THE statement of Union Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah that (Congress) Governments of India stalled development in border areas such as Uttarakhand for the fear of Chinese intrusion, is not just a political allegation but actually an assertion of a truth of history. The Government in those early years after Independence did not have the confidence in the capacity of the country’s Armed Forces, and also lacked a futuristic vision of action-plan to stave off any invasive activity by the enemy. As a result, they allowed the vast border areas (spanning thousands of miles) to reel under years of neglect. In those years, the Government did not build road infrastructure fearing that the Chinese would use those very roads to drive deep into the Indian territory. Mr. Amit Shah has pointed to that timid, diffident mindset -- which contrasts sharply with the current approach of the (Narendra Modi) Government that has speeded up the developmental activity without fear of the Chinese aggressiveness. Of course, the nation now knows the full story of how the early Governments (led by none other than Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru) paid only perfunctory attention to the issues of border areas weighed down by a China phobia. Even the Armed Forces were not allowed to operate professionally in the border areas especially in the Himalayan region.

 

As a result, Indian Army was vastly under-prepared to face the Chinese incursion in the winter of 1962. Indian Forces found themselves almost totally isolated in those terrible terrains with no access to any timely assistance much needed for combat. Of course, subsequently, India effected major corrections in that policy of early days and situation improved. Yet, the country suffered a terrible ignominy at the hands of the Chinese in early years after Independence, thanks to wrong forward policies in military and civilian domains. Mr. Shah’s reference is to that dark reality of history. Now also, as the (Modi) Government pushes its developmental agenda for border areas, the Chinese raise objections or take aggressive positions on their side of the divide.

 

Despite that, the Government remains unbothered and continues with its programme of infrastructure development at a speed and scale that may surprise anybody. This is possible because of the greater element of assertiveness in India’s overall policy which includes national security calculations as well. Over time, the Indian Armed Forces, too, have transformed themselves beyond imagination, and the Government also stands by them to conduct their duty professionally. This change of approach was evident a few years ago when the Indian forces and Indian diplomacy responded to the Chinese aggressive tactics equally strongly. India’s tough stance now is good enough to deter the Chinese from taking up any misadventure -- which also got referred to by Mr. Amit Shah. Though the stories of the war with China are in public domain in India, younger generations of Indians are yet to get fully acquainted with the details. That part of the national history needs to be made known to young Indians through different ways. That awareness will help in introducing in the Indian society a security consciousness that is so critical to building a strategic culture in a modern nation’s personality. This thought is beyond politics -- in the realm of comprehensive security ideology of new India. Mr. Amit Shah’s statement has to be considered in that light.