Mc Mohan line, patrols and growing up in Arunanchal!!

McMohan line a.k.a. Line of actual control is the alignment of the Himalayan foothills constituting effective boundary between China and India (although its legal status is disputed). It owes its origin and definiton to the Simla Accord of 1914, which is rejected by the Chinese regime, and as wikepedia tells us, even by the current British government, which released a statement to that effect in 2008 practically negating the essence of the agreement.

The official maps and surveys released and adopted by Indian government, which we read and mugged up in our schooldays reflect the Mc Mohan line as the international border. Of course, across the border, our chinese compatriots have grown up believing the same to be illegal and recognise our Arunachal Pradesh as southern tibet and i respect the fact that their views on the same would be as strong as anyone else this side of the border. Anyways, my purpose of writing this blog is not to carry out a thesis, but to reproduce an anecdote which I heard from a veteran who has served extensively on that 'border'. It is surprising that despite our chauvinism, most of the areas adjoining Mc Mohan line on the Indian side are mostly inaccessible. The foward posts of Assam Rifles, are also 25-30 KM away from the LAC. This gentleman served a tenure of 3 yrs there around 20 years after the 62' war. On one routine patrol, one of his initial ones, he came across remains of Indian soldiers who had perished in that battle. What surprised him was that his troops, who knew the area better, were aware of these remains and were content to relegate the existence of the same as folklore. He organised a burial of these remains(cremation would have required reseources, which his regiment may not have been keen to spare). He recounted another instance where they recovered a chinese military equipment, which was proudly brought back to the regiment as a trophy! It was a PLA marked volleyball, which the patrol found floating on a stream, which poor chinese fellas must have lost courtesy a bad shot. Of course, the volleyball provided the patrol with a welcome break and a quick game!

In all the noise that media has been making in the recent past about chinese incursions, maybe, it would not be out of place for some of them to actually go to those areas, a.k.a. Barkha dutt in kargil war, and try to figure out as to how exactly can we detect whether the chinese have been undertaking incursions or not. Instead of making comparisons on number of jets and tanks, we ought to study if the connectitivity has improved since 62'. They did capture Tawang in 1962 war and drove out the Indian administrative machinery from Assam, a fact which, is used by ULFA elements as a propoganda tool balming India and Indians to be deserters. Of course, since their sole intention was to teach indians a lesson, the Chinese withdrew. I have had the priviledge to have spent a considerable partof my childhood there and can remember the emotions, a mix of fear and hatred, which the name "China" evoked! I did some of my schooling in an area, which during 62' war, had been taken over by the Chinese. In fact, our games used to be called 'India-China' where China was the eternal enemy, which I recognised much before knowing about what pakistan was.

Despite the humiliation, most of the disputed territories remain inaccessible. Till date, most of the bridges are temporary constructions and can hardly transport heavy equipment. I remember having to get off the vehicles because the bridge could not support a maruti with people inside. We can go on and on on military ill-preparedness to fight a battle, but the enimity has created its own share of hawks this side of border, which does include me. I rememeber a relative telling me about the collection drive during the 62'war, when people in my maternal village in Bihar gave away their entire jewelleries and assets to the govt to raise funds for the army. I dont doubt that when needed, the country will rise up again, but I do doubt the credibility and vision of the political and babu class, which grossly underestimates the china factor, till date and forever, thereby really creating a doubt as to on whose payroll they actually are.