On the occasion of the 24th Kargil Vijay Diwas, Rajnath Singh commemorated the auspicious event by paying homage to all those martyrs who lost their lives protecting the nation. To observe this ceremony, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke at the Kargil War Memorial in the town of Dras near Kargil city, Ladakh, to emphasize the government’s conviction in safeguarding the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of the nation.
“I salute those brave sons who sacrificed everything for the protection of the motherland, who put their nation first and did not hesitate to sacrifice their lives for it,” the Defence Minister said.
Mr. Singh paid his tribute to the fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the memorial and visiting tombstones dedicated to them. He expressed his utmost honour by articulating, “The bravery displayed by the soldiers of the country in Kargil in 1999, to protect India, will always be written in golden letters in history. Today, we are able to breathe in the open air because, at some point, even in minus temperatures, our soldiers did not lower their guns.” He also met the family members of those valiant soldiers on this occasion.
Steadfast on the Line of Control
Shri Rajnath Singh also remarked that in order to maintain the honour and dignity of the country, they’re willing to cross the LoC. He stressed that if ‘provoked’, they will cross the LoC, clearly implying this is due to the intended transgressions from Pakistan.
“The Kargil war was imposed on India. At that time, India had tried to solve the issues with Pakistan through talks… We are backstabbed by Pakistan,” Mr. Singh said, further adding that a free hand has been given to the armed forces to eliminate the “nation’s enemies”. Referring to the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi and his government’s resolve.
“Our greatness is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we fall. Despite the adversary’s tactical military advantage during the war, our forces displayed unmatched bravery and skill to push them back and reclaim our land. With the victory, India sent a message to Pakistan and the world that our military will not back down at any cost if the nation’s interests are harmed,” asserted Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Highlighting the peace-loving nature of India, whose roots lie in centuries-old values, is its commitment to international laws. However, to protect the interests of the nation, India will not vacillate in crossing the LoC. He stated that India had sent a message to Pakistan and the world that “our military will not back down at any cost if the nation’s interests are harmed.”
Denouncement from Pakistan
The following speech engendered displeasure from Pakistan’s side. Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement regarding the remarks made by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, calling them ‘provocative.’
“This is not the first time that India’s political leaders and senior military officers have made highly irresponsible remarks about Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. This kind of jingoistic statement must stop, MoFA Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said.
The Spokesperson called India a country that needs to be counselled as its “belligerent rhetoric is a threat to regional peace and stability and contributes to destabilising the strategic environment in South Asia.” She further highlighted that Pakistan is capable of defending itself against any aggression.
Again, Pakistan reiterated the same statement to claim their control over Jammu and Kashmir through the United Nations by endorsing the conducting of a free and impartial plebiscite but failed to address the issue of terrorism, militants, digital attacks, propaganda, ceasefire violations, Pakistani Insurgency, and many more problems from their side.
The Kargil War of 1999 signifies the triumph of India over Pakistan when they furtively captured the major area of Ladakh, to which India retaliated with a counterstrike. Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated on July 26.
