Dressed in heavy mountain gear, Prime Minister NarendraModi celebrated Diwali with Army and ITBP personnel in the icy terrain near the India-China border, saying their devotion to duty in the remote icy heights is enabling the strength of the nation.
Greeting the soldiers in the Harshil cantonment area, the prime minister said they, through their commitment and discipline, are securing the future and the dreams of 125 crore Indians and helping spread a sense of security and fearlessness among the people. He said that Diwali is the festival of lights, it spreads the light of goodness and dispels fear.
The prime minister recalled that he has been visiting soldiers on Diwali ever since he was the chief minister of Gujarat. He also spoke of his interactions with the jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), years ago when he was part of the KailashMansarovarYatra.
The prime minister said India is taking great strides forward in the defence sector. He spoke of various measures being taken for the welfare of ex-servicemen, including implementation of ‘one rank, one pension’ (OROP). Modi said that the Indian Armed Forces draw admiration and appreciation across the world, in UN peacekeeping operations.
The prime minister offered sweets to the soldiers. He also interacted with people from nearby areas who had gathered to greet him on Diwali.
Harshil is a cantonment area situated at a height of 7,860 feet close to the India-China border in Uttarkashi district. The prime minister later reached Kedarnath to offer prayers and review the progress of reconstruction projects at Kedarpuri.
Kedarpuri, the township situated close to the Himalayan shrine, had bore the brunt of the catastrophic floods of 2013, which killed thousands of people. A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said Modi extensively walked around the entire temple complex, where significant reconstruction works are in progress. He was briefed by senior officials about the progress of the works. He interacted briefly with several people present at the temple complex. The last time the Prime Minister had been to Kedarnath was in October 2017, just before the portals of the Himalayan shrine close for the winters.