The Indian Defence forces are still to determine a day they can observe as Veer Shaheed Divas in honour of all defence personnel who have given their lives for the country. But that is what happens when there are a myriad aspects—especially political—that one has to take into account while arriving at such a nationally important date. The Army first zeroed in on December 16, the day the 1971 war concluded, only to realise that the day was already being celebrated as Vijay Divas. Moreover, the defence brass conjectured that the BJP could well counter this with the conclusion of the Kargil war fought under its Government. Then a consensus seemed to be building around January 30, Mahatma Gandhi’s death day which is already observed as Martyr’s Day until someone pointed out that the Indian defence forces were never shoulder-to-shoulder with Gandhiji in the freedom struggle. Amid the confusion, the Cabinet awaits more suggestions and more dates.
