HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, July 26: The Government of Assam, in association with the Lions Club on Tuesday, observed Kargil Vijay Diwas at the State War Memorial located in the city’s Dighalipukhuri Park.
In the event, retired Indian army officers and jawans of the State, including the relatives of the Kargil martyrs, were invited and honoured by Assam Government’s Water Resources, Information and Public Relations minister Pijush Hazarika.
Tributes were paid to martyrs – Captain Jintu Gogoi, Havildar Narain Singha and Gunner Udhab Das in the event who sacrificed their lives in the ‘Operation Vijay’ of the Kargil war.
Addressing the gathering as chief guest, Hazarika said, “The way Indian army officers and jawans sacrifice their lives to safeguard the nation and its people, I would precisely say it is unmatched and exceptional. On this occasion, I pay my utmost respect to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the Kargil war. At the same time, I salute the surviving officers and jawans at this occasion.”
On Tuesday, wreaths were laid at the war memorial’s ‘Amar Jawan’ to pay tribute to the martyrs of the 1999 Kargil War. Officers and jawans of the Narengi Army camp and veterans from the city also participated in the celebration to pay tribute to the brave martyrs.
Brigadier (Rtd) Ranjit Borthakur said, “More than five hundred Indian army officers and jawans sacrificed their lives in the Kargil War. More than 13 hundred were injured in the Kargil war. However, Pakistan learnt a lesson that they can never defeat India.”
Officials of the Lions Club said that that paying respect to the Army personnel and tribute to the martyrs is a noble responsibility. “The win we have got, and the sacrifices our army men have given, we are proud of it,” it added.
Notably, the occasion was also celebrated in different parts of the State on Tuesday. The Bharatiya Yuva Morcha took out a colourful procession from the Sivasagar town’s KPM Chariali to Sivadoul premises.
In Nagaon, members of the district unit of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha took out a rally from the town’s Nehrubali field. Over 300 activists from the youth wing of the ruling BJP remembered the sacrifices of the Indian soldiers who laid down their lives for the nation as well as for the motherland in Kargil war and also paid tribute to those martyrs for their gallant efforts and sacrifices towards the nation. The cadets of 8 Assam Battalion, NCC as well as the NCC cadets of Nagaon Govt Boys’ Higher Secondary School also observed the day with a day-long programme.
