Union Minister of State for External Affairs Gen VK Singh addresses a seminar at Welham Boys School in Dehradun on Friday. Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 6

Union Minister of State for External Affairs and former Army chief General VK Singh today said politicians and people should come forward to ensure everlasting peace in Kashmir valley.He was interacting with mediapersons on the sidelines of a two-day seminar on Military History that started at Welham Boys School here today. General VK Singh asserted that Indo-China relations were good on economic front and other issues too should be sorted out. “Further, Prime Minister himself has said that it was in the interests of both India and China to work together,” former Army chief said. General VK Singh said it was important that politicians read military history of the country so they do not take wrong decisions. Admitting to shortage of officers in the Army, he said while a large number of students opted for defence forces as career after Class XII, same case not the case after they graduated. He said there were limited training resources after Class XII added to the problem.Darshan Singh, chairman, Welham Boys’ School, said it was important that the coming generations were made aware of military history of the country. “Perhaps today, people between the age of 10 and 50 years, know almost nothing of the action in Kashmir in 1947-48 or the wars in 1962, 1965, 1971and 1999. Such ignorance should be avoided and children should be taught military history,” said Darshan Singh.He said the seminar wasdesigned to promote collaborative thinking and deliberation among the students. Students of various schools from across the country are participating in the seminar.