Chandigarh
30 August 2017
DIVYA AZAD
“India needs to take care of its peripheral states or it might lose them,” cautioned Lt Gen K J Singh (Retd), PVSM, AVSM while delivering a lecture on “Security Challenges” at GGDSD College here today in memory of Pt Mohan Lal, Founder President, GGDSD College Society.
Lt Gen Singh said India is in proxy war with Pakistan in J&K, while other peripheral states like Manipur are troubled by Naxalite movement. The border states are constantly being pulled by our neighbours and tempted to breakaway from India. “The states which are on the periphery of India are being pulled by the centrifugual forces that urge them to separate from the country,” he said.
In such a situation, “We need to pay attention to the needs and challenges faced by the border states. If we don’t address them, the temptation to separate becomes greater,” added Lt Gen Singh, while narrating an incident wherein the chief of a border village had repeatedly approached the government to make a bridge on the river next to his village, but to no avail. He then approached Lt Gen Singh and sarcastically asked if he should request the Chinese to make it, while saying that he was confident the Chinese would do the work in no time, if contacted. “We need to pay attention to the border states. Only then can the country stay united,” said Lt Gen Singh.
He urged the students to go and visit the border areas and interact with the people. “These are your country’s borders. You must know about those areas. Go visit them. Go to Nathu la. Meet the soldiers who guard your borders. Get to know your country and its people living in the peripheral areas,” he advised the young students who sat in pin drop silence listening to him.
He also explained the entire historical process and developments that led to the demarcation of the ‘Line of Control’ between India and Pakistan and the ‘Line of Actual Control between India and China.’
Through photographs, excerpts from various agreements signed between India and her neighbours and his personal experiences, Lt Gen Singh, led the audience on a historical journey that resulted in the present demarcations of the border between countries of the Indian subcontinent. He showed visuals of the fences on the border and highlighted the difficulties faced by the soldiers owing to the terrain and other factors. “The border with Bangladesh, Mayanmar, Nepal and Bhutan are relatively problem free leaving aside a couple of small issues,” he said.
The lecture was followed by an interactive session, wherein students asked questions about the internal and external security problems being faced by India, all of which were patiently answered by Lt Gen Singh.
A Blood Donation Camp was also held on the college campus in memory of Pt Mohan Lal ji. A total of 215 units of blood were collected during the camp. It was organized by GGDSD Staff, Lions and Lioness Club Panchkula Central, Alumni Association of the College and Central Bank of India. A team of doctors from GMCH, Sector 32 conducted the blood donation in which over 350 volunteers registered to donate blood.
A Prarthana Sabha was also held on the College Campus. Students of the College and renowned singer Mr Ram Dass Kailey regaled the audience with melodious rendering of devotional songs. Langar was served to everyone after the function.
