NEW DELHI: The NDA government’s decision to sell decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Viraat as scrap in the absence of a viable proposal to make it a docked museum has led naval veterans to bemoan the country’s continuing failure to preserve military history and heritage.The Navy was initially optimistic INS Viraat would not go the way of INS Vikrant , which was the country’s first aircraft carrier acquired from the UK in 1961, decommissioned in 1997 and finally junked as scrap in 2014 after a similar fruitless wait for 17 long years.But no state government has shown the willingness to foot the bill for converting the 27,800-tonne INS Viraat, which was decommissioned in March 2017 and has been docked at the Mumbai naval yard ever since, into the proposed aircraft carrier museum, with a proper final resting or berthing place.The Andhra Pradesh government showed some interest but wanted the defence ministry to bear at least half of the estimated Rs 1,000 crore it would take to convert the 13-storey high INS Viraat into a museum, as was reported by TOI earlier.INS Viraat, which saw operational service as HMS Hermes in the Royal British Navy for 27 years before being inducted by the Indian Navy in 1987, clocked well over five lakh nautical miles for the country with its menacing Sea Harrier jump-jets and proud motto of “Jalamev Yasya, Balamev Tasya” (He who controls the sea is all powerful).INS Viraat hit the headlines once again this May when PM Narendra Modi during election campaigning alleged Rajiv Gandhi, his family and friends had used aircraft carrier as a “personal taxi” for a 10-day holiday in Lakshadweep in December 1987.But its curtains now for the old warhorse. Junior defence minister Shripad Naik told Rajya Sabha on Monday the Navy was incurring expenditure on INS Viraat’s upkeep, services and repairs after its retirement over two years ago.“INS Viraat could not be handed over to any state government because of non-receipt of a self-sustaining, financially complete proposal. Thus, in view of considerations of safety, security etc, a decision to scrap INS Viraat has been taken in due consultation with the Navy,” he said.This triggered anguish among veterans. Former Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash (retd) said dispatching INS Vikrant, the “maritime icon of the 1971 war”, to the scrapyard was “shameful enough”. And now, “we have failed yet again to muster national will and a few hundred crores to preserve another proud warship, INS Viraat,” he added.Vice-Admiral Jaggi Bedi (retd), in turn tweeted, “Indeed a sad day for the naval fraternity. The nation does not have the will, inclination or tradition to preserve such historical artefacts, which would motivate future generations and keep maritime history alive.”Echoing similar sentiments, Commodore Uday Bhaskar (retd) said, “Sad indeed for a nation that finds resources and political will to erect statues of varying size/shape/symbolism with alacrity. This rank indifference to a historic naval icon is reflective of India’s strategic culture and maritime myopia.”Incidentally, the just-retired Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba had also proposed that INS Viraat could be sunk at an appropriate site to convert her into a marine museum and “dive site” for tourists.