Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the Kargil War Memorial in Dras in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday and paid tributes to the Indian soldiers martyred during the Kargil war. The Union Minister is also scheduled to inaugurate two bridges in Kathua and Basantar later in the day. Singh had taken to Twitter to inform about his day-long trip to Jammu and Kashmir in the morning. “Leaving New Delhi for Drass on a day-long visit to J&K. Shall visit the Kargil War Memorial to pay tributes to the fallen soldiers. I shall also be visiting Jammu region where two bridges built by BRO at Ujh in Kathua and Basantar in Samba will be dedicated to the nation,” Rajnath tweeted. Singh had taken to Twitter to inform about his day-long trip to Jammu and Kashmir in the morning. Rajnath’s visit to the memorial comes days ahead of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Operation Vijay by Indian Army. The Kargil war was fought between India and Pakistan between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and along the Line of Control (LOC). During the war, the Indian Army evicted Pakistani intruders and succeeded in recapturing the Tiger Hill and other posts as a part of Operation Vijay. The Indian soldiers had secured this victory after a three-month conflict that led to a loss of lives from both sides with the Indian side losing nearly 490 officers, soldiers, and jawans. In order to commemorate India’s win in the war, the Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on July 26. A host of events have been organised and a few major ones are lined up to mark the 20 years of the conflict. “Brave soldiers of the Indian Army had overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, hostile terrain, weather, and a determined enemy occupying dominating heights, to win the Kargil War with the help of the Indian Air Force, which gave air support to the Army,” the Defence Ministry said on Friday.
