We aren't what we were during 1962 Indo-China war today: Arunachal CM

Itanagar, Nov 22

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and the Armys Eastern Command Chief Lt Gen R.P. Kalita on Monday dedicated the renovated War Memorial in the picturesque township of Tawang to the nation on the 60th year of the 1962 Indo-China war.

The War Memorial commemorates the martyred soldiers of the 1962 war.

Paying his respect to the martyrs, Khandu said, "1962 was history and it would never be repeated again."

"The scenario was very different in 1962. The infrastructure in the region was very poor. Despite that the Indian Army fought bravely and sacrificed thousands of lives to protect the motherland. But today, we are not what we were in 1962," he said.

Khandu also credited the Central government that came to power under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 for the infrastructural boost in Arunachal Pradesh and the other northeastern states.

"The vast infrastructural development in the last eight years witnessed in the region, particularly along the borders, has been unprecedented. It is benefiting not only the civilians, but has also strengthened the presence and logistics of the Indian Army in leaps and bounds," he said.

Khandu also said that in the coming years, highways will be built along the borders from Arunachal's west to east.

"The Union Ministry for Road Transport and Highways recently sanctioned road projects worth Rs 1.65 lakh crore for the northeast, and with Rs 44,000 crore, Arunachal Pradesh is the highest recipient among the northeastern states," he said.

Khandu said that a two-lane, 1,465 km frontier highway will be undertaken by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways at an estimated cost of Rs 27,349 crore that will change the road connectivity scenario along the borders from Arunachal's extreme east to west.

"Being witness to the love and attention of the central and state governments for the welfare of the soldiers posted at border outposts, the moral of our soldiers is very high. Same is the case with our civilians residing in the border areas. They are ready to fight any enemy contingent shoulder to shoulder with the Indian Army," Khandu said.

Khandu also inaugurated the newly-constructed Veer-Aangan' or courtyard of bravehearts alongside the War Memorial, where the busts of brave soldiers who laid down their lives in the Sino-India war are installed, besides dedicating to the people a renovated Light and Sound theme park.

To mark the occasion, the Army felicitated several local veterans of the 1962 war.