Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 26 called out Pakistan’s support to proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir and said the enemy will be given a befitting reply. The remarks came in the backdrop of growing militant attacks in the Jammu region.
“Pakistan has failed in all its nefarious attempts in the past. Pakistan, however, has not learnt from history. It is trying to keep itself relevant by supporting terrorism and proxy war. I am speaking from a place where the masters of terror can hear my voice directly — I want to tell these patrons of terrorism that their nefarious intentions will never succeed. Our soldiers will crush terrorism with full force and the enemy will be given a befitting reply,” Mr. Modi said.
The Prime Minister was speaking at the 25th anniversary of the 1999 Kargil war, which is observed as ‘Vijay Diwas’. He also paid homage to war heroes at the War Memorial, Drass, in Kargil district.
PM Modi recalled the Indian Army’s anti-enemy operations launched from the peaks of the Himalayas. “India wanted peace, but the enemy showed its dual face. Finally, falsehood was defeated. The victory in the Kargil war showed our commitment towards our nation and the valour of our brave forces. Our forces successfully executed the operation despite the extreme and challenging battle conditions,” he said.
Also read | Kargil Vijay Diwas: Tributes paid to Indian soldiers
He said the land of Kargil was witness to the supreme sacrifices offered by the brave hearts 25 years ago. “The names of those who offered their lives for this land will remain alive forever. The entire nation is highly indebted to the martyrs of the Kargil war,” PM Modi said.
The shift to ‘peace and harmony’
The Prime Minister pledged that India would defeat every challenge that hinders the development of Ladakh or Jammu & Kashmir. “It will be five years since Article 370 was abolished in August. Jammu & Kashmir is staring at a bright future, talking about big dreams. Besides infrastructure development, the tourism sector is also growing rapidly in Ladakh and J&K,” he said.
He said it was after August 5, 2019, cinema halls in Kashmir have re-opened. “After three and a half decades, Tazia procession (of Shia Muslims) was carried out in Srinagar for the first time. J&K held a successful G-20 meeting. Our heaven on earth is rapidly moving towards peace and harmony,” he said.
Referring to ₹6000 crore budgetary allocation to the Union Territory of Ladakh, which is a quantum jump from earlier ₹1100 crore, Mr. Modi said Ladakh was chasing new dreams and touching new heights. “Ladakh will soon have a 4G network and the 13-km Zojila tunnel, an all-weather route, will also be completed,” he added.
PM Modi targeted the Congress for its failure to meet the demands of the armed forces in the past. “The Congress failed to meet the demands of forces, including the Army and Indian Air Force (IAF). These demands fell on the deaf ears in the past. There was a huge yearning for reforms. Our government took a step to listen to the forces and today we have a list of 5000 weapons that are no longer being imported from outside,” he said.
Defending the Agnipath scheme, PM Modi said, “It is an example of the necessary reforms done by the Army. For some people, the Army was meant for saluting politicians and parades. But the Army means the faith of 140 crore countrymen. The goal of the Agnipath scheme is to make the Army young, to keep the Army continuously fit for war.”
Referring to the Opposition’s criticism of the Agnipath scheme, PM Modi said, “Unfortunately, people have made such a sensitive issue related to national security a subject of politics. These are the same people who weakened our Army by committing scams worth thousands of crores in the Army. These people never wanted the Army and IAF to be self-reliant. They never wanted Tejas to be introduced in IAF.”
Meanwhile, PM Modi virtually carried out the first blast of the Shinkun La Tunnel project. It consists of a 4.1-km long twin-tube tunnel which is under construction at an altitude of around 15,800 feet on the Nimu-Padum-Darcha Road. It will be the first all-weather connectivity to Leh through Himachal Pradesh and also the highest tunnel in the world.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi paid tributes to soldiers at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass, Kargil.
In New Delhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh offered his tributes to the soldiers who died in the line of duty in the 1999 Kargil War at the National War Memorial.
President Murmu, leaders pay tributes to the soldiers
President Droupadi Murmu hailed the “courage and extraordinary valour” of the armed forces and urged all the countrymen to “draw inspiration from the sacrifice and valour” of the soldiers.
