For the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, the families of the martyrs were honored with a collective tribute to about two thousand bravehearts of the UT who made sacrifices from 1947 till today. In this connection, a grand function was organized by Jammu and Kashmir People's Forum at Gulshan Ground, Gandhinagar on Sunday to commemorate 75 years of Independence and Kargil Vijay Diwas.
Sarkaryavah of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Dattatreya Hosabale was the special guest and the Defense Minister Rajnath Singh was the chief guest at the function. More than 25 thousand people including the families of the martyrs, ex-servicemen, ex- officers of para-military forces, ex-servicemen, ex-servicemen and officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police participated in the function. Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh honored families of martyrs by presenting them with shawls and mementos.
On this occasion, Param Vir Chakra winner Captain Bana Singh, retired Justice Pramod Kohli, former DGP Dr SP Vaid, retired Lt. General VK Chaturvedi, Lt. General (retired) Rakesh Kumar Sharma, Lt. General (retired) SK Gosain, Lt. General(retired) LR Sadotra, Major General (retired) SK Sharma, former IPS officer Sachchidanand Srivastava, former DRDO DG Dr. Sudarshan Sharma, Prant Sanghchalak Dr. Gautam Mangi, Padma Shri Prof. Shivdutt Nirmohi, Padma Shri Pandit Vishwamurti Shastri, former CMD JK Bank and Director RK Chhibber, Vice Chancellor of Central University of Jammu, Dr. Sanjeev Jain, Vice Chancellor of SKUAST Jammu, Prof JP Sharma, Retd IFS CM Seth, Retd IAS Nirmal Sharma, Retd Brigadier BS Sambyal, Retd Brigadier Deepak Badyal and President of J&K People's Forum Ramesh Sabharwal were also present.
Sarkaryavah of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Dattatreya Hosabale, in his address, described the function organized in honor of the martyrs and their families as a golden day and said that it is a matter of privilege for them to participate in it. Hosbale said that it has been 75 years since we got independence, remembering the valor of such heroes. Our ancestors fought a long struggle for freedom.
The stories of tenacity, sacrifice and freedom fighters are hidden in this struggle. The present generation which is born after independence should be aware of this. What our forefathers have done for independence, we should not only know it, but should also take inspiration.Referring to the Union Territory, Dattatreya Hosabale said that Jammu and Kashmir has been a victim of misogyny of Pakistan since the time of the country's independence.
From the very beginning, Pakistan has encouraged aggression, sometimes terrorism and sometimes separatism in Jammu and Kashmir. He congratulated the people of Jammu and Kashmir on behalf of all the countrymen of India for cooperating with the army, security forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police in thwarting the conspiracies of Pakistani and anti-national forces.
He said that while Pakistan was engaged in instigating separatism and terrorism, the love of the local people for the nation and the determination to go to any extent for the security of the nation consistently defeated this separatism and terrorism.He said that the first example of this determination is the last Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh himself, who was a great ruler and a visionary figure.
In 1947, on the one hand, Pakistan was sitting with eyes on Jammu and Kashmir, and on the other hand it was also the conspiracy of the British that the accession of Jammu and Kashmir should be done with Pakistan and not with India, but the Maharaja defeated the conspiracies of both Pakistan and the British, and signed the instrument of accession with India. Because of that great decision, we the people of Jammu and Kashmir can proudly say that we are citizens of India.
Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale further said that after the Jammu Kashmir’s accession with India, due to the short-sightedness of the central leadership of that time and the conspiracies of the then political rulers of Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Constitution was not fully implemented in Jammu and Kashmir. Efforts were being made to create obstacles. , At such a time, the first movement of independent India, the Praja Parishad movement, was started in the state.
We cannot forget the incomparable contribution of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee and Pandit Premnath Dogra, who played an important role in making this movement successful in the state and then in the whole country. Holding the tricolor in one hand, holding the constitution in the other hand and carrying the photograph of the then President Dr. Rajendra Prasad around the neck, thousands of people came out on the streets, their slogan was only one, "Ek Desh Mein Do Nishan, Two Vidhan and Do Pradhan Nahi Chalegi" . Hosabale said that whenever he enters Jammu and Kashmir, he remembers great personalities like Col. Narayan Singh, Brigadier Rajendra Singh, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Pandit Premnath Dogra and many others.
