Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who arrived in Drass in Ladakh on Wednesday on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, said that India was backstabbed by Pakistan and the Kargil war was imposed on the country. "The Kargil war was imposed on India, we were backstabbed by Pakistan," Rajnath Singh said, as quoted by PTI. Singh also stated that at that time the soldiers did not cross the LoC because our country is "peace loving". He added that now our soldiers can cross the LOC in future if there is a need.
"A war is not just between two armies but between two nations...Even after winning the war on 26 July 1999, if our forces did not cross the LoC, it is only because we are peace-loving, we believe in Indian values, and we have a commitment to international law. At that time if we did not cross the LoC it does not mean that we could not cross the LoC. We could cross the LoC, we can cross the LoC and will cross the LoC in future if there is a need, I assure the countrymen," Rajnath Singh said, as quoted by ANI
Rajnath Singh said that the war is not only fought by the army on the border but also indirectly by the people of the country. Mentioning the 1965 India-Pakistan war, Singh said that on just a single request of the then PM Lal Bahadur Shastri, the people of India skipped one meal for the army. Singh laid a wreath at the Kargil War Memorial and paid tributes to the soldiers who lost their lives in the 1999 Kargil War. "What Indian soldiers hoisted in Kargil in 1999 wasn't just the tricolour, it was the pride of crores of Indians," Singh said, as quoted by PTI.
Speaking on the occasion of Kargil Diwas, Defence minister said, "I salute those brave sons, who sacrificed everything for the protection of the motherland. I salute those brave sons who put the nation first and did not hesitate to sacrifice their lives for it," as quoted by the news agency ANI. Rajnath Singh also said that the people of India have faith on the government that it will not compromise on national interest. "Indians have full faith that the government will not compromise on national interest under PM Modi's leadership," Singh said, as quoted by PTI.
Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan also paid homage to Kargil War martyrs in Bhopal on the 24th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. On Tuesday, on the eve of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami paid tributes to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives for the country and said that the government is committed for teh welfare of ex-servicemen and their families.
In his message, the Chief Minister said, "Indian Army has always brought laurels to the nation by its valour. We are proud of the bravery of our soldiers". He said that there has been a tradition of sacrifice for the country in Uttarakhand as well. "In the Kargil war, a large number of sons of Uttarakhand sacrificed their lives to protect the country," he said.
The Chief Minister further said that the state government is committed to the welfare of soldiers, ex-servicemen and their families. "The whole world recognizes the indomitable courage and bravery of the Indian Army. The brave soldiers of the Indian Army forced the enemy to flee even under adverse circumstances in Kargil.
The nation will always remember the sacrifice of the brave soldiers to protect the country's borders in the Kargil War," CM Dhami said. Meanwhile, CM Dhami also arrived at the residence of Union Minister Ajay Bhatt in the national capital for a meeting to discuss the poll strategy for 2024 elections for his state.
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