President Ram Nath Kovind has cancelled his visit to the Kargil War Memorial in Drass owing to bad weather in Ladakh, officials said. He will instead lay a wreath at the Baramulla War Memorial this year to commemorate the fallen heroes of the 1999 conflict on the occasion of the 22nd Kargil Diwas, the army officials added.
India celebrates Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26 every year to mark the anniversary of the Army’s victory against Pakistan on this day in 1999, after more than 60 days of armed conflict on the highlands of Kargil in Ladakh.
President Kovind, who arrived in Srinagar on Sunday, is on a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. “On July 26, 2021, the President will pay homage to the indomitable courage and sacrifice of the Indian Armed Forces during the Kargil conflict in 1999 at the Kargil War Memorial Drass (Ladakh) on the 22nd anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Divas,” read a statement from the President’s office.
In 2019, bad weather had prevented the president from visiting Drass to participate in the Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations. Instead, he had paid his tributes by laying a wreath at a war memorial at the Army’s 15 Corps headquarters in Badamibagh in Srinagar.
In a tweet on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “We remember their sacrifices. We remember their valour. Today, on Kargil Vijay Diwas we pay homage to all those who lost their lives in Kargil protecting our nation. Their bravery motivates us every single day.”
Sharing an excerpt from his Mann Ki Baat radio programme, Modi added, “It is only natural to be filled with emotions in respect for the one who raise the tri-colour for the country. This feeling of patriotism unites us all.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, too, took to the micro-blogging site to pay homage. “My heartfelt tribute to every soldier who laid down his life to protect the dignity of our tricolour. We will always remember this supreme sacrifice,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu also saluted the bravehearts. “On Kargil Vijay Diwas, I join the nation in remembering our armed forces’ saga of valour & gallantry. I salute the heroes of the Kargil War & Operation Vijay & pay my respectful homage to the martyrs for their supreme sacrifice,” he tweeted.
Army Chief General MM Naravane, Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar, and CISC Vice Admiral Atul Jain were seen paying tributes to the soldiers at the National War Memorial in Delhi.
Source: Indian Express
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