‘You have been my family,’ PM Modi’s Diwali message in Kargil to soldiers

@the_news_21

Keeping up with his tradition of visiting soldiers during Diwali, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived at Kargil on October 24 to observe the festival of light with soldiers.

PM Modi said that Diwali symbolises end of terror and that Kargil had made it possible. Calling the soldiers as his family, he said, “For me, ou have been family for years now. It is a privilege to spend Diwali with our brave jawans in Kargil.”

“The forces are the pillar of India’s security. From this victorious land of Kargil, I wish the countrymen and the world a very happy Diwali. There has not been a single war with Pakistan where Kargil has not hoisted the flag of victory. The meaning of Diwali is end of terror and Kargil made it possible,” he said.

He added that in Kargil, the Indian armed forces crushed terror and said he was fortunate enough to witness the same.

In his speech he said, “Just like all of you are protecting us at the borders, we’re working within the country to fight evils like terrorism, ‘Naxalwaad’, corruption. ‘Naxalwaad’ had taken a huge part of the nation in its grasp, but today that stretch is rapidly decreasing.”

Commenting about using indigenously-built arms and ammunitions, he said, “To facilitate the soldiers of this country in realising their responsibilities, we are developing hi-tech infrastructure in the border areas with seamless connectivity. The induction of women officers will result in the growth of our power.”

He also added that India’s respect globally has increased manifold and said, “During the Ukraine war, we saw how our national flag became a shield for our citizens stranded there. India’s respect has increased across the world. It’s happening because India is standing successfully against its internal and external enemies.”

In his address, PM Modi said that India is losing its colonial hangover and illustrated the same by citing the new look of Kartavyapath and also the new naval ensign.

“Colonial hangover is another major problem and today India is getting freed of it. Rajpath has donned a new look as Kartavyapath and it reflecting values of India. Near India Gate, statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose has been erected to guide the new India,” he said.

“Today, the entire world ihas its eyes on India; every time India strengthens, it brings balance in world. Azadi ka Amrit kal is going to witness India’s rise,” he added.

PM Modi celebrates Diwali with soldiers

The Prime Minister has been celebrating the festival with soldiers for several years now.

In 2019, the Prime Minister celebrated Diwali with soldiers in the Rajouri district along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. He had called soldiers as his family and lauded them for guarding the borders even during festivals. He had exchanged Diwali greetings with the Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel at Pathankot Air Force Station.

In 2018, Prime Minister Modi had celebrated Diwali with jawans of the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), at Harsil in Uttarakhand. Following that he had offered prayers at the Kedarnath shrine. In 2017, the Prime Minister celebrated the festival of light with army soldiers and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel in the Gurez Valley of Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora District.

In 2016, the PM went to Himachal Pradesh to celebrate the festival with Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel at an outpost.

He visited the Punjab border to celebrate Diwali with soldiers in 2015. In 2014, Prime Minister Modi spent Diwali in Siachen with soldiers.