any army exercise, even the surprise of the exercise being initiated and terminated.

...that's what drills and exercises are all about.

 

[Markus]

What is abrupt termination?

A - Surprise termination with the troops involved not knowing when it would be ordered.


The element of surprise forms a crucial part of any army exercise, even the surprise of the exercise being initiated and terminated.

...that's what drills and exercises are all about.

The TV reports say the exercises were not completed. The troops were asked to go back mid way of the exercise.

 

[Norboo]

Questions:

Why the info leak at this juncture?

Is this part of a conspiracy to further tarnish the Chief's image after the first leak being made public?

Is there something more than meets the eye here?

 

[Ignited Mind]

The TV reports say the exercises were not completed. The troops were asked to go back mid way of the exercise.

Who knows. There are n number pof reasons that could be there.

1. It could be that the surprise termination itself was a part of the drill.

2. It could be that when the commander of these movements discovered that the intimation of the exercises had not reached the authorities in the MoD (due to procedural delays), he called off the exercises mid-way.

However, to infer from this that there was a coup rehearsal going on is a monster of an exaggeration.

Our babus are famous for sitting on files and letters, aren't they?

 

[Markus]

Who knows. There are n number pof reasons that could be there.

1. It could be that the surprise termination itself was a part of the drill.

2. It could be that when the commander of these movements discovered that the intimation of the exercises had not reached the authorities in the MoD (due to procedural delays), he called off the exercises mid-way.

However, to infer from this that there was a coup rehearsal going on is a monster of an exaggeration.

Nobody is saying it was a coup rehearsal. But at the same time, the situation is as straight as a jalebi.

 

[SpArK]

January 16 , Is it?

Pretty scary .. even more units were seen moving towards the Capital a week later.

People got panicky , then they realised it was for the Republic Day Parade.

 

[Bhairava]

******* MoD babu/politician nexus working overtime to discredit the Army and place doubts about their apolitical nature in the minds of the public , especially after the recent damning revelations.

 

[Markus]

January 16 , Is it?

Pretty scary .. even more units were seen moving towards the Capital a week later.

People got panicky , then they realised it was for the Republic Day Parade.

Or maybe the super enthusiastic troops started their Republic Day extravaganza 10 days in advance!!!