25 Years Of Vijay Diwas: PM Modi’s Visit To Kargil Then And Now | See Pics

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid to a visit to Kargil War Memorial in Ladakh’s Drass to commemorate the 25th anniversary of ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’, India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1999 war.

He laid a floral wreath at the War Memorial and paid homage and tributes to the Kargil War bravehearts, who made the supreme sacrifice in service of the nation.

Meanwhile, a social media handle, Modi Archive, that narrates the life journey of the prime minister through his archival pictures, videos, audio recordings, and other materials, shared a several photos and clippings of him serving the army during the war.

Read More: On Kargil Vijay Diwas, PM Modi Says Pakistan Hasn’t Learnt From Past Mistakes

The X thread, titled as “A Pilgrimage Of A Lifetime”, described his experience visiting the battlefield and the lessons he learnt talking to the war heroes.

During the war in 1999, Modi, then a general secretary of the BJP, was one those who used to transport essential items to the soldiers. Once, he boarded a Mi-17 helicopter with essentials and reached the battlefield.

While speaking to the soldiers, he came to know that soldiers gave the credit to the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for a strong leadership. For him, it showed how strong political will and leadership can inspire soldiers to be brave and make great sacrifices.

Later he had also met the wounded soldiers in the war whose spirit remained unbroken and celebrated the Tiger Hill triumph.

Further, the X thread mentioned that how Modi particularly questioned the silence of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Pakistan and how the opposition never hesitate to politicise the issues pertaining to even national security.

In an interview to Sadhana Magazine in 1999, he pointed out how pursuing political interests during such a critical time was unfortunate. He reminded everyone how Atal Ji, despite being in the opposition, fully supported Indira Gandhi during the 1971 war, showing true national unity.

In today’s address also, he said that the Agnipath scheme is an example of necessary reforms undertaken by the Army and accused the opposition of playing politics over the recruitment process aimed at keeping the average age in armed forces young.

Kargil Vijay Diwas:

Pakistani troops infiltrated deep into Indian territory, prompting India to launch Operation Vijay. The Indian Army fought fierce battle, reclaiming every inch of land. One such battleground was Tiger Hill, a strategic vantage point that saw some of the war’s most intense fighting.

On July 4, 1999, after a relentless battle, Indian forces hoisted the tricolour atop Tiger Hill. On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army announced the successful culmination of “Operation Vijay”, declaring victory after a nearly three-month-long battle on the icy heights of Kargil in Ladakh. The day is observed as ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the war.