Barmer, December 26
Life is going on as usual in villages along the border with no tangible move of evacuation or panic among villagers to flee from their homes, even as there are reports of army building up on the other side of the fence.
Though the general belief is that war will not take place, as the use of force will be disastrous for both the countries, the villagers want India to finish matters once and for all, if at all, the two neighbours go to war. The increasing visits of civic, paramilitary and military officials in the area have not really perturbed the villagers, who are well aware of the prevailing tension between the two countries.
However, war is the topic of discussion among them. Eighty-year-old Devi Singh Sodha of Akli village, who has been a testimony to full-blown confrontations in ’65 and 71 and also Operation Prakram, recalls how he helped Indian Army with camels and other logistics, guiding them through the sand dunes.
"If need arises, my old bones won’t prevent me from walking shoulder to shoulder with the Army again. I am against war. We all are in this village. Some of our relatives live on other side of the border. But if such a situation arrives, we should go full throttle against them,” says the octogenarian, who is frustrated over the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan.
Tara Ram of Bhinde Ke paar village, situated close to the border, echoes the same sentiments. “We all are fed up. Every few years, forces on both countries line up against each other. Even if nothing really happens, we are the ultimate losers. A civic administration official visited their village yesterday. We were told not to send animals for grazing towards the border fence. There has been increased vigil and checking of villagers and persons entering the area. But we have not got any orders to prepare for evacuation,” says the man, who doesn’t see any major change in his routine.
The residents here have got used to limitations put by the security forces. "There are no new orders for us. We hear people on other side of the order have left villages. But as there is no major build up on our side, we don't see any urgency to pack our bags,” says Dharra Singh of Paderna village.
"We are farmers who are totally dependent on rain. The bajra crop would be sown only after the next monsoon. Till then the fields would be empty,” he said, when asked has war threat anything to do with their barren fields.
