Even the recently launched Bollywood film ‘Border – 2’ is making waves across the country, and some controversy associated with its 1997 prequel, ‘Border’, which was based on the epic Battle of Laungewala, refuses to die down.

Some veterans of the battle, fought during the India-Pakistan war of 1971, have written to top government functionaries, pointing out some technical inconsistencies in the narrative and seeking recognition for their role in the battle.

“In ‘Border’, we were all shown as having been martyred, whereas the reality is quite different,” said Naik Jagdev Singh, a resident of Ferozepur. “Gallantry awardees are honored on Republic Day and other important occasions, but no one has bothered to ascertain the whereabouts or well-being of those shown to have died,” he said.

Jagdev was 19 years old when he joined the Army in 1971 and went to war with 23 Punjab after just four-and-a-half months of basic training. Now 74, he had left the Army after 17 years of service due to family reasons and then worked with a bank.

Jagdev said that his company manning the Laungewala post, comprising less than 100 troops, had suffered just three casualties and held back a heavy enemy assault backed by tanks, in which the Air Force had played a critical role. Only about 20-odd personnel who had participated in the battle are still alive, and some of them are being honored by a private organisation in Chandigarh on February 9.

“We want to tell the true story of the battle as it happened so that future generations are inspired by the gallantry of the soldiers. Some people jest about us being dead and forgotten because of the incorrect narrative in the film. We have written a letter in this regard to the governors of Rajasthan and Punjab and other senior officers,” he added.

On the other hand, some veterans point out that since commercial films are made from an entertainment point of view, some inconsistencies and errors may creep in to dramatise events or make scenes more captivating for the audience. Some production houses now engage retired armed forces officers as consultants to ensure the correct projection of events, military ethos, and technical details.

Launched in January this year, ‘Border – 2’ depicts actions across multiple fronts during the 1971 India–Pakistan war, featuring operations by the Army, Air Force, and Navy, whereas Border, which also did very well, is based on a single battle.

The Battle of Laungewala was among the most notable operations on the western front. Fought on December 5-6 at the remote border outpost in the Jaisalmer sector, it was one of the first major engagements between India and Pakistan in the west.

Touted as one of the biggest routs for Pakistan in this theater, it goes down in the history of warfare as a classic example of human resolve and motivation in the face of extremely heavy odds, where an infantry company of just about 70 men from 23 Punjab held back an assaulting enemy brigade of over 2,800 troops supported by 65 tanks.

“We were given a choice: to stay put and defend the position or go in for a tactical retreat,” recalls Brig. (then Major) K.S. Chandpuri, who was commanding the company and was decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra, had told The Tribune in an earlier conversation. He passed away in 2018.

The first attack by Pakistani troops at night was stalled through anti-tank weapons. Reserve fuel drums kept atop tanks were exploded, throwing enough light for our gunners positioned on high ground, while their own smoke blinded their troops. “Though we were outnumbered and surrounded, Pakistani infantry was unable to advance. We held them till dawn when the IAF came in,” he said. When the operation ended, 22 Pakistani tanks had been destroyed.