Rajnath takes a swipe at China at Rezang La, says not India's character to capture's other country's land
A befitting reply has been given every time any country has raised their eyes towards us, Rajnath said.
FollowSending out a strong signal to India's adversaries, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the Indian troops are capable to give a befitting reply to their adversaries if they threaten the country's sovereignty and integrity. The defence minister was in Leh to dedicate the renovated Rezang La War Memorial to the nation in honour of 114 soldiers who attained martyrdom in the 1962 Sino-India war and 20 Galwan Valley braves of 2020.Â
Taking a swipe at China while addressing soldiers at Rezang La, Rajnath said it was not India’s character to capture any other country's land. Stating that India's brave soldiers had the capability to protect every inch of its territory, the minister said that a befitting reply has been given every time any country has raised their eyes towards us.Â
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Company Commander Major Shaitan Singh and 113 soldiers fought the Battle of Rezang La till their last breath against the aggressive Chinese People's Liberation Army troops on November 18, 1962. The battle which started at 4 am on the day ended at 10 pm with 114 Indian casualties and 1310 Chinese soldiers being eliminated. The Chinese had to abandon their operation and retreat.Â
Rajnath vowed that he would keep visiting the Rezang La memorial every year as long as he is the defence minister of the country. Talking about the Battle of Rezang La, the minister said this battle is considered one of the 10 greatest and most challenging military conflicts in the world.Â
Earlier, the war memorial was built just a year after the battle in 1963 in the Chushul plains, at an altitude of over 15,000 feet. In June 2021, when Rajnath visited Leh he asked the Army to renovate the memorial and within three months it was revamped for inauguration on the 59th anniversary of the battle.
Praising the troops of 13 Kumaon Regiment troops, the minister said that the courage and sacrifice of the Charlie Company will always inspire future generations. He described the revamped was memorial as an embodiment of the determination and fearless spirit of the country's brave hearts. The revamped complex of the memorial includes a mini-theatre to screen a special documentary on the battle, a large helipad, a double-storied museum and various other tourist amenities. It is situated very near to the Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh.Â
On the occasion, Singh escorted Brigadier RV Jatar (Retd) who fought bravely in 1962. The family of the then Commanding Officer of 13 Kumaon, Lt Col HS Dhingra and Major Shaitan Singh's son Narpat Singh Bhati attended the event along with other veterans and were felicitated.
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