Modi celebrates Diwali with Army jawans in Kargil
*Country fighting decisive war against corruption
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that peace is impossible to attain without power even as he asserted that his Government always considered war as the last option.
He was addressing Army soldiers at Kargil along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan in the Union Territory of Ladakh on the occasion of Diwali festival yesterday.
The Prime Minister has made it a routine to spend Diwali with Army jawans deployed along the borders with Pakistan and China since 2014.
“We have always considered war as the last option. Whether it took place in Lanka or Kurukshetra. Till the end, every effort was made to prevent it,” Modi said, adding : “We are in the favour of world peace”.
Addressing jawans as the “family”, the Prime Minister said he couldn’t have celebrated a better Diwali without them.
Praising bravery of the soldiers, he said there has been no war with Pakistan where Kargil hasn’t seen victory, adding that Diwali symbolised the “celebration of the end of terror”.
Indian Army and Air Force fought Pakistan troops and invaders in Kargil heights from May 3 to July 26, 1999, codenamed as `Operation Vijay’ and won. July 26 is every year celebrated as Vijay Diwas since then as India recaptured all heights in Kargil on this day and declared victory.
The Prime Minister said India is now respected globally.
“While you protect our borders, we are talking a tough stand against our enemies. If we are challenged, then our armed forces know how to five a befitting reply to their enemy in their own language,” he said, adding, all three defence forces including Army, Air Force and Navy–have taken steps to reduce their dependence on imported equipments.
He said the `Aatamnirbhar Bharat’ is most important to nation’s security and the country’s dependence should be minimum on foreign weapons and system.
Elaborating on “war as last option”, Modi said: “We have always seen war as the final resort. We are in favour of global peace. However, peace can’t be achieved without strength”.
Maintaining that armed forces have strategies as well as strength, he added: “If anyone dares cast an evil eye on use, our three armed forces know very well how to give a befitting reply”.
Modi recalled his visit to Kargil in the aftermath of 1999 conflict when the Indian military had crushed the hood of terror.
“Our armed forces had crushed the hood of terror in Kargil (in 1999) and people still remember Diwali that was celebrated back then,” he said, adding he witnessed the Kargil war closely.
“it was my duty that had brought me to Kargil back then. There are many memories of that time when the sounds of victory were reverberating all around,” the Prime Minister said.
Referring to reforms in Armed Forces, he said that Government has worked on them by deploying new technologies, developing infrastructure in border areas and opening up positions for women in the forces.
Asserting that induction of women in the armed forces will boost our strength, he said the reforms were required for decades and they are now being implemented.
“With the arrival of our daughter in the Army, our power is going to increase,” he added.
Modi said India has been dealing with its enemies, both internal and external, with force. He recounted the steps taken to uproot terror, naxalism and extremism from the country.
Targeting the previous Governments over corruption, he said misgovernance has restricted the country’s potential for development.
“Today, the country is fighting a decisive war against corruption. No matter how powerful the corrupt is, he can’t escape, he won’t even survive. Misgovernance limited the country’s potential for a long time and put obstacles in the way of development,” he added.
Asserting that the country is secured when it borders are protected and economy is strong, the Prime Minister said during past seven to eight years, India’s economy has reached fifth position from 10th.
In war-hit Ukraine, Modi said, the Indian flag became a protective shield for the citizens stuck there.
“Sweetness and brightness of my Diwali is amid you,” he told the Army soldiers.
Praising the soldiers for their bravery, the Prime Minister said, Drass, Batalik and the Tiger Hill have been the witnesses of their lofty courage. “In Kargil, our soldiers have managed to crush terrorism. I’m witness to the event”.
After becoming the Prime Minister in 2014, Modi has been visiting different border areas to celebrate Diwali.
He celebrated Diwali at Siachen Glacier, the highest battlefield in the world, in Ladakh with the Army soldiers in 2014 while in 2015, on the 50th anniversary of the 1965 war with Pakistan, he visited three memorials in Punjab where the Indian armed forces had fought pitched battles that proved to be key to the country’s victory.
In 2016, Modi met the ITBP, Dogra Scouts and Army personnel at Sumdoh near China border while in 2014, he joined jawans on Diwali in Gurez sector of Kashmir. In 2018, the PM celebrated Diwali with the jawans at Harsil in Uttarakhand while in 2019, he visited Rajouri sector on the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan. In 2020, he spent Diwali with jawans at a border post of Longewala in Punjab. In 2021, he was in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on the occasion of Diwali.
Meets Major after 21 years
It was an emotional reunion of a kind in Kargil when a young Army officer presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a 2001 picture of him with the then Gujarat Chief Minister during his visit to the Sainik School where he studied.
Major Amit, officials said, had met Modi at the Sainik School in Balachadi in Gujarat. Modi had visited the school soon after taking over as the State’s Chief Minister in October.
“Today they met again in Kargil and it was a very emotional meeting,” an official said.
The picture shows Amit and another student receiving a shield from Modi.
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