Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Wednesday said that the Kargil war was “imposed” on India and that New Delhi was “backstabbed” by Pakistan. He, along with President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were among the leaders who paid their tributes on the 24th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
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Singh visited the Kargil War Memorial in Ladakh and laid a wreath as a mark of respect for the soldiers who passed away during the 1999 conflict. He also visited the tombstones near the memorial placed in memory of the fallen soldiers and addressed those gathered.
“We know that as long as you are protecting us on the borders, no one can even have the courage to raise their eyes towards India. Not only Kargil, but many times since independence till today, your bravery has made the country proud from time to time,” he said in his speech.
“Even after winning the war on 26 July 1999, if our forces did not cross the LoC, it is because we are peace-loving, we believe in Indian values, and we have a commitment to international laws,” he said in the speech, adding, “…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 need be. I assure the countrymen of this,” he added.
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“Paid tributes to India’s Bravehearts at Kargil War Memorial in Dras. The Indian Armed Forces fought valiantly and many soldiers laid down their lives in the line of duty. The nation will remain indebted to their service and sacrifice,” he wrote on Twitter, sharing photographs of him saluting the memorial.
President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the leaders who paid their tributes on Twitter.
“Kargil Vijay Diwas brings to the fore the heroic saga of those wonderful brave hearts of India, who will always remain an inspiration for the countrymen. On this special day, I bow down and salute them from the bottom of my heart. Long live India!,” tweeted PM Narendra Modi in Hindi.
“Today, on the glorious occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, all the countrymen remember the victory achieved by the extraordinary valour of our armed forces. On behalf of a grateful nation, I pay tribute and bow to the memory of the fighters who paved the way for victory by sacrificing their lives to protect the country. Their heroic stories will always inspire generations to come. Jai Hind!” President Murmu said in a tweet in Hindi.
Army Chief General Manoj Pande, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan too paid their tributes at the memorial.
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The Indian Army had launched a fierce counterassault to push back Pakistani forces that had stealthily occupied important heights in Ladakh in 1999. Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed to mark India’s victory over Pakistan.
