Congress earlier denied celebration of Kargil Vijay Diwas terming it NDA’s war mocking interest of nation: Rajeev Chandrasekhar

New Delhi [India]: Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday raised question on the “ideology and thought process” of Congress of doing “politics of appeasement” for not celebrating Kargil Vijay Diwas earlier terming the event as NDA’s war.

“This is the same Congress that sacrificed the interest of the nation. Our Congress friends then used to say that they will not celebrate Kargil Vijay Diwas as it was NDA’s war.

This is their ideology and their thought process. Their thought process is of appeasement of politics,” Chandrasekhar said. Chandrasekhar’s statement came when the country celebrated the 24th anniversary of the Kargil War on Wednesday.

Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War in 1999.

The day honours the bravery and sacrifice made by Indian soldiers during the intense war. The successful operation against Pakistan was named Operation Vijay.

Today, it’s the 24th anniversary of the Kargil War.

On July 21, 2009, Chandrasekhar had moved a special mention notice in the Rajya Sabha as a matter of important public importance, saying “I request the Chairman to permit me to mention the Kargil Vijay Diwas as a matter of important public importance in the House on July 23 2009”.

In his special mention, Chandrasekhar then said “I draw the attention of the Members to the 10th anniversary of the Victory of the men and women of our armed forces over our enemies at Kargil – on the 26th July.”

“This day represents not just the victory of our proud country and its will prevailing over those of its enemies, but also most importantly it represents the inspirational sense of duty and sacrifice by thousands of men and women of our Armed forces,” Chandrasekhar then said.

I remember every day of that conflict as do many Indians. These are the men and women whose actions, sense of nationalism and duty which should inspire our younger generations. I believe the actions of the men and women of our armed forces in that conflict and every other conflict deserve our shradhanjali, respects and solutes, he added.

“I appeal to the Ministry of Defence and Government to memorialize this day and celebrate it every year. I also appeal to my colleagues in this house who oppose it on grounds of this being a BJP war or something as ridiculous to stop this mockery,” Chandrasekhar pointed then.

“The comments you do a serious disservice to the men, women and families of those who serve our nation and have served our nation. It is our duty to our nation to memorialize these sacrifices and duty,” he mentioned further.

Taking cognisance of Chandrasekhar’s special mention, then Defence Minister AK Antony in a letter to him on July 16, 2010, mentioned: “Please refer to Special Mention made in Rajya Sabha on July 23, 2009 regarding commemorating the victory at Kargil every year”.

“Keeping in view the precedence and to honour the martyrs, a homage ceremony will be organized also this year at Amar Jawan Jyoti on July 26, 2010,” Antony said in the letter then