New Delhi
Making a major course correction in the projection of the events of October 1947 in Jammu and Kashmir, the government today honoured Kashmiri activist Maqbool Sherwani along with Brigadier Rajinder Singh, and Major Somnath Sharma who had laid down their lives for saving Kashmir from the Pakistani attack.
Their busts were unveiled at a function to mark the Infantry day that is commemorated in memory of the Indian Army setting its boots on the territory of Jammu and Kashmir as it became legally a part of India.
Maharaja Hari Singh had signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26 and the next day Indian army’s Sikh regiment had landed at Srinagar airport.
The museum set up at Srinagar Airport is named “Saviours of Kashmir War Memorial.” While the bust of Brig Rajinder Singh is in the middle that of Major Somnath Sharma and Maqbool Sherwani are on either side.
The museum was unveiled at a somber function. Elsewhere the Kashmiri artists held skits and dramas to portray the atrocities unleashed by the Pakistani raiders on Kashmiris.
Brig Rajinder Singh Jamwal was from Maharaja’s force and he was martyred at Boniyar in Uri while resisting the Pakistanis single-handedly. His tactics delayed the advancement of the Pakistanis inside J&K. he was awarded Mahavir Chakra posthumously.
Major Somnath Sharma of the 4 Kumaon regiment had held onto his position with a smaller force and resisted the larger army of Pakistani Lashkar and saved Srinagar airport. He was awarded the first Param Vir Chakra.
In hindsight, the three brave Indians have played a key role in routing the tribesmen hailing from the North-West Frontier Province (since renamed as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) of Pakistan, from kashmir. These tribesmen were the front for the Pakistani army and werer sent to annex J&K as the Maharaja of J&K was taking his time to decide which domain to join.
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