On the occasion of the Veterans Day, the Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha paid tribute to ex-servicemen of the Armed Forces and attended a commemorative event presided over by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at Akhnoor.
“I bow my head in gratitude to all the veterans, valiant Jawans, Veer Naris and families of our Armed Forces’ brave-hearts. We will forever remain indebted to our Veterans who have protected the nation from the enemies and continue to contribute to the nation’s growth and development,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor expressed gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Hon’ble Raksha Mantri, Shri Rajnath Singh for dedicating Veterans’ Day to honour the distinguished service of the ex-servicemen.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to protect the interests of Armed-forces personnel and their families. “Soldiers protecting the borders are the guarantee of security and development of the nation.
It is the collective responsibility of the society to take concrete measures for welfare of soldiers and Veterans,” he said. The Lieutenant Governor observed that the blessed land of Akhnoor bears the indelible footprints of the valour and saga of courage of our Veterans.
He said, the 108-ft high Monumental National Flag and Akhnoor Heritage Museum dedicated to the nation by the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri will inspire the generations and keep reminding us of the selfless devotion and sacrifices of our brave soldiers and their families for the motherland.
“A martyr's house is a sacred temple. This feeling and respect should be there in the minds of common man. Administration and society can express their gratitude to those who sacrificed everything for the country by fulfilling their responsibilities and ensuring that they live a life of comfort and dignity,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor highlighted various welfare programmes providing assistance and support for the education of the children of veterans and their better career prospects. On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor also paid homage to the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa.
Two-minute silence was observed in the honour of martyrs of the Armed Forces. Mobility aids like motorised wheelchairs, retrofitted scooties were distributed to the veterans and veer naris.