Sachin Tendulkar’s army-guided tour close to the Line of Control appears to have generated fresh publicity for the RSS-championed idea of “Akhand Bharat” or Undivided India.
The cricket legend, who spent several days vacationing in the Valley last week, has shared a video of his visit to the border Kaman post. There, he is seen posing for pictures in front of a mural showing a map of India that seems to include the territories
of neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan although it does not name them.
The mural has “Akhand Bharatvarsh” emblazoned at the top.
“Akhand Bharat” refers to a purported Greater India that includes territories that now fall in other South Asian countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, as well as the Tibetan region.
Police sources said the army had unveiled the mural last year as part of an initiative to develop the place as a tourist attraction, and that Sachin’s visit seems to have brought it wider publicity.
“A day in Uri: soaked in patriotism, respect for our soldiers & love for our country!” Sachin posted on X while sharing the video.
The 56-second video carries a collage of stills. The master batter is seen in front of the mural in several pictures — alone in one, with wife Anjali and daughter Sara in another, and with a battery of security force officials in a third.
The video, which also shows Sachin entering the Uri-based camp of the army’s Pir Panjal brigade, has prompted fans to lavish praise on him for his patriotism.
The mural also carries images of several ancient and medieval rulers of India and Jammu and Kashmir, with strips of different colours marking their territories. No Muslim ruler finds a place.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last year unveiled at the new Parliament building a mural depicting a map of India that seemed to include parts of the territories of neighbouring countries, although it did not mention “Akhand Bharat”.
External affairs ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi had tried to douse the controversy over the move, saying the Parliament mural “depicts the spread of the Ashokan empire and the idea of responsible and people-oriented governance that he (Ashoka) adopted and propagated”.
