Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Assam's Tezpur on Monday for a two-day visit to celebrate Dussehra with Army soldiers. Upon reaching Tezpur, he was greeted by the Army personnel who organised a musical evening at the Meghna Stadium. The Defence Minister will celebrate the festival at a forward base in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang on Tuesday, the Ministry of Defence informed. Singh will also perform 'Shastra Puja' (worship of weapons) there. Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande is accompanying the Defence Minister during his visit.
When asked about the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict by media persons, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "The whole world should unite against terrorism... Care should be taken that innocent people do not get affected because of it."
Earlier, Singh addressed a gathering of soldiers in Tezpur and said, "We all are fully confident that if any crisis comes to the country, our army personnel are capable of facing it. India's increasing stature in the world is not only because of our increasing economy but also because of you (Indian Army). When it comes to the economy, we used to be in the 10th-11th position in the world and under the leadership of PM Modi we have come to the fifth position."
In his address, Rajnath Singh appreciated the concept of 'Barakhana', emphasising that it brings together all ranks to eat together as members of the same family. “Being among you at this Barakhana shows that more than just our position, we are a family and together we are the protectors of our country,” he said, as per the defence ministry.
The Defence Minister's decision to celebrate Dussehra with soldiers near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) comes at a time when India and China have been engaged in a bitter standoff in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh for more than three years.
Singh will be carrying out a comprehensive review of the ground situation along the LAC in the Arunachal Pradesh sector, said sources cited by news agency PTI.