Governor BD Mishra blames former Indian leadership for 'wrong defence policy'

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) Dr BD Mishra on Tuesday said that from the very time of Indian independence, the apex leadership had kicked off on the wrong foot, as far as the defence of the country was concerned.

When the Indian Army was winning the battles and the Pakistani forces were withdrawing in panic, the Indian Army was stopped at Uri when their objective Domale and Muzaffarabad were very easy for them to capture.

"The mismanagement of our national defence did not stop here. The apex political leadership of India took the issue of Kashmir to the United Nations and till date we are suffering from the legacies of those days," he said while addressing the Madras Regiment Battalion Commanders' conference at the Madras Regimental Centre (MRC), Wellington in Tamil Nadu. The Governor said that things have now changed as the present political leadership had unambiguously and loudly announced that "we will fight for every inch of our land and we are preparing for facing squarely our arch enemies."

He said that the military initiatives of air strike in Pakistan at Balakot, the firm stand at Doklam and Galwan valley in Eastern Ladakh against China are indicative of our national strong political will, an official communiqué informed here.

During the conference, the Governor spoke about nationalism, the leadership role of the army in nation building and civil military relations. Mishra said that the country's defence indigenous productions are increasing every day and there have been drastic cuts in the nation's defence imports. The speed of the manufacturing of defence platforms in the country is making rapid progress in their production and also exporting them, he said.

"Our national defence parameters are being taken care of," he added. He said, when Russia attacked Ukraine, the first reaction and averment of our top political leadership was that India has to be fully prepared to face our adversaries and we will defend our country fully on our own. "The Indian armed forces now have the resolute and determined political support," he added. "Our armed forces have to gear up with confidence, courage and grit to face any and every challenge to our country," BD Mishra urged the battalion commanders to make sure that the defence preparedness details trickle down to the juniormost sepoy of the battalions.

The Governor said that the people of the couyntry must glance at the beginning of the nation's defence events. "This historical review is important to draw correct lessons for our present and future defence management. From the very time of Indian independence, the apex leadership had kicked off on the wrong foot, as far as the defence of the country is concerned," he pointed out.

Earlier in the day, the Governor in an impressive ceremony laid a wreath at the Madras Regimental War Memorial located at cross road junction right at the entrance of the Defence Services Staff College Wellington, where eleven roads converge. The majestic monument is being constructed in memory of the martyrs of the regiment.

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