Defense Minister Rajnath Singh performed “Shastra Puja” today at Dussehra in Sikkim, near Nathula.
New Delhi:
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, accompanied by officers and commanders of the Indian army, performed the “Shastra Puja”, the customary cult of arms, in Sherathang of Sikkim, less than 2 km from the Royal Line of Control or LAC, on the occasion of Dussehra today.
Rajnath Singh worshiped weapons, equipment and armored vehicles while a priest chanted prayers in Sanskrit. The priest ended the ceremony with prayers for the “security of India’s borders.”
The “Shastra Puja” near the Indian border of defactors comes amid the clash with China in eastern Ladakh. A tense clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers also took place in northern Sikkim in early May.
विजयादशमी पर्व पर आयोजित शस्त्रपूजन समारोह में भाग ले रहा हूँ। हमसे जुड़िए https://t.co/sNQyKUm9f0
– Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 25, 2020
Earlier in the morning, the minister had extended Dussehra’s greetings on Twitter. “Best wishes to all the compatriots at the Vijayadashami festival. On this auspicious occasion today, I will visit the Nathula area of Sikkim and meet the soldiers of the Indian army and also be present at the arms worship ceremony. wrote.
The Defense Minister is on a two-day visit to West Bengal and Sikkim to review the readiness of the forces. He is accompanied by the head of the army, General Manoj Mukund Naravane.
On Saturday, the defense minister and the army chief were briefed in detail on the situation along the de facto border in the Sikkim sector.
The army has significantly beefed up its troops and weaponry along the nearly 3,500 km long de facto border with China, including the Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh sectors, as tension in Ladakh has shown no signs of abating.
In an interaction with army personnel, the Defense Minister conveyed his wishes on the occasion of Dussehra and praised their dedication to securing the borders.
“India always wants good relations with all its neighboring countries, we have always made an effort for the same. But our jaws have had to sacrifice their lives from time to time to protect our borders, integrity and universality … The nation and its limits are safe because of you, “he had said on Saturday.
Singh has been performing Shastra Puja in Dussehra for the past few years, including during his tenure as Union Minister of the Interior in the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
Last year, the defense minister had conducted the Shastra Puja in the French port city of Bordeaux during a visit to the country to formally receive the Rafale fighter jets.
(With contributions from agencies)
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