In his address, Dattatreya Hosabale also referred to the Pakistani invasion of PoJK in 1947 and the situation after that. He said that at that time Hindus and Sikhs were massacred from places like Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Bhimber, Kotli, many atrocities were committed on women, the brave soldiers of Indian Army liberated the areas of Rajouri, Poonch and Baramulla from the illegal occupation of Pakistan.
He said that how can we forget Major Somnath Sharma, the first Param Vir Chakra winner who showed valor in the battle of Budgam, Brigadier Pritam Singh, famous as the protector of Poonch, Mahavir Chakra winner and hero of the war of Jhangad Brigadier Mohammad Usman. Dattatreya Hosabale said that the people living in POJK are still suffering they are still not free, they are looking towards India.
Recalling the Kotli incident, he said that in 1947-48, even when the Indian army was fighting in the battlefield, the people of Jammu and Kashmir were contributing shoulder to shoulder with the army. In Kotli, the Indian Army air-dropped boxes full of ammunition at that time, but they fell in the wrong place. Who can forget Kotli's sacrificers Dharamveer Khanna, Ved Prakash Chadha, Pritam Singh and Sukha Singh, who decided to go and bring ammunition on their own in the midst of of bullets, they were also successful but were injured in the shelling and later got martyrdom. Amrit Sagar of Poonch mobilized the local people and inspired them to help the Indian Army. The people of the new generation should remember these things.
Describing the contribution of patriot Maqbool Sherwani in Kashmir, he said that how Sherwani, without caring for his life, had misled the Pakistani army. Due to which the Pakistani army got delayed in reaching Srinagar. By the time the Pakistani army reached Budgam, the Indian Army had taken over. In this context, Dattatreya Hosabale, while mentioning a village named Chhura of Kashmir, said that Sikhs had gathered here after leaving their villages due to the Pakistani invasion.
When Pakistani army reached there, In such a critical time, under the leadership of Bibi Naseeb Kaur, a local Kashmiri Sikh woman, Sikh women fought a war against the Pakistani army in the guise of men, where 402 Sikh women, children and men sacrificed their lives in front of Pakistani army. He said that this soil of India or Jammu and Kashmir is a pilgrimage area.He said that today a huge area of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is under illegal occupation of Pakistan. Lakhs of people displaced from there are today living in Jammu and Kashmir and rest of India.
There will hardly be any family of displaced who has not lost any relative from their family. Even after facing such a terrible tragedy, this society did not lose its patience. Even after being displaced, their contribution to Jammu and Kashmir is commendable. The people of Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, PoJK are the first victims of independent India's Jammu and Kashmir and they should get justice.
He said that in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the Indian Army had forced 93000 Pakistani soldiers to kneel while showing bravery, valor and patriotism. Despite this, Pakistan once again invaded the Kargil region of Jammu and Kashmir in 1999. But the Pakistanis could not stand before the bravery and might of the Indian Army. We should always remember the contribution of Major Saurabh Kalia, Captain Vikram Batra, Lieutenant Balwan Singh, Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav, Major Rajesh Adhikari, Major Vivek Gota, Naik Digendra Kumar, Rifle Man Sanjay Kumar.
Dattatreya Hosabale said that we should take inspiration from such sacrifices and brave sons. It is necessary that the country and society should stand with the families of such sacrificers.He said that the patriotic people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have also been constantly struggling with both internal and external challenges. At the time of Kargil war, it was very important for the army to reach the hills and this responsibility was taken by the patriotic porters of Ladakh and played an important role in the victory of Kargil war. This proves that patriotism is not in the pictures and in the exhibition, how the general Porter stands up to defend the country, it is patriotism.
He said that separatism and terrorism have weakened but not ended, desperate terrorists are changing their styles, in such a situation, the security forces are constantly performing their responsibility by being alert, but our society is also aware of the present challenges. Article 370 was made unaffected and 35-A has been removed. Dalits, women, STs, West Pakistan refugees, Gorkhas living in Jammu and Kashmir were all against these.
Also the people of the state fought a long struggle and in the end won. Today ST has got political reservation, women have got equal rights, Dalits now have all those rights which they get everywhere in the country. Work is being done to identify OBCs. DDC elections have been held, in which ST, women got right participation.Dattatreya Hosabale said that today the golden opportunity has come to make India stand before the world. There is a wave of positive change in the country.
