Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday morning reached Kargil to celebrate Diwali with soldiers. While addressing armed forces personnel, the prime minister asserted that Jawans are his family and it is his privilege to celebrate the festival with them. He further said he could not expect a better Diwali celebration than this.
"It is because the armed forces are protecting our borders, that every citizen in India sleeps peacefully. I bow towards the spirit of the Armed Forces of India. Your sacrifices have always made our country proud: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Kargil" he added.
"Jawans crushed the fountainhead of terror in Kargil," he praised armed forces.
"Just like all of you are protecting us at the borders, we're working within the country to fight evils like terrorism, 'Naxalwaad', corruption. 'Naxalwaad' had taken a huge part of the nation in its grasp, but today that stretch is rapidly decreasing," the PM said.
The prime minister has his unique way to celebrate the festival with the Indian Army personnel since he became prime minister in 2014.
PM Modi celebrated Diwali with Army jawans in the forwarding area of the Nowshera sector in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri in 2021.
Here are the year-wise list how PM Modi motivated jawans who missed their Diwali in the line of duty:
In 2014
In his first year as the Prime Minister in the office, Narendra Modi celebrated Diwali with soldiers in Siachen - the world's highest battleground. He shared sweets with what he called his 'family' during his unannounced trip to the extremely inhospitable terrain of the battleground.
In 2015
Modi yet again reached Khasa, an army headquarters near Amritsar unannounced to celebrate Diwali with the jawans. The Prime Minister laid a wreath at the Dograi War Memorial and also penned his thoughts on the visitor's book. He later met the army jawans and greeted them on the eve of Diwali.
In 2016
The Prime Minister had celebrated Diwali with soldiers in a remote area in Himachal Pradesh, close to the Chinese border. Modi also made an unscheduled trip to a village, Chango, and said he was “deeply touched by the impromptu reception and their joy”. The Prime Minister went up to the soldiers and locals holding a plate of sweets in the festivities.
In 2017
PM Modi arrived impromptu again at Gurez and was there with the soldiers for two hours in the remote valley, which is close to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and has witnessed several gunfights with militants in the past few decades. Modi offered sweets and exchanged greetings with jawans.
In 2018
The Prime Minister visited Kedarnath in Uttarakhand where he performed puja. From there, he headed straight to the Harsil station and spent time with the ITBP jawan. He exchanged Diwali wishes and sweets and thanked them for their service to the nation.
In 2019
PM Modi paid his first visit to Rajouri after the center's move on article 370 to celebrate Diwali with the jawans. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat.
In 2020
PM celebrated Diwali with soldiers and Border Security Force (BSF) jawans in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer. PM Modi's visit also comes a day after eleven people including five soldiers were killed in ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops in several areas in north Jammu and Kashmir.
