Rajeev Chandrasekhar takes swipe at Cong, allies for ‘not’ celebrating Kargil win during 2004-09

PTI, Jul 26, 2023, 4:35 PM IST

Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar took a swipe at the Congress and its allies on Wednesday, saying their government during 2004-09 did not commemorate the ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ but are now trying to hide behind a new name of their bloc.

”Did you know during 2004-2009 Cong-led UPA did not celebrate or honor Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26 till I insisted in Parliament,” he said in a tweet, sharing copies of his motion in Rajya Sabha in 2009.

He had written in the motion that the members who oppose the celebration on the ground that it was a ”BJP war” should stop this mockery. ”It is our duty to our nation to memorialise these sacrifice and duty,” he had said. The Kargil War was fought in 1999 when the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government was in power.

”It was only after my persistent demand that the then Defence Minister A K Antony started the tradition of laying a wreath on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas from 2010,” the BJP member said.

He added, ”This the same UPA that wants to shed its shame and hide behind a new name. A political party and dynasty that did not want to celebrate Kargil Vijay Diwas or the service & sacrifice of our armed forces and victory over Pakistan, now wants to rebrand itself as ‘INDIA’ ? This is the Congress, they mocked Balakot air strikes, they mocked Surgical strikes, they smear India at every opportunity abroad and still want to rebrand thmselves as ‘INDIA’.” Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed to mark India’s victory over Pakistan.

Chandrasekhar has long been associated with pro-security forces causes and had been a keen votary of war memorials in Delhi and Bengaluru.