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Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Pagis read the sand, Politicians read scripts
When bullets fly and borders burn, some politicians retreat to the comfort of air-conditioned conference rooms, mouthing platitudes about 'standing with our soldiers.' Yet, behind the scenes, they nitpick, undermine, and insult the government—even if it means lowering the morale of the armed forces. This is precisely what the Congress Party and the INDIA bloc, under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, are doing in response to Operation Sindoor. All for the Bihar elections, no less. It's a move that will backfire—spectacularly. Here's the truth that our political elite conveniently ignore: war isn't fought by the army alone. It is a national endeavour, a test of collective willpower, where every citizen, every institution, and every leader must contribute. Instead of rallying the nation, these self-serving critics sow division, spread confusion, and paralyse resolve. This isn't just irresponsible—it's a betrayal of the very soldiers they claim to support. In wartime, we need leaders who inspire courage, not cowards who crumble under the weight of their petty ambitions. The Indian Army's firepower and courage are unmatched. But even the best army cannot win wars alone. Victory demands a united, determined population, ready to contribute—from conserving resources to maintaining civil order. Defeatist rhetoric and opportunistic criticism, in such times, play straight into the enemy's hands. Every word against our soldiers and government weakens morale and emboldens our adversaries. Our civilians, too, must recognise their role. Supporting the war effort isn't optional; it's a duty. When the nation faces an existential threat, comfort and convenience must give way to sacrifice and solidarity. Every act of support, no matter how small, fortifies the nation. Consider the 1971 Indo-Pak War, when the Pakistan Air Force bombed Bhuj airbase in Gujarat, dropping 64 bombs and crippling the runway. Even contractors and workers fled. Yet, the women of nearby villages picked up whatever tools they had and rebuilt the runway in under 76 hours, enabling the Indian Air Force to strike back and dismantle enemy strongholds. That's civilian patriotism—real, gritty, and unapologetic. But courage and resilience aren't limited to singular acts of defiance. In the harsh, arid expanses of Gujarat's Kutch and Rajasthan's desert districts, generations of unsung heroes have silently served the nation: the Pagi trackers. These 'footprint readers,' armed with ancestral knowledge, have for centuries turned the treacherous sands into a canvas of national security. The word Pagi—derived from Gujarati, meaning 'one who reads footprints'—denotes a legacy of acute observation and intuitive tracking. Communities like the Banni and Rabari have passed down this craft for generations, turning it into a precise science. Pagi's can decipher how many people or animals crossed a point, their direction, load, and even estimate how long ago the tracks were made. In the Rann of Kutch, where mirages and shifting sands deceive even the best surveillance technologies, Pagi's can read the ground's whispers like no machine ever could. During British colonial rule, especially in Sindh, Kutch, and the Gujarat-Rajasthan borderlands, Pagi's were invaluable to the colonial police, tracking dacoits, recovering stolen livestock, and solving crimes. While their skills were often exploited without due recognition, their reputation for accuracy and loyalty earned them begrudging respect. Post-Independence, the India-Pakistan border turned these desert regions into sensitive security zones. In the 1965 war, when the Rann of Kutch became a battleground, Pagi's detected infiltrators, tracked enemy scouts, and helped the BSF lay ambushes. Even today, despite radars, drones, and satellite imagery, Pagi's continue to be the unsung guardians of the nation's frontiers. In terrains where technology falters, the human instinct and terrain wisdom of a pagi remain irreplaceable. Yet, this proud legacy is fading. Young members of Pagi families are drifting into other professions. There is little formal training or institutional support to preserve their craft. Many Pagi's work on daily wages or informal contracts, without proper recognition. Even though the BSF and other security agencies acknowledge their contributions, a systematic approach to preserving and professionalising this skill is sorely lacking. Some initiatives—like formal Pagi training schools, incorporation into paramilitary ranks, and documentation of traditional knowledge—have been proposed, but they remain under-implemented. In an age where AI and indigenous skills can complement each other, the revival of Pagi expertise isn't just desirable—it's vital. Consider the stories of legendary Pagi's whose names are etched in Gujarat's collective memory. Kesar Singhji Pagi, from Banaskantha district near the Gujarat-Rajasthan border, was a master tracker whose skills bordered on the supernatural. He could identify not only the number of people and animals who crossed an area but also their approximate weight and even their origin—just by studying footprints. His invaluable service to the BSF and police in tracking infiltrators, smugglers, and fugitives earned him the President's Police Medal and the Indian Police Medal for Gallantry. His exploits are still shared in BSF training sessions as models of excellence. Similarly, Jetha Pagi, though less nationally recognized, was a local hero whose tracking skills helped police solve murders, thefts, and smuggling