"You have been my family..." Modi's Diwali message to soldiers

KARGIL: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who landed in Kargil on Monday to celebrate the festival of light with soldiers said Diwali means the "festival of end of terror" and that Kargil had made it possible. Addressing soldiers Prime Minister said, "For me, all of you have been my family for years now. It is a privilege to spend Diwali with our brave jawans in Kargil."

"The forces are the pillar of India's security. From this victorious land of Kargil, I wish the countrymen and the world a very happy Diwali. There has not been a single war with Pakistan where Kargil has not hoisted the flag of victory.

The meaning of Diwali is end of Atank (terror) and Kargil made it possible," he said.

"In Kargil, our forces crushed terror. I was fortunate enough to be a witness. I was shown my old photos here, and I am grateful for that," he added. The Prime Minister has been celebrating the festival with soldiers for several years now.

In 2019, the Prime Minister celebrated Diwali with soldiers in the Rajouri district along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. He had called soldiers as his family and lauded them for guarding the borders even during festivals. He had exchanged Diwali greetings with the Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel at Pathankot Air Force Station.

In 2018, Prime Minister Modi had celebrated Diwali with jawans of the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), at Harsil in Uttarakhand. Following that he had offered prayers at the Kedarnath shrine.

In 2017, the Prime Minister celebrated the festival of light with army soldiers and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel in the Gurez Valley of Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora District.

In 2016, the PM went to Himachal Pradesh to celebrate the festival with Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel at an outpost.

He visited the Punjab border to celebrate Diwali with soldiers in 2015. In 2014, Prime Minister Modi spent Diwali in Siachen with soldiers.

Notably, PM Modi has been visiting soldiers on Diwali, ever since he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.