“Jung jeetni hai, aur Dil bhi”: Defence minister to armymen in J&K

Jammu: Defence minister Rajanth Simgh today said, the soldiers are our protectors, however it is their duty to not only safeguard national interests, but also to win the hearts of the people. He exhorted the troops to remain extra vigilant, so that no untoward incident occurs in future, reiterating that there should be zero tolerance to terrorism.

Citing the recent incidents in border areas of Jammu & Kashmir as unfortunate, defence minister Rajnath Singh asked all ranks to undertake operations based on hard intelligence, in accordance with established procedures aided by niche technology.

During his day-long visit to the border areas to take stock of the security situation along the Line of Control (LoC) the minister urged all Commanders to have zero tolerance for violations of the well-established SOPs.

While carrying out a first-hand assessment of the prevailing situation as well as the counter-terror operations in the area he was accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi.

The minister was given a detailed brief on the prevalent security situation, counter-infiltration grid and operational preparedness. The aspects associated with the operating challenges were discussed by Singh with the Commanders on ground. He called for professional conduct and due diligence while carrying out operations.

Interacting with the troops, the minister paid tributes to the soldiers killed in action and conveyed his deepest condolences to the families of the bravehearts. He wished a speedy recovery of the injured soldiers, emphasising that all necessary measures are being taken in view of the prevailing situation.

Singh assured the troops that the Government stands with the Armed Forces and the nation will forever be indebted to the unparalleled valour and sacrifice of the soldiers. He termed the welfare of the Armed Forces as the Government’s top priority, stressing that additional efforts are being made to bolster the security and intelligence framework.

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