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Hindi speeches to Punjabi pop: PLA’s psy-ops at LAC
After the Indian Army outflanked PLA on Rezang La- Rechin La ridgeline south of Pangong Tso on August 29-30 and repositioned its troops to dominate the heights of Finger 4 spur on the north bank of the lake, the Chinese Army first tried to flex its military muscle by moving in tanks and infantry combat vehicles.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has started using some interesting weapons against Indian troops along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh -- Punjabi pop in the north bank of Pangong Tso, and Hindi speeches on how Indian troops were being deployed in harsh conditions at the whims of politicians.
After the Indian Army outflanked PLA on Rezang La- Rechin La ridgeline south of Pangong Tso on August 29-30 and repositioned its troops to dominate the heights of Finger 4 spur on the north bank of the lake, the Chinese Army first tried to flex its military muscle by moving in tanks and infantry combat vehicles. Rather than be cowed by the PLA, the Indian Army made it clear that there would be retaliation if the red line was breached on either banks.
While the Indian Army was not amused by Chinese military tactics, military commanders rolled in mirth after PLA troops on Finger 4 starting belting out Punjabi numbers to soften up the adversary into lowering its guard on the fiercely contested mountainous spur. If the north bank of Pangong Tso was jiving to Punjabi songs on PLA loudspeakers, a similar battery of loudspeakers were deployed by the Red Army at their Moldo Garrison in Chushul sector to remind the Indian troops of what the Chinese termed the folly of their political masters.
On the southern banks of Pangong Tso, the Chinese loudspeakers told Indian troops in chaste Hindi about the futility of being deployed at these heights in winter season on the whims of Indian politicians back in Delhi.
The idea seemed to be to bring down the morale of Indian troops and sow discord among soldiers that they do not always get hot meals and comfortable lodging. A snowy winter lies ahead of troops on LAC.
Also read: Army digs in for a long winter at LAC
According to a former Indian Army chief, PLA used the same loudspeaker tactics in the 1962 skirmishes in the western and eastern sectors as well during the 1967 Nathu La skirmish. “But the Indian troops were foxed about the Punjabi songs on Finger 4. Maybe, the PLA thought that troops from Punjab were holding on to the higher heights of Finger 4 feature,” added this person, who is familiar with what is happening along LAC, and asked not to be named.
While the Red Army is using psy-ops at Pangong Tso against the Indian Army, a Chinese Communist party mouthpiece has also been tweeting its heart out to remind the Indian political leadership about the loss of face in 1962, the need for India to revive its economy , and check the rampant spread of coronavirus in India without mentioning that the virus originated in Wuhan. The propaganda site also describes the Modi government’s tough stance on Ladakh as a tactic to divert attention from domestic strife.
There is a school of thought that Chinese Communist party general secretary Xi Jinping initiated PLA’s aggression in Ladakh as a way to divert attention from several local issues.