In a post on X, she said, “Kargil Vijay Diwas is an occasion for a grateful nation to pay tribute to the indomitable courage and extraordinary valour of our armed forces. I pay tribute to each soldier who made the supreme sacrifice while protecting Mother India on the peaks of Kargil in the year 1999 and bow in reverence to their sacred memory.”
“I am confident that all countrymen will draw inspiration from their sacrifice and valour. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!,” she added.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also offered tribute to the soldiers to commemorate the occasion. In a post on X, he heaped praise on the “unwavering commitment, valour and patriotism” of the soldiers ensuring the safety and security of the country.
“Today, on the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, we remember the indomitable spirit and courage of the brave soldiers who fought valiantly in the 1999 war. Their unwavering commitment, valour and patriotism ensured that our country remained safe and secure. Their service and sacrifice will continue to inspire every Indian and our coming generations,” Mr. Singh mentioned in the post.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of the unwavering resolve and valour of the brave soldiers of the army. “Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of the unwavering resolve of the valor of the brave soldiers of the army. In the Kargil war, the brave soldiers displayed the ultimate valour in the inaccessible hills of the Himalayas and forced the enemy army to kneel down, and made the country proud by hoisting the tricolour again in Kargil,” he said in a post on X. “Today on ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ I salute the brave soldiers who protected the motherland with their courage in this war. The nation will never forget your sacrifice, dedication and sacrifice,” he added.
Minister of External Affairs (EAM) S. Jaishankar also took the opportunity to “salute the valour and dedication of soldiers” on the occasion. “On Kargil Vijay Diwas, salute the valour and dedication of our brave soldiers. The legacy of their courage and patriotism acts as a guiding light for all Indians,” he said in a post on X.
In a post in Hindi on X, the Congress said, “’Kargil Vijay Diwas’ is a symbol of the indomitable courage and determination of the country’s heroes. On this day, the brave sons of Mother India, on the strength of their amazing valour, drove away the enemy from Kargil and hoisted the tricolour flag.” “We are proud of the heroes dedicated to protecting the nation. We salute them,” the party said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in a post on X, said, “Congratulations to our brave soldiers, their families and all Indians on the occasion of 25th ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’. We bow our heads in tribute to the martyrdom of our heroes who made the supreme sacrifice while protecting our motherland in the Kargil War.” “We are proud of their indomitable courage and valour,” he said.
“On Kargil Vijay Diwas, my salutations to the immortal martyrs who sacrificed themselves to protect India. The country will always be indebted to them for their supreme sacrifice,” Rahul Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Kargil Vijay Diwas is that golden page of Indian military history which reminds us of the valour and sacrifice of our brave soldiers. “In the Kargil War, the brave soldiers of our army, while facing difficult conditions, put their lives at stake and drove away the enemy and made the country proud by hoisting the tricolour on the high peaks of the Himalayas,” she said. “Salute to all the brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice to protect the country! The country will always remain indebted to our brave martyrs,” she added.
Family members, veterans remember martyrs
As the country celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas today, the families of the soldiers remember the bravery and dedication of their loved ones who laid their lives during the war between India and Pakistan at icy heights in 1999.
Madhubala, widow of Kargil hero Vinod Kumar, said, "On May 18, 1997, we got married and on June 14, 1999, he lost his life. I feel very good to be here and feel proud. Rajender Kumar, the elder brother of Kargil hero, soldier Bejender Kumar, said that he feels proud that his brother died for the country."I feel so proud; he died for the country. We remember him every day," he said.
Prashanti, wife of Kargil hero, Group Captain K. Nachiketa Rao, said that, like all the other countrymen, she used to pray for his repatriation from Pakistan everyday. Group Captain Rao was a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force who was captured by Pakistani forces before he was handed over to the Indian authorities."I feel very proud. The bravery and courage he had shown. We were not married at the time of the war. We married after two years of it. Like all the other countrymen, we used to pray every day for his repatriation (from Pakistan). We feel proud as there are very few people who get such a chance to show such bravery and then get to comeback and live to tell those tales," she said.
Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed annually on July 26, commemorates the success of Operation Vijay in 1999. During this conflict, Indian forces successfully reclaimed strategic positions in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir that had been infiltrated by Pakistani soldiers and terrorists.
(This article has been corrected for a factual error)
Published - July 26, 2024 08:20 am IST
