Earlier people used to show apathy towards the 1999 Kargil war heroes but now they have completely forgotten them. Print media is giving wide coverage to the Vijay Diwas but no one is giving much importance to the services rendered by the Army at the crucial hour to kill our enemies and make them retreat. On the other hand, we give undue importance to the Indian cricket team. The hype, hoopla and hysteria can be bestowed on the Kargil team for their bloodshed in a royal battle. Let us remember Kargil war heroes, who showed grit, determination to show how a fighting unit can make things happen in the best way possible. It is time to recognise Kargil War Heroes.
Injury prone Indian cricket team must be made to play exhibition matches without match fees to assist Kargil heroes. While much has been written about the brave infantry soldiers who died defending our borders, not many people know about the exemplary valour and grit shown by the Indian Army’s artillery regiments during the Kargil war. Three valiant officers and 32 brave soldiers of the artillery regiments sacrificed their lives in the ferocious fight to recapture Indian territory from Pakistani intruders.
On July 26, 1999, the brave Indian Army had hoisted the Indian flag at the Tiger Hills and India had successfully took command of the high outposts which had been lost to Pakistani intruders. The victory was not easy as 527 soldiers sacrificed their lives for their motherland. It was made up of the tears of a mother, who lost her son; made up of the cries of a bride who is now a widow; child’s sadness who lost a father’s shoulder to climb on, sister’s dead emotions who lost the wrist she had always tied rakhi.
No ministers are delivering speeches as everyone is busy with their political agendas. Even news channels are not broadcasting the stories of those brave sons. When we are residing peacefully in our homes, those brave soldiers were surviving in extreme cold weather and fighting with the enemy for our safety. They struggled in the snow-capped mountains of Kashmir, fought with hunger, weather, deaths of companions and what not. Their struggle and bravery can not be penned down in words. They did it for a nation who doesn’t even care to remember their sacrifices. A nation which has all the time to celebrate Valentines Day, Friendship Day and Hug Day but is unaware about Vijay Diwas Day.
All of us possess full knowledge about the film heroes who work and act according to script, but I want to ask what about those martyrs, who fought for us? Well I just want to remind you about selfless sacrifice of those forgotten heroes. No, I don’t want to say that everyone of us should join the army, or go to the border to fight against enemies, neither am I saying that we should stop celebrating Valentines Day and Friendship Day. All I want to convey is that we should value the sacrifice of those brave sons. Watching movies like LOC Kargil, Border, Lakshya and crying for those hours won’t do that, observing a 2 minute silence in the school/college assembly on 26th July won’t suffice either, lighting a candle at the Amar Jawan Jyoti or singing patriotic songs won’t work too.
When we can be die-hard fans of the cricketers and Bollywood heroes, then why can’t we admire our Real Heroes? Raising fund for the NGOs working for the families of the martyrs would help. Let us all come together and take a pledge that we won’t let sacrifice of those soldiers go in vain.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
