The McMAHON line: A century of discord

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar released a book, “The McMAHON LINE: A CENTURY OF DISCORD”, authored by General J.J. Singh (Retd) at the Raj Bhavan, here, on Tuesday. General J.J. Singh is former Governor of Arunachal Pradesh and former Chief of Army Staff. This book is based on his experiences and research on the India-China border dispute while in the army.

On this occasion, the Governor said this book is going to give something to us. What should be our thinking from a strategic point of view and how should we prepare for it, in this regard General J.J. Singh has given his experience, research and practical knowledge through the book which could prove beneficial. He said that this country is capable of solving any problem and we were fully prepared to face any difficulty. But, this book was a window into how we see history, to which General J.J. Singh deserves appreciation.

The Governor said that people know little about McMahon line, while there was enough to hear about it but the General has set an insight for us to look into it. He said that a solution was possible only through dialogue between India and China. He said that India’s history has always been of believing in dialogue. Our tradition has been that of peace, he added and said that even today we want to solve such problems peacefully. But if someone attacks us, we know how to retaliate, he added.

He said that it is significant that General J.J. Singh has written a book on a sensitive issue. The book has laid emphasis on the politics, history, structure and geography of the McMahon Line area. The book has uncovered many interesting aspects that are still relevant to the ongoing negotiations on the diplomatic front.

The Governor said that the book would be liked by readers and show the way towards the resolution of the conflict.

General J.J. Singh (Retd) revealed that the book is based on six years of study and research on the India-China border dispute. He explained the main aspects of this book in detail to those present. A short film related to the McMahon Line was also screened on the occasion. This is the second book written by him.

Lt. Gen. Pradeep Bali also spoke on the occasion.