With tensions between the two nuclear-tipped neighbours rising, India’s border security force (BSF) announced on Wednesday that they will not indulge in the annual ritual of exchanging candies on Independence Day.
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India’s paramilitary Border Security Force (BSF) set a new Limca Book Record on Wednesday (August 12) by planting 4,00,000 tree saplings across its posts in the country. “Neither are we going to offer nor will we accept any gift”, said BSG IG Punjab Frontier Anil Paliwal.
On a day when India claimed there have been 192 ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the global border in Jammu and Kashmir till July 29 this year, Islamabad retorted by lodging a “protest” with New Delhi over what it alleged was “unprovoked” violation of ceasefire on August 8 that resulted in the death of a woman.
In the past few days also, there have been ceasefire violations on the J&K border.
Sources speaking on the condition of anonymity said that the decision was taken after IG Frontier had received instructions from BSF headquarters following in light of recent escalation of cross border incidents along both the Working Boundary and the Line of Control.
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“Normally the sweet exchange takes place on Independence day and on other festivals seen by both the countries perspective, this is a part of the border security forces tradition” he further added. This time, Indian soldiers have decided against the exchange of candies with Pakistani Rangers at the Atari Wagah border. Reciprocating to Pak Rangers gestures, BSF, on occasion of Diwali 2014 also declined to exchange candies and pleasantries with their counterparts.
