JAMMU, NOVEMBER 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Thursday celebrate Diwali with Army jawans in Jammu and Kashmir’s border Rajouri district.
This will be his second Diwali with the soldiers in the border district as earlier in 2019 also, he had celebrated the festival of lights with them in Rajouri. This time, sources said that he will be visiting Nowshera.
Since he took over office in 2014, PM Modi has made it a tradition to celebrate Diwali with soldiers. He had travelled to the Longewala border in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer last year where he had lit diyas with jawans during the celebrations.
His visit to Jammu and Kashmir comes in the backdrop of increased terrorist activity in the UT where a terrorists mainly targeted civilians and non-locals during the past few weeks. However, many a terrorists, including some high-profile ones, have also been gunned down in various encounters in the Valley.
Sources said the PM’s presence at LoC will boost the morale of soldiers as they battle terrorists.
Though guns have fallen silent along the LoC following the ceasefire that was put in place by India and Pakistan earlier this year, the otherwise peaceful twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch have started witnessing re-emergence of terror activity after a long time. Since October 11 this year, nine Army soldiers have died in two separate encounters with militants in the forests at Dehra Ki Gali and Bhati Dhar in Poonch district.
In Jaisalmer last year, PM had said: “When I went to Siachen during my first year as Prime Minister in 2014, people were surprised. But today, everyone knows my emotions and feelings. Being among the soldiers is being among my family. Today, I am here to celebrate Diwali with my family.”
He had further stated, “Whether you live on the snowy hills or in the desert, my Diwali is completed by coming between you. I see the beauty of your faces, see the happiness on your face, then I am doubly happy”.
