NEW DELHI: At a time when Indian soldiers, under fire on the Western border were fighting back to silence Pakistan Army’s heavy artillery, a unit of the Indian Army ironically decided to go to China to play a polo match against Pakistan’s polo team.
A contingent of the Jaipur-based 61 Cavalry unit traveled with horses and uniforms to Tianjin, China on October 7 to participate in the qualifying match for the Polo World Cup, scheduled to be held in March 2015 in Chile. Besides playing the final match against Pakistan on October 11, the Indian Army contingent even played two practice matches against its hostile neighbor on October 8 and 9 on the Metropolitan Polo Club grounds. Ultimately, India and Pakistan played in the Zone ‘D’ playoffs and Pakistan won to qualify for the World Cup.
The Indian team comprised Lt Col Ravi Rathore (61 Cav), Maj Vishal Chauhan (61 Cav), Simran Shergill, Abhimanyu Singh, Naveen Singh, Kuldeep Singh and Team Manager Lokendra Singh.
According to an Army official, when the Indian Army contingent was playing the match against Pakistan, the troops of both the countries were trading heavy fire along the International border in the Jammu region and some other areas around the Line of Control.
Over 32,000 people were displaced following one of the worst violations of the 2003 ceasefire by Pakistan. It left eight dead and 80 others, including nine security men, injured in the heavy mortar firing by Pakistani Rangers in the first week of October.
“When the Army team was busy playing polo matches against Pakistan on October 8, Pakistan Rangers shelled almost the entire International border, targeting over 60 border outposts and around 130 hamlets in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts,” said a senior Army officer, obviously upset with the 61 Cavalry’s polo match.
The Army fraternity has criticised the 61 Cavalry’s move to take part in a polo game against Pakistan at a time when relations between both countries were tense, militarily and diplomatically.
“I consider this as a show of utmost disregard towards our fellow soldiers who are battling hard on the border under hostile conditions. Moreover, as far as I know, such polo matches have no official sanctity from the government, as the Polo Federation is not affiliated to the Sports ministry. Ideally, Army headquarters should have called off the participation considering the gravity of the situation,” said a senior Army officer, who did not wish to be named.
Meanwhile, Army headquarters claimed that the contingent had gone with required permission from the authorities. “Taking part in such games has always been a tradition. It is not for the first time that they have gone to play against Pakistan at a neutral venue,” an officer responded to The Sunday Standard’s query on the issue.
Incidentally, barely two days before leaving for China, the same 61 Cavalry had witnessed a serious brawl between its senior officers and jawans on October 5. A court of inquiry is already on under the Southwestern Command into the command and control failure concerning the free for all. On the basis of a police complaint by the wife of an injured jawan, local cops have lodged an FIR against a Major of 61 Cavalry.
It is notable that 61 Cavalry had played an important role during 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, undertaking mounted patrols, crucial to inelligence gathering and interception. On Republic Day 61 Cavalry and the President’s Body Guard parade in full dress uniform on the historic Rajpath.
Sporting with the Enemy
A contingent of 61 Cavalry regiment had visited China during October 7-13 to participate in a qualifying match for the World Polo Cup, to be held in March 2015 in Chile. The Indian team played two practice matches against Pakistan and lost in the final match held in Tianjin city in China.