From Indian Express
Dharmendra RataulPosted: Thu Mar 31 2011Attari: Shrill slogans of ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ on the Indian side of border, and of ‘Jeeve Pakistan’ on the other side rent the air as a comparatively thin crowed witnessed the daily retreat ceremony, conducted by Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers here today.
The fewer visitors rushed to watch the unique drill even as most people stayed away from here to watch the Indo-Pak semifinal.
There were empty chairs on the Pakistani side of the visitors’ gallery as well as on the Indian side. The border forces, who were busy in organising the drill, were also found stealing away to watch the live telecast of the crucial match on the TV set installed in the waiting hall of the BSF. The BSF Jawans and even Pak Rangers were seen keeping their ears to the radio-sets on the border for the commentary.
“I am keeping myself abreast of the latest about the match from friends who are sending me SMSes. The problem here is that the mobile network is poor on the border and I cannot even call my friends,’’ said Sumeet Sachdeva, a businessman hailing from Delhi who was here for the first time to watch the Retreat. He said he had watched TV at a roadside dhabha before he descended here. The security personnel and visitors rushed to the TV sets at the dhabhas as soon as the Retreat was over. “Everyone is rushing before our TV. There is a lot of interest amongst the visitors to know about the match,’’ said Swinder Singh alias Kala who runs a small tea shop at the border.
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