Defence Minister approves project
In the first endeavour of its kind, India will have in place a written history of its borders in the next two years with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approving the project. The documented history will help provide the masses and the Government officials a better understanding of the borders.
At present, India has a disputed over 4000-km border, known as Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, and the volatile 750-km long Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan.
While the LoC is “hot” at present witnessing relentless ceasefire violations by Pakistan following the abrogation of special status to Jammu & Kashmir under Article 370, the LAC has not seen a single shot fired in anger for the last 45 years by either India or China.
However, the LAC spreading from Ladakh in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east often sees transgressions due to differing perceptions about the border. Moreover, Indian Parliament had passed a unanimous resolution saying even Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) is part of India and the NDA Government maintains that it will make all efforts to retrieve POK. Pakistan occupied that part during the 1947 war with India after raiders from across accompanied by the Pakistan Army intruded into Kashmir.
The written history will cover various aspects, including the tracing, making, unmaking and shifting of borders, the role of the security forces, of the borderland people, encompassing their ethnicity, culture and the socio-economic aspects of their lives.
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Border chronicle within 2 yrs to raise awareness: Rajnath
Giving details of the project, Defence Ministry officials said here on Wednesday the Defence Minister on Tuesday approved initiating work of writing the history after holding deliberations with eminent personalities of Indian Council of Historical Research and officials of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Directorate General of Archives, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs and Defence Ministry. The project is expected to be completed within two years, they added.
Singh emphasised the importance of writing history of Indian borders reiterating that it would provide better understanding of the borders to the public in general and officials in particular. Welcoming various suggestions, he also directed officials to consult experts on source material, broad contours, methodology and action plan required for completing this project expeditiously.
Besides, the nearly 15,000-km long land borders shared with Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, Nepal Bhutan and Myanmar, India also has a 7,000-km long coast line covering nine Littoral States.
