New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed to commemorate the 20th Kargil Vijay Diwas in New Delhi on Saturday. He met GL Batra, father of Captain Vikram Batra, who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest gallantry award for Kargil War.
Prime Minister Modi recalled Batra’s sacrifice during his speech.
“When Param Vir Chakra awardee, son of Himachal Pradesh, J&K Rifles Captain Vikram Batra had said, ‘yeh dil maange more’, his heart wasn’t asking for himself, not for a religion, a language or a caste but for the whole Bharat, for Maa Bharati,” said Prime Minister.
Prime Minister said that Vajpayee government gave “an effective strategic answer” to Pakistan’s “deceit” on Kashmir in 1999 Kargil war and noted that people defeated in wars resorting to proxy war for their political objectives and were giving encouragement to terrorism.
“Its deceit was defeated in 1999 (Kargil war). The neighbour thought that India will lodge protest over Kargil and tension will scare the world with countries jumping in for mediation and create a new boundary. They had not hoped we will give an effective answer. Instead of crying and finding excuses, giving a strong strategic answer proved costly for the enemy,” he said.