New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday laid the foundation stone of border tourism development work at India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan. He also offered prayers at the Tanot Mata temple in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan. Shah laid the project's cornerstone as part of his two-day visit to Rajasthan. He arrived in Jaisalmer on Friday evening and reached Tanot on Saturday morning. He presented the Vijay Stambh with a floral garland.
The Border Security Force (BSF) is in charge of the famed Tanot Mata temple, which is close to the India-Pakistan border. It is 120 kilometres away from Jaisalmer.
"For the first time in the country, development is reaching the border areas under the leadership of Modi ji, As a result of the visionary initiative of border tourism, not only is the standard of living of the people living in the border areas rising, but migration from here is stopping, which is also giving strength to the security of the area," the Union minister tweeted in Hindi.
Facilities for tourists will be developed on the temple premises under a project funded by the Centre to promote border tourism.
The Pakistani Army dropped six bombs on the temple during the India-Pakistan War in 1965, but none of them detonated. The shrine has these unexploded bombs on display. During the Longewala battle in 1971, Pakistani tanks became bogged in the sand close to the temple, and the Indian Air Force quickly attacked them.
Before heading to the Jaisalmer air force station, Shah spoke with BSF representatives at Tanot.
He is scheduled tol address at the valedictory session of a national meeting of the BJP's OBC Morcha when he arrives in Jodhpur, the hometown of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
After that, Shah will also deliver the inaugural address at a meeting of the BJP's booth-level workers.
In Jodhpur, BJP functionaries said the home minister would be accorded a grand welcome. Over 1,500 party workers wearing saffron turbans and riding motorcycles will escort him to the venue of the meeting from the airport, PTI reports.
National president of the BJP OBC Morcha K Laxman, Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav and Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia inaugurated the two-day working committee meeting on Friday morning.
Soon after the party's OBC Morcha meeting, Shah will address the BJP's booth-level workers at Jodhpur's Dussehra Ground. The party is mobilising its booth-level workers from the entire division for the meeting.