As the country celebrates Diwali today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi keeping to his old traditions will be with Army jawans in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri to celebrate the festivities. PM Modi has been maintaining the tradition he started ever since he took office in 2014.
This will be PM Narendra Modi’s second Diwali with the soldiers in the border district. PM Modi had celebrated the festival with soldiers at the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district in 2019. This time, he will reportedly be celebrating the festival with troops in Nowshera.
The Prime Minister’s visit comes at a time when there is an ongoing encounter in Poonch for the last 24 days. Officials said the PM’s presence will lift the morale of the jawans on the ground. Meanwhile, Army Chief General M M Naravane arrived in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday on a two-day visit and carried out aerial reconnaissance of forwarding areas in the Jammu region.
Last year on Diwali, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had lit diyas with Army soldiers at the Longewala border in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer. As Prime Minister, Narendra Modi celebrated his first Diwali in 2014 with jawans in Siachen.
PM Modi in 2020 said, “When I went to Siachen during my first year as Prime Minister in 2014, people were surprised. But today, everyone knows my emotions and feelings. Being among the soldiers is being among my family. Today, I am here to celebrate Diwali with my family.”