He also called for the contribution of the society to build strong India. He said that the society with its awareness and commitment should stand with the families of the brave soldiers and martyrs. The government as well as the society should take the responsibility of encouraging the families of the martyrs. The names of institutions, memorials etc. should be named after the immortal sacrificers, the birthdays and death anniversaries of the sacrificers should be celebrated as a mass festival. Literature, stories, folk songs are made in the name of these martyrs , we should remain determined for such works.
Paying tributes to the freedom fighters and the Armed Forces personnel who have laid down their lives since independence in the service of the Nation, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that India is a strong nation and is capable of defeating all its enemies.“India has become a strong and confident nation which is well-equipped to protect its people from anyone who tries to cast an evil eye,” Singh said while addressing an event organised to commemorate ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ here.“It was the spirit of national pride at the core of values that protected the unity and integrity of India,” said Singh and made special mention of the support extended by the people of Jammu and Kashmir to the Armed Forces, commending their commitment to safeguard the interests of the Nation like all other states.
He stated that J&K will always be an integral part of India and the Government is ensuring that the Union Territory, like the rest of the country, touches newer heights of progress.Terming Article 370 as an artificial legal barrier, he asserted that its abrogation brought a new dawn of hope to the dreams and aspirations of the people of J&K, especially the youth.“The decision opened new avenues for the welfare of the people and the Union Territory is now progressing at a much faster rate,” he said.On PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, the Defence Minister stated that these areas are illegally occupied by Pakistan and a resolution to free it has been unanimously passed in Parliament of India.
He asserted that the Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to safeguard the interests of the Nation and it has taken a series of steps to develop a self-reliant defence ecosystem that provides indigenous state-of-the-art weapons and equipment to the Armed Forces to fight all kinds of future wars.“Our priority is to achieve 'Aatmanirbharta' in Defence as it is central to developing a robust security apparatus for the safety and security of the nation. To realise this vision, 68 percent of the defence budget has been earmarked for procurement of defence equipment from domestic sources,” said Singh.
He added, “from a net importer, we have now become a net exporter which is not only catering to our own needs, but is also fulfilling the requirements of our friendly countries, in line with the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision.”“Due to the recent measures taken by the Government, India today finds itself among the top 25 exporters of the world in defence items. We have set a target to achieve Rs 35,000 crore worth of exports by 2025 and become a top exporter in the times to come.
Our aim is to make India a global superpower,” he said, adding that this will be a fitting tribute to our fallen heroes who made the supreme sacrifice while dreaming of an India which is strong, prosperous, self-reliant and victorious.Sharing his views on the numerous challenges faced by India post-independence, Singh said, the entire area of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh became the ‘Main War Theatre’ during 1948, 1962, 1965, 1971 and 1999 wars, when enemies tried to cast an evil eye, but whose plans were thwarted by the gallant Indian soldiers.
He spoke about the brave deeds of Brigadier Usman and Major Somnath Sharma in 1948; Major Shaitan Singh’s valour in 1962; India’s historic victory in 1971 war and the contribution of Kargil bravehearts Captain Vikram Batra and Captain Manoj Pandey who laid down their lives to protect the unity and integrity of India and continue to be an inspiration to the people, especially the youthHe also paid respects to the Indian soldiers who displayed unmatched bravery during the Galwan valley incident and ensured that the Indian tricolour continues to fly high.
“After tasting defeats in direct wars of 1965 and 1971, Pakistan adopted the path of Proxy War. For over two decades, it has tried to ‘Bleed India with Thousand Cuts’. But, time and again, our brave soldiers have shown that no one can disturb the unity, integrity and sovereignty of India,” Singh added, assuring the Nation that the Armed Forces are ready to face all future challenges.He remembered the then Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his leadership and words of encouragement to the Armed Forces personnel during the Kargil war despite numerous challenges and international pressure.
He termed the victory as a prime example of jointness among the three Services and their coordination with the Government which safeguarded the sovereignty and integrity of the nation during testing times.“The Kargil war underlined the dire need to achieve jointness and self-reliance in the defence sector. It has been our endeavour to achieve these qualities to remain prepared for future challenges. Setting up of Joint Theatre Commands and reforms to achieve self-reliance in defence are the steps taken in that direction,” he added.