PM Celebrates Diwali with soldiers in Gurez in J&K
GUREJ (J&K) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spent his fourth Diwali with jawans – this time at the Gurez Sector valley along Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. Terming jawans as his family, Narendra Modi said that he too wishes to spend Diwali with his family and therefore, he had come among jawans, who he considers his family.
Exchanging greetings and offering sweets to the soldiers, the Prime Minister said he gets fresh energy when he spends time among the jawans of the Armed Forces. He said he appreciated their penance and sacrifice amid the harsh conditions.We exchanged sweets & interacted. Happy to know the Jawans practice Yoga regularly.” Gurez sector is the gateway of Gilgit-Baltistan area.
n the visitors’ book at the outpost, he wrote, “Protecting the Motherland, far from your loved ones, displaying the highest traditions of sacrifice, all soldiers at the nation’s borders, are symbols of bravery and dedication… The presence of brave soldiers at the border, on this festive occasion, lights the lamp of hope, and generates new energy among crores of Indians.”
Addressing the Armymen, Modi said the Union government is committed to the welfare and betterment of Armed Forces, in every way possible. He also mentioned implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP).The Prime Minister also appreciated penance and sacrifice of jawans, amid harsh conditions. Modi said jawans who leave Armed Forces after completing their duty tenure, can become excellent yoga trainers subsequently.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat who was camping in the Gurez sector since Wednesday. Northern Command chief Lt General Devraj Anbu and Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen J S Sandhu are also in Gurez accompanying the Prime Minister, an
Army official said. The Prime Minister has been celebrating Diwali with security forces every year after he took over as the Prime Minister of the country. In 2014, the Prime Minister celebrated Diwali with security forces at Siachen.
This was his second visit to Kashmir on Diwali. The first time was in 2014, months after the BJP-led government came to power in the Centre. He had spent the day at Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield and announced a Rs. 570 crore package for Jammu and Kashmir, which had been hit by the worst floods in 100 years a month before.
“You make it possible for 125 crore Indians to celebrate Diwali happily. Your dreams and responsibilities are the responsibility of us all. The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with you,” he had told the soldiers. In 2015, he celebrated it at the India-Pakistan border in Punjab.Mr. Modi had spent Diwali with the people of Kashmir in 2014 in the aftermath of the devastating floods in the Valley.
Last year, he spent Diwali at the border posts in Himachal Pradesh. “They say you should celebrate Diwali with your people and that’s why I have come here,” he had told the Indo-Tibetan Border Police or ITBP personnel at the Sumdo forward post in Kinnaur, close to the border with China. (With Agency Inputs).
