WE HAVE LARGEST NUMBER OF WAR WIDOWS,
YET NO WAR MEMORIAL
It is shameful that
India is probably the only country without a dedicated NWM (National War
Memorial) to honour the soldiers, sailors, and airmen who made ultimate
sacrifice to safeguard an Independent India.
Yes the Amar Jawan Jyoti was built under the India Gate arch
in 1972 as a tribute to the almost 4000 soldiers killed in 1971 war. But it’s
hardly a NWM that commemorates the gallantry of all those braves who fell
repulsing Pakistani raiders in J&K in 1947-48, the wars of 1962, 1965, and
1971. Or commemorates the martyrs of the Kargil conflict- leave aside those of
the “undeclared cross border wars” of terrorism and insurgency.
Successive Governments have failed to provide even basic
equipment like advanced assault rifles, proper bullet proof jackets and
ballistic helmets to our jawans and officers engaged in counter insurgency
operations.
This Union Budget 2014 holds some hope. After decades of politico-bureaucratic apathy,
finance minister Arun Jaitely, Who holds additional charge of Defence, has
earmarked Rs. 100 Crore for the long awaited NWM and museum in his Budget.
WHEN YOU GO HOME, TELL THEM OF US AND SAY,
FOR YOUR TOMORROW, WE GAVE OUR TODAY.
No comments:
Post a Comment