Not actor, we are real hero as ‘fauji’, says ex-army jawan, Jagdev Singh
Ferozepur April 28, 2019: While the BJP is working out a new poll campaign strategy for the actor-turned politician Sunny Deol in border district Gurdaspur as BJP candidate based on his anti-Pak movie roles, an ex-army official Jagdev Singh from Ghall Khurd village in Ferozepur district, is critical of the Bollywood movie ‘Border’ in which Deol acted, for presenting the distorted facts.
Jagdev Singh of village Ghall Khurd in Ferozepur, on April 22, 1952, joined the army on April 22, 1971, as Sepoy and sent on 9 months training. Hardly, four months training period has passed, he was sent to Jaisalmer border in Bikaner at Longewala Post with 23 Punjab Regiment in a company of 85 jawans, under the command of Major Kuldeep Singh Chandpuri.
"Film producers must make films of patriotism like ‘Border’ but by collecting the facts. We have fought this battle, we are the real hero, not an actor and who else than us can know better. No doubt the picture production is good but the presentation is with impossible things to allure the viewers," Jagdev Singh told babushahi.com.
Sunny Deol is known for his runaway successes like Border, Gadar-Ek Prem Katha which has a good script and dialogue delivery in anti-Pakistan tone and tenor that BJP would like to encash in Lok Sabha poll on the issue of nationalism.
The veteran soldier said that he had seen the film ‘Border’ in which all the jawans have been shown as dead whereas only three jawans died. He even recollects their names as Jagjit Singh, Chanan Dass, and Nishan Dass and two were injured namely Mathura Dass and Harbans Singh.
"I am living example and I got retirement in February 1988 and now on pension. The film is not based on ground reality and still, 13-14 ex-army armymen who had fought this heroic battle at Longewala post are in my contact," he added.
Talking about the activities of the army in the war field or in a war room, the same should not be made public in the interest of national security. We were never consulted before finalizing the script of the film, he added.
Expressing his pleasures over the release of Pilot Abhinandan by Pakistan, Jagdev Singh, we forget the 50 died with the release of one. No doubt, it was a goodwill gesture on the part of Pakistan but there would have been no pump and show on the return of Abhinandan.
Jagdev Singh also expressed his concern over for not giving any special treatment to those who fought the Longowal battle for the sake of country while the sportsperson who excel in their games are given handsome honorarium besides recognition at national and international level.
Summing up, Jagdev said, the government should give a serious thought for the welfare of ex-army officials, they should be given due respect on retirement even so that they could be an example of patriotism for the young generation who are aspirant to join the army.