Wrong political decisions led to border problems: Dhumal

Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, July 26

Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said some wrong political decisions after independence had led to border problems. He said this while addressing ex-servicemen at ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ function organised by district unit of the BJP at Bachat Bhawan here today. He said this had resulted in heavy loss of lives.

Dhumal said in 1948 Indian Army was in a position to recapture Pak occupied Kashmir but Nehru opted for a ceasefire under international pressure. He said that even in 1971 when Indian Army had made over 90,000 Pak Army jawans surrender, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi released them without making Pakistan to withdraw from the POK.

He said even in the North East at the time of the Chinaese aggression the then Indian Government failed to protect its people and borders. He said that Sardar Patel and Lal Bahadur Shastri showed their mettle to integrate the country into one. He said it was unfortunate that Shastriji went to Tashkent and died there under mysterious circumstances. He said that Prime Minister Narender Modi had announced one rank-one pension scheme, which was a long-awaited demand of the army personnel.

He said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited soldiers during the Kargil war and saluted the soldiers for their gallantry and sacrifice. He said that it was Vajpayee who made the country an atomic power.

He said as many as 52 soldiers sacrificed their lives in Operation Vijay in which Pakistan intruders were liquidated.

Four Param Veer Chakras were awarded in Operation Vijay and two of them were decorated on soldiers from Himachal Sanjay Kumar Sanjay and Captain Vikram Batra, he added.