No lessons learnt from intelligence failure in Kargil: Joshi

No lessons have been drawn despite the heavy loss of lives in Kargil war due to intelligence failure, BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said today.
"If our intelligence had been strong, 500 precious lives of our soldiers could have been saved. We would have attained victory with much less effort and by spilling less blood. Today I feel sad that we pay homage to those killed but still do not take preventive measures," Joshi said at a party programme on 14th anniversary of the Kargil War.
He said even today there are several shortcomings in our defence preparedness and these need to be plugged especially in the wake of the growing aggressiveness of China and Pakistan.

Joshi said Pakistani forces would have begun their intrusion weeks before it was discovered in 1999 and rued that "our intelligence agencies failed to detect this".
He cautioned that China is encircling India and the threat has gone up further as it has joined hands with Pakistan. He said there are doubts in the minds of the people that India is prepared to fight this challenge.
"Borders are not to be discussed, they are to be defended. Only if you stand with the pledge that the borders will not be compromised can you defend it," Joshi said.

He also charged that the defence forces were not getting their due in terms of latest weapons and rations.

"As Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, I have examined the state of the defence canteens and the rations provided to the armed forces.
"Grains which had expired three years ago are being given. The rations which are sent from here do not reach the forces. Instead the articles are changed midway. The defence officials are saying this," Joshi said.