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Dispute with China: Lessons not learnt

China’s unending demands dating back to the creation of People's Republic of China on 1st October 1949 for the “reunification” of Tibet continue to even this day. The Chinese media has come out calling our frontier state “so-called Arunachal Pradesh” as a disputed area. Till the Chinese invasion of Assam in 1962, intrusion and attack on our troops in J&K and a bogus claim in the middle sector across Uttarakhand has now snowballed into — fantastic and unacceptable by any standard of international law — the claiming of thousands of square kilometres of Indian territory.

While the Chinese have made sure that their presence is permanent as they have constructed permanent structures, we still have been depending on temporary camps. Everyone has been talking of total lack of focus in building border infrastructure, specially related to those with China. Here was Prime Minister Nehru who in his directions in 1959 had clearly enunciated measures to make our installations, educational, cultural and administrative posts permanent, solid and close to the borders. This was after his personal visit to border lands, including Sikkim, Chhumbi Valley and Bhutan.

The PM himself had laid down the policy in no ambiguous terms to build structures permanent and imposing, comfortable and architecturally harmonious with the environment and in keeping with the local traditions and language on both sides of the India-Tibet border.

It is pertinent and still relevant to highlight that Nehru never shied on his philosophy of respect for indigenous people as it is propounded today in the fundamental human rights enunciated by the United Nations. On the problem of integrating our people living close to the Chinese borders emotionally to India, Nehru had said: “School building and the like might be given a Tibetan look which would be much appreciated. Also, certain solidity, to give a sense of permanence. This would impress the people. Nehru had extended that ‘it would be desirable near the border to put up just a few more solid and pretentious buildings, partly after the Tibetan style.

KC JOHOREY, formerly of the Indian Frontier Administrative Services, and MAYANK SINGH, a defence analyst

Kuldip Nayar's article got published twice on this page - first as “Heading for a split verdict” on October 18 and then as “Equations of poll  arithmetic”on October 23. The error is regretted.

End animal sacrifice in HP This refers to news items, “Animal sacrifice marks end of Kullu Dasehra” and “PFA, Kardars of deities lock horn over sacrifice” (October 21). At many places in India, animals are sacrificed to propitiate deities. Sacrificing animals in the name of religion in full public view with traditional unscientific weapons is least understandable in this age of awareness and education. Crimes committed in the name of blind faith get religious sanction and impunity. But this can be changed by rational thinking and the cultivation of a scientific temperament. People need to be convinced that no deity can be pleased with gory killings of innocent animals. The Animal Welfare Board of India in December, 2010, directed the Himachal Pradesh government to stop animal sacrifices carried out in the name of religion, but these directions are being followed more in abeyance. Moreover, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughterhouse Rules 2001) mandate the slaughtering of animals only in recognised/ licensed houses and ante-mortem and post-mortem examinations by a competent veterinary doctor prior to or after the slaughter. Can these instructions be complied with? It is a pity that persons of eminence, stature and authority, sants and other public men attend such congregations. It is time to think and decide. DR SOSHIL RATTAN, Amritsar