Pulwama attack PM Modi leads nation in paying homage to martyrs
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday led the nation in paying homage to the slain Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on the third anniversary of the deadly Pulwama terror attack, and said their bravery and supreme sacrifice motivate every Indian to work towards a strong and prosperous country.
In the attack by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in the south Kashmir district on this day in 2019, as many as 40 CRPF personnel made the supreme sacrifice when an explosive-laden vehicle hit their convoy at Lethpora when they were heading from Jammu to Srinagar to join their duties after availing leave.
In a retaliatory strike, the Indian Air Force had carried out an air strike in Pakistan’s Balakot on February 26, 2019, targeting terrorist camps.
India’s retaliation was seen as a doctrinal shift in its counter-terror policy. India has been following a policy of hot pursuit in dealing with cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir in the last few years.
Several events were organised across the country to mark the occasion with political leaders cutting across party lines paying rich tributes to the fallen jawans. The CRPF also held a series of functions, including one near the scene of the attack to pay floral tributes to their colleagues.
Modi tweeted, “I pay homage to all those martyred in Pulwama on this day in 2019 and recall their outstanding service to our nation. Their bravery and supreme sacrifice motivates every Indian to work towards a strong and prosperous country.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted, “This country will never forget the sacrifice of the brave CRPF jawans killed in Pulwama in 2019. I pay my tributes to them.”
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also paid tributes to the CRPF jawans and said their memory will motivate India to fight the “evil of cross-border terrorism”.
“Tributes to the brave jawans who made the supreme sacrifice at Pulwama. Their memory will always motivate us to fight the evil of cross-border terrorism. Today, and always, the nation will remember,” he tweeted.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the sacrifice of CRPF jawans killed in the Pulwama terror attack will not go in vain and asserted that “we will ensure answers are given”.
“We can never forget the martyrs of Pulwama. Their sacrifice and that of their families will not go in vain — we will ensure answers are given. Jai Hind,” Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.
Meanwhile, a widow of a CRPF personnel killed in the Pulwama terror attack was honoured by the paramilitary force at an event here, an official said.
