Soldiers’ sacrifice stories to be taught in schools of J&K

Srinagar, October 27: Stories of people like National Conference (NC) worker Maqbool Sherwani, who fought Pakistani attackers in 1947, would be made part of the school syllabus from next year, J&K Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha announced on Wednesday.

The decision has been taken to educate the new generation about the fighters’ valour and sacrifice, he said. Addressing a function here to commemorate the 75th year of Army’s eviction of the Pakistani raiders from Kashmir, Sinha said it surprised him that stories of Pakistan’s barbarism had remained untold in Kashmir. “Why were people not told about the evil deeds of Pakistan? Why are stories of Maqbool Sherwani, Major Somnath, Brigadier Rajinder Singh and Lieutenant Colonel DR Rai not told to the students in schools?,” asked Sinha at the Srinagar Airfield where the function was held.

The Lieutenant Governor said there was a need to correct the history and tell people more about the October 27, 1947 invasion.

“The truth is they were Pakistan Army men in guise of tribals who murdered our innocent brothers, burnt our houses and raped sisters and daughters,” he said, adding it had become necessary now to refute the misconceptions being spread for many years and to unmask the neighbouring country.

Meanwhile, the Army recreated some dramatic scenes of the 1947 war by enacting the landing of Indian soldiers, who repulsed the Pakistani attack. The re-enactment of historical Budgam landing to celebrate 75 years of induction of Army to save J&K from Pakistan invasion was carried out at the airfield in Rangreth on the outskirts of the city here.

The Army also held wreath laying ceremonies at different formations across the Jammu region, including the Northern Command Headquarters at Udhampur. — PTI