cases. His grasp of desert terrain and human movement was legendary. Bhima Pagi, another master tracker, worked closely with the BSF to prevent cross-border smuggling and infiltration. These men weren't just border sentinels; they were living embodiments of India's ancient knowledge systems, blending seamlessly with modern defense needs. Their stories remind us that the nation's security is woven not just through steel and satellites but also through sand, footprints, and human instinct. But where is the recognition today? Where is the effort to preserve this priceless knowledge? When pagis retire, their wisdom dies with them—unless we act. It's time for a national revival of pagi tracking, with structured training, fair pay, and generational continuity. And let's not forget the symbolism. Pagi trackers stand for something larger than border security. They represent India's unique blend of traditional wisdom and modern security architecture—a blend that politicians sitting in their echo chambers can neither understand nor replicate. When they undermine military efforts, when they nitpick and paralyse national resolve for political gains, they not only betray our soldiers but also insult the memory of these silent guardians of the frontier. When the stakes are high, and India's survival is at risk, victory doesn't belong to the soldiers alone. It belongs to the villagers rebuilding runways under fire, the silent pagis reading enemy footprints in the sand, and the people who refuse to be divided by petty politics. Victory is national; defeat is collective. Rahul Gandhi and his ilk should remember this: Operation Sindoor isn't just a military campaign; it's a test of national unity. Playing politics at a time like this isn't just cowardice—it's treachery. And history will not forgive it.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Wartime heroes to Op Sindoor: The unsung heroes keeping India's desert border secure
Wartime heroes to Op Sindoor: The unsung heroes keeping India's desert border secure Ashish ChauhanBharat Yagnik TNN May 22, 2025, 17:06 IST IST In the age of hi-tech gadgetry, the old skill of reading footprints is still vital to national security in three desert districts of Gujarat. Trained Pagi trackers can translate sand impressions into detailed intelligence about border crossings. They were on vigil during Op Sindoor, too Suigam/Nadabet (Banaskantha): Sherlock Holmes could find out a criminal from even the minutest of details: a few strands of hair, specks of cigarette ash. In Gujarat's desert districts, there is a small group of extraordinary individuals so adept at deciphering patterns in the sand even the fictitious detective would approve. In this age of hi-tech border surveillance, this group of men is as low-tech as you can get. Sometimes found walking barefoot through the desert, they are nonetheless an irreplaceable, time-honoured security asset. Meet the Pagi , footprint trackers whose ability to decode the desert's shifting canvas is an important aid to border safety. They need no satellite imagery or motion sensors, just their eyes attuned to the subtlest disturbances in sand.
Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
From desert to sea: How Gujarat has ramped up security along the border
Given its unique position as the only state in India to share a land as well as a sea border with Pakistan, Gujarat is undertaking a series of measures to ramp up security in the state in light of escalating tensions between the two countries. On Wednesday, Gagandeep Gambhir, the IG of Police Administration in the state, issued an order cancelling the leave of all police officers and ordering others to return to duty. Notably, Gujarat's Bhuj was among the places where Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. While Gujarat's international land border, mostly made up of desert (Rann of Kachchh) and marshes, is approximately 512 km long, the state also has the longest coastline in India, which, according to revised estimates released in April, now stands at 2,340 km. Ever since the attack in Kashmir on April 22, joint patrolling of the BSF and Police have only intensified in Kutch, which not only has the largest border — both land and sea — with Pakistan, but is the largest district in India, in terms of area, with sparse population and a hostile terrain. Vikas Sunda, the Superintendent of Police of Kutch (West), said that joint border visits and intelligence sharing has been strengthened between several agencies. 'We are not only seeking help from the civilian population who have resided in the border villages for generations now, but are also coordinating with the Sagar Rakshak Dal (SRD) volunteers and Fishermen's Watch Group to enhance security,' said Sunda. The villagers in these border areas also bring specialised skills as force multipliers. Banaskantha Police SP Akshayraj Makwana said they have inducted members of the Pagi tribe into the force, who accompany camel-riding police personnel during patrols into the desert. The Pagi tribe is renowned for their tracking skills in the desert. In fact, Ranchhoddas Pagi, who died in 2013, was invaluable to the Indian Army during the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. Along the western seaboard of Gujarat, police personnel in various districts have begun detailed documentation checks of boats, their owners and the fishermen. Cargo holds of these boats are also being checked randomly, while community leaders and Fishermen's Watch Group in all districts have been asked to immediately report any suspicious activity. Leaders of Boat Owners' Associations in various districts confirmed to The Indian Express that their boats were being thoroughly checked and fishermen were cooperating with the security agencies. Notably, the boat 'MV Kuber', which Pakistani hijackers used to land in Mumbai to carry out the 26/11 attacks, was based out of Porbandar. 'We have instituted 24-hour patrolling across all coastal villages and are coordinating with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to manage the safety of vital installations like the refinery,' said SP Premsukh Delu of Jamnagar. He confirmed that while fishermen had not been restricted from carrying out their business, they had been asked to take special care to not venture out too close to the IMBL. Joint boat patrolling is also being undertaken along with the Coast Guard. Amit Vishwakarma, the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) for the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Coastal Security in Gujarat, said, 'We are on full alert. We have increased vigilance especially around vital installations like ports and temples. Routine work of checking boats is being undertaken by coastal police.' Gujarat has the Ambaji, Dwarka and Somnath temples located in border districts. The sea coast of Gujarat is also bordered by the two union territories (UTs) of Diu in Saurashtra and Daman in South Gujarat. Una town of Gir-Somnath district shares a bridge with Diu. Gir Somnath SP Manoharsinh Jadeja said, 'The temple security has been overhauled. While we cannot divulge all details, I can say that armed police presence has been increased and regular sweep of the premises is being undertaken by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and Dog Squad. The UT has its own security but we have enhanced checking on the sea routes and land route between the Diu and the mainland.' Giving an overview of the armed commandos deployed across the state, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Marine Task Force (MTF), RT Sushra, said, 'The MTF are deputed in the 12 vital locations on the coastal area across the state in Saurashtra, Kutch and South Gujarat. The teams are patrolling round-the-clock in the sea water and are in coordination with the Coast Guard teams and local police. We have a full staff of 500 commandos, which are kept on reserve and would be used during emergencies.' There are a total of 23 islands situated off Dwarka district, which need special attention. Of these, 21 are uninhabited while Beyt Dwarka and Ajad Tapu are inhabited. While Beyt Dwarka, which is part of Hindu mythology, is being developed as an eco-tourism site with the Sudarshan Setu sea bridge inaugurated in February 2024, Ajad Tapu has a community of 50 inhabitants. Seven other islands, which had residential and religious structures on them, had been cleared of settlements in 2024 citing 'national security'. SP Nitesh Pandey said that boat patrolling had been increased across the island chain. Surat city has a mega industrial zone right on the coastline. So, while identities of fishermen are being verified at sea, the documents of industrial workers are being cross-checked on land. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Deep Vakil of 'J' Division of Surat City Police told The Indian Express, 'Police teams from Hazira, Ichhapore, Dumas and Marine police stations on Wednesday carried out meeting with security staffers of multinational companies like AM/NS (Archelor Mittal/ Nippon Steel), Kribhco, Reliance, L&T, ONGC, NTPC, IOCL, Shell, Adani Wilmar, Gail, Roro Ferry services, Sun petrochemicals company, etc. They guided the security staffers of these companies to carry out Focused Coastal Security Mock Drill.' ACP Vakil added, 'There are 12 vital locations in my J division and we have given suggestions to many of the companies on security purposes and have also told them to verify the documents of the labourers working under contract in the companies, which is also an important part of security measures…The contractors have been briefed to watch out for any labourer who has criminal backgrounds. Those who are Bangladeshi should be identified and local police should be immediately informed.' DIG Sushra said, 'In Surat and South Gujarat, many multinational companies are established on the sea coast, and our teams have carried out security checkups in a few of them at Hazira in Surat and Valsad. Our teams are on their toes and local people on coastal areas as well as the fishermen community has also been alerted and advised not to venture deep into the sea.' On routine government, business and tourism being unaffected by the ongoing situation, The Indian Express spoke to Banaskantha Collector Mihir Patel who said, 'There are no instructions for government facilities to remain closed. Though, we have stocked medical supplies at the health centres, which is a part of preparedness.' All the government schools and private ones affiliated to the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) are already closed for summer vacations. 'Somnath Temple is open. No special instructions for fishermen too,' Collector of Gir Somnath N V Upadhyay told this newspaper. The security apparatus of Gujarat, apart from intelligence and regulatory agencies, is made up of multiple layers. While the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) with Pakistan is patrolled by the Indian Navy, the coastline is guarded by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and then finally by the Coastal Police and the Marine Task Force (MTF) commandos. On the other hand, the land border is secured by the Gujarat Frontier of the Border Security Force (BSF) along with the District Police. Gujarat is also home to several frontline Air Force bases.
