Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 18: Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani today became first female Union Minister, in the recent times, to visit Siachen Glacier, the highest battlefield in the world, located at the height of 17,720 feet from the sea level, in Ladakh, and spent more than couple of hours with the Army jawans tying them ‘Rakhis’ and acquainting herself with the situation prevailing there, where troops of India and Pakistan face each other though no major skirmishes take place between the two hostile neighbours.
General Officer Commanding (GOC), Leh based 14 Corps, Lt Gen SK Patyal and other senior Army officers accompanied Irani to Siachen Glacier, which was being guarded by the Indian soldiers under extreme hostile weather conditions. Ten Army jawans were killed in Siachen Glacier in February this year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had visited Siachen Glacier earlier. The Prime Minister had celebrated Diwali with the soldiers at Siachen.
In the recent times, Smriti Irani has become the first female Union Minister to visit the highest battlefield.
Reports said Smriti Irani met the Army officers and jawans and addressed them at the base camp.
The GOC 14 Corps briefed her on the strategic importance of Siachen Glacier, the hostile weather faced by the Army jawans and various aspects of the situation.
Irani tied rakhi to several soldiers deployed at the Siachen base camp on the occasion of ‘Raksha Bandhan’ and lauded their efforts.
The Union Minister flew into the Siachen base-camp, located on the snout of the Glacier, at 9.22 am and was received by senior Army officers, sources said.
Irani laid a wreath at the Siachen War Memorial. She later addressed the jawans and praised them for their dedication to duty.
“We are very proud of the soldiers serving here who have never thought of their own good and of their families. They serve diligently, with passion…So a thanks from a grateful nation,” Irani said.
“My mother specially prepared sweets for you all. So, this is not only the affection of a sister but the love of a mother,” she said.
The Union Minister flew back after spending around one-and-a- half-hours at the base camp.
Apart from laying wreath at the War Memorial at Siachen base camp, Smriti Irani also wrote words of high praise for the Army jawans at the `Visitor’s Book’.
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman also tied rakhi to the jawans at Lumla in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district.
“I am very grateful to the Prime Minister who designed this programme. He made us women Ministers reach various border posts and ensured that we are here to tie rakhi, thereby making sure the message goes across that the Government cares for them,” she said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had specially deputed Smriti Irani and Nirmala Sitharaman to the border areas to celebrate ‘Raksha Bandhan’ with Army jawans, who have been dedicating extreme tough battlefields with dedication and devotion, and tie them ‘rakhis’.